Campus Locations

Baker-Gaines Central Campus
1365 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.
Mobile, AL 36603-5362

The Baker-Gaines Central Campus opened its doors for classes in the fall of 1995. Formerly a high school, the building had been vacant for 24 years after being closed due to desegregation. The campus was once the site of Dunbar High School which was built in 1923 and named Central High School in 1947. Central High School remained in existence until 1970. The building remained open for one year as a junior high school and finally closed in 1971. In 1991, the Mobile County School Board gave Bishop State Community College the building. Under the ardent leadership of Bishop State's president at that time, Dr. Yvonne Kennedy, renovations began.

The 129,000 square-foot building, located at 1365 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, houses Health Related Professions which includes Certificate Medical Transcription, Emergency Medical Technician, Funeral Services Education, Health Information Technology, Practical Nursing, Nursing Career Mobility Track (LPN to RN), Nursing Generic Track Program, Nurse Assistant, with four nursing labs, and the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. Also housed at the Campus is the second location of the Thelma McMillian Kennedy Early Childhood Education Centre and Laboratory which can accommodate 50 infants and toddlers. The building also accommodates 60 hospital beds, a library, and learning resource center.

The Baker-Gaines Central Campus, named after the late Dr. Benjamin F. Baker and the late Mr. J. T. Gaines, both former principals of the high school, also houses a black history museum, multiple-site video conference equipment and a satellite downlink facility, which are available for use by businesses, agencies and organizations.

The Campus also has visual arts, audio, manuscript and reading rooms, and sitting and gallery areas. The state-of-the-art Yvonne Kennedy Auditorium consists of a stage, four dressing rooms, lighting and sound systems, control room, and motorized stage curtains. The auditorium can seat 840 on the floor and 290 in the balcony.

The Baker-Gaines Central Campus has a cafeteria that seats 200 and is open to the public, a bookstore, executive office suites, student support services, testing and counseling centers, conference rooms, and a community service office. There is a Central High School Memorabilia Room which displays artifacts from Dunbar-Central High - 1948-1970.

Directions

From I-65 North/ West Mobile: Take the Dauphin St. exit off of I-65. Travel east on Dauphin St. until you reach Broad St. Take a left onto Broad St. Turn left again onto Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. The campus is approximately 7 blocks north of Broad St on MLK Ave.

From I-65 South: Traveling south on I-65 take the downtown/I-165 exit. From there, exit to Water St. Once you reach Water St. turn right onto Beauregard St. Follow Beauregard which becomes Broad St. MLK Ave. will be the second traffic light. The campus is approximately 7 blocks north of Broad St on MLK Ave.

From Baldwin County/ I-10 West: Traveling westbound on I-10 exit the Bayway at the Government St. Exit. Enter the Wallace Tunnel and you will reappear on Government St. Travel west until you reach Broad St. Take a right onto Broad St. Turn left again onto Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. The campus is approximately 7 blocks north of Broad St on MLK Ave.

In all instances, the Central campus is located approximately 7 blocks west of the Main Bishop State campus which is located on Broad St.