Baker-Gaines Central Campus
Campus History
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 include Health Information Technology, Medical Coding, Nursing, and the Physical Therapist Assistant. 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 the black history museum.