Abstract:
Dr. Ben Royal started the first Morehead City hospital with support from the U.S. Public Health Service and local community members. Edith Broadway was hired as a nurse in 1912 to assist with operations. Her work, however, far exceeded her title. Broadway and Royal worked tirelessly to assist residents of Morehead City and surrounding areas; beginning with only seven beds, the duo worked to expand service to eighteen patients. Following the flu epidemic of 1918, Royal and Broadway continued to raise funds for a larger, more adequate facility. Their work manifested in a new building and improved medical facilities. The two worked side by side through the Second World War. Overall, Broadway dedicated 31 years to the Morehead City hospitals.