Arthur Carl Lee spent more than three decades as Duke’s chief engineer, overseeing the development of West Campus that included, among other projects, Duke Chapel, the chemistry building and, with great fanfare, Duke University Hospital. He was ceremonially registered as its first patient.
Soon after the Duke Endowment was created in 1924, campus officials sought someone to oversee the coming building boom on the Durham campus.
They found Arthur Carl Lee, an engineer working on hydro-electric projects for Duke Power Company. Lee became one of the university’s most important and influential employees. He spent more than three decades as Duke’s chief engineer, overseeing the development of West Campus that included, among other projects, Duke Chapel, the chemistry building and, with great fanfare, Duke University Hospital.
The $4 million hospital included 400 beds and 31 full-time employees when it opened in 1930. Lee was ceremonially registered as its first patient.
“A.C. Lee … the man who supervised with signal ability every detail of the construction of the hospital as well as of the entire University plant, was the first patient to register at the hospital when it opened Monday morning for business,” wrote the local Durham Sun newspaper. “He took a great pride in that building, and no man connected with the University was happier than he was when it formally opened for business.”
Lee died in 1974 at age 87.
