Veterans Hospital

Front: The Columbia Veterans Hospital opened to patients in 1932 and was among a set of VA Hospitals built throughout the nation. The campus is similar in design to other VA Hospitals of the period. Originally built with large day-rooms and open wards, the design was modified to include smaller patient rooms and private spaces as health care philosophy evolved. The siting of the hospital just outside the city helped to generate growth in the surrounding area. Reverse: The VA attempted to reflect local history and local architecture in the design of its facilities. While the Colonial Revival style was similar to other VA hospitals, the Recreational Building (Bldg 5), with its raised basement, sweeping stairs, and monumental portico, may have taken inspiration from the Mills Building on the campus of the S.C. State Hospital. The facilities here were segregated by race until 1954, when the VA officially ended the practice.