Kansas Soldiers' Home facts for kids

The Kansas Soldiers' Home (KSH) is a special place in Fort Dodge, Kansas, that helps military veterans. It was started on February 7, 1890. This home is managed by the Kansas Commission of Veterans' Affairs and offers many different services to veterans.

History of the Home

Fort Dodge (US Army Post) was once a military base located along the famous Santa Fe Trail. It began as a camp in 1864 and became a permanent fort in April 1865. Its main job was to protect the area. Fort Dodge was active until 1882.

People from Dodge City wanted to use the old fort as a soldiers' home. In 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed a law that allowed part of the military land to be used for this purpose.

The Kansas Soldiers' Home opened in early 1890. Many of the old fort buildings were used for the new home. Some of the first people to live there were veterans from the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate soldiers. Veterans from the Indian campaigns and the Mexican War were also welcomed. Over time, black veterans were also admitted as residents.

The first Independence Day celebration at the Home was on July 4, 1890. It was a big event! More than 200 people from Dodge City came to celebrate. Both Confederate and Union veterans living at the home were honored.

Over the years, the home has helped veterans from all wars that followed. New buildings were built to offer more services. A cemetery was created for residents who passed away. By 2010, about 400 veterans were buried in the Kansas Soldiers' Home Cemetery. In 2002, a new cemetery, the Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Fort Dodge, was opened. As of 2010, 166 veterans and their family members were buried there. Long-term nursing care was added in 1998 to help residents who needed more medical support.

Services Offered to Veterans

Today, the Kansas Soldiers' Home offers many services to its residents, and sometimes to staff and visitors too. These services include:

• A library, museum, and gift shop for everyone to enjoy.
• Long-term nursing care with 56 beds for those who need constant medical help.
• Domiciliary care with 33 beds, which is like independent living with some support.
• 56 single and double room houses for residents who are more self-sufficient.
• A fitness room that residents and staff can use to stay active.
• Cottages for residents who can live more independently.
• Two cemeteries for veterans and their families.
• A community-based outpatient clinic funded by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
• Various fun activities like arts, crafts, and gardening for residents.

Home Accreditation and Ratings

The Kansas Soldiers' Home meets high standards set by several groups.

• The home is fully approved by the U.S. Veterans Administration as a State Veterans Home.
• Its long-term care services must follow rules from the Kansas Department of Aging.
• In early 2010, U.S. News & World Report listed the best nursing homes in the U.S. The Kansas Soldiers' Home's long-term care unit received a very good rating. It earned a five-star rating, which is the best possible score. This means it had very few health issues compared to other homes. For example, this home had only four health problems found, while the average for homes in Kansas was 12, and the national average was 10.

Notable Residents

• James H. "Dog" Kelley was the mayor of Dodge City from 1877 to 1881. He spent his last years at the soldiers' home and passed away there in 1912.

External links

• Kansas Soldiers' Home - Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office
• Fort Dodge, Kansas State Soldiers Home - photos from Kansas Travel
• Kansas Soldiers Home and Mother Bickerdyke Annex Annual and Biennial Reports, 1889-1958 KGI Online Library, (Incomplete)
• Prairie Sentinel (Kansas Soldiers Home newsletter), 2009-2013 KGI Online Library, (Incomplete)

sv:Fort Dodge (Kansas)