Historical MarkerRisser Hospital
Bonham · Fannin County · Dedicated 1982 · THC Atlas #5147008927
The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
Marker Inscription
Constructed about 1915 by John Sparger, Jr., this building first served as the residence of D. W. Sweeney, a local merchant and banker. In 1956 it was purchased by Dr. Joe A. Risser and opened as an 18-bed hospital, one of several doctor-operated clinics that served the medical needs of Bonham residents. Risser Hospital gained national attention on Nov. 16, 1961, when Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, died in the northeast downstairs room while a patient here. Dr. Risser, Rayburn's personal physician, operated the facility until 1971, when it was closed. (1981)
About this site
Risser Hospital is a historical marker in Bonham, Fannin County, dedicated in 1982. It is one of 109 historical markers documented in Fannin County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 262 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 33.5825, -96.1780 near Bonham. The nearest cataloged historic site is On Route of Early Texas Streetcars (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Biard Home, First Presbyterian Church, and Carlton College.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5147008927. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
