If you ask some local old-timers, the Goldwater building, an area landmark currently located on Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) Show Low Campus, is much more than a structure. It’s a piece of history; a place where many of the original Show Low homesteaders and their children were born, where many met one-on-one with a doctor for the first time, where people from miles around received the care and services needed to heal, and where others found peace and comfort in death.
The building, located at 1001 W Deuce of Clubs, adjacent to Show Low City Park, was founded in 1961 as the Josephine Goldwater Hospital, named after then AZ U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater’s mother, Josephine Williams Goldwater. Josephine is believed to be one of the first registered nurses to practice in Arizona.
In the late 1950s, the Show Low area grew by leaps and bounds. The nearest hospital was 20 miles away in McNary, or, for birthing purposes only, 15 miles away at the Old Maternity Home in Snowflake. In response to the population growth and the need for closer healthcare services, the White Mountain Community Hospital organization formed and began to petition for funding to support the development of a new hospital in Show Low.
After visiting the area, Senator Goldwater and his family provided a large portion of the capital for the new hospital, which was named in honor of the family’s beloved matriarch, Josephine. The new 12-bed hospital provided state-of-the-art medical services at the time. It is said that Josephine was an adventurous spirit who loved the outdoors, hunting, and fishing, and would regularly pack up her three children, Barry, Robert, and Carolyn, to discover the remote spaces of Arizona.
In her 91 years, Josephine herself battled and overcame several health challenges. In the early 1900’s she was one of the lucky survivors of Tuberculosis. After beating the illness, she provided care to those still suffering from the disease in tent cities in the Phoenix area. Later, she survived a car accident and sustained internal injuries and broken ribs. In 1936, she was diagnosed with cancer, and, after taking part in new medical procedures through the Mayo Clinic, was eventually proclaimed cancer-free. Through it all, her passion for nursing and helping others never waned. During the influenza epidemic of 1918-20, she served as regional director of the American Red Cross and later, paid for Arizona’s first iron lung for polio victims.
When the new McNary Clinic hospital took shape at the location of what is now Summit Healthcare, the Goldwater hospital shut down, and the building was repurposed as part of Northland Pioneer College’s Show Low campus. In the early days, it served as the college’s main office. In recent years, the building has housed faculty in arts and sciences and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Today, the Goldwaters’ legacy of service and giving back to the community continues. In October 2024, exactly 64 years after the original Josephine Goldwater Hospital opened its doors, NPC broke ground on the construction of an addition to the historic Goldwater building. The development has brought the building’s history full circle. It will once again serve as the campus’s main hub as the new student services center.
The addition to the Goldwater building includes a new welcome center and front office area, where students can mingle with staff and each other and receive private one-on-one assistance while registering for classes or making payments. The addition also includes a conference area, classrooms equipped with distance education technology and state-of-the-art equipment, private student spaces, outdoor areas for employee and student gatherings, and a distance working hub. The new building will house important student services such as academic advising, registration, financial aid, and more, all under one roof.
“This new addition is about community. It’s about better serving our stakeholders, our students, and the public,” said NPC’s President, Dr. Von Lawson, at the official ribbon-cutting of the new Goldwater Student Services Center held on October 3, 2025. “This is a place where students can get all the information and assistance they need in one stop and in a comfortable, well-staffed, private setting,” said Lawson. “Student success is about more than just making a space for students to receive services; it’s about making a space for them to thrive,” he explained. “This is that place.”
The new Goldwater Student Services Center at Northland Pioneer College’s Show Low campus is now open. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to visit the new building and receive more information about NPC’s resources and services. The college’s spring 2026 class schedule is currently available online at www.npc.edu/class-schedule. Spring registration opens November 17, 2025.
