National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Marion Branch Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Marion Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district

The Administration Building
Location in Indiana Show map of Indiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1700 E 38th St., Marion, Indiana
Area	151 acres (61 ha)
Built	1890 (1890)
Architect	Peters & Burns
Architectural style	Queen Anne, Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No.	99000833
Added to NRHP	August 2, 1999

The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Marion Branch was a special place built in Marion, Indiana, for soldiers who had been injured or disabled while serving their country. It was like a home and hospital all in one. This important site, along with the Marion National Cemetery, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. This means it's a place recognized for its historical importance.

A Home for Heroes
The Home Becomes Part of the VA
Cemetery
Gallery
See also

A Home for Heroes

In 1888, the United States Congress decided to build a new home for soldiers who had been hurt in wars. This was the seventh of ten such homes across the country. They chose Grant County, Indiana, for this new branch, which became known as the Marion Branch. Congress set aside $200,000 to start the project. People in Grant County also helped by providing natural gas. This gas was important for heating and lighting the new buildings. Marion was chosen because it had natural gas and because of the hard work of a local leader, George Washington Steele.

George Washington Steele's Role

Colonel George Washington Steele was a key person in getting the Marion Branch built. He worked in Congress and introduced a bill to create the home in Grant County. For seven months, he watched the bill carefully. He wasn't sure if it would pass.

However, on July 23, 1888, the bill was approved by Congress. President Grover Cleveland signed it into law. This law said that the new home needed at least 200 acres of land with natural gas wells. The people of Grant County paid for drilling these gas wells. Once the land and gas were ready, building could start within six months.

News of the bill passing made the people of Marion very happy. They thought the home would bring a lot of money to the area. On July 30, 1888, a big celebration took place in Marion. The streets were filled with people, showing how excited everyone was.

Building the Home

By October 1888, local citizens bought 220 acres of land to give to the government for the home. This land was in North Marion, near the Mississinewa River. It was a hilly area with nice views. But the natural gas wells on this land weren't good enough. So, other locations were considered.

In February 1889, experts visited Marion to look at new sites. On March 2, 1889, a new location was chosen southeast of town. This site was made up of two large pieces of farmland. Local citizens paid extra money to buy this land because the government's budget wasn't enough. Later, more land was added, making the total area almost 300 acres.

Construction of the Marion Branch started in 1889. Bricks for the buildings came from a brick factory nearby. The official opening of the Marion National Home was on March 18, 1890. The land and buildings cost about $698,000. In 1890, 586 soldiers were living there. The main hospital building, called Building 19, was finished, and nurses from Cincinnati came to work there.

How the Home Operated

By 1892, the home needed more space because so many veterans wanted to stay there. Soldiers were even sleeping on the floor because it was so crowded. By 1901, there were 1,782 members. After World War I, even more veterans needed care. So, by 1919, about 60 more buildings were added. These included memorials, a fire station, and extra living quarters.

The Marion Branch welcomed both white veterans and members of the United States Colored Troops. This was very early for integration in the country. While they sometimes had separate living areas, everyone wore the same uniform and ate the same meals.

Caring for World War I Veterans

In 1921, the Marion Branch changed its name to the Marion National Sanitarium. It focused on helping World War I veterans with mental health issues. This included conditions like "shell shock," which we now understand as a type of trauma from war.

In August 1921, Congress created a new agency called the Veterans Bureau. This agency took over the responsibility for many veterans' hospitals. By 1926, the leaders of the home noticed a change. World War I veterans often came for medical treatment and then returned home. They didn't always stay long-term like older veterans. Providing hospital care was much more expensive than just providing a place to live. By 1928, it was clear that a bigger change was needed. This led to the creation of the Veterans Administration.

The Home Becomes Part of the VA

In 1930, several groups that helped veterans were combined into one new agency: the Veterans Administration (VA). The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers became the "Home Service" within the VA. The Marion Branch was then renamed the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Marion, Indiana.

In 1996, this facility joined with the Fort Wayne facility. Together, they became the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, Marion Campus.

Cemetery

A special burial ground of about 61.5 acres was set aside near the buildings. This was to honor the soldiers who had served their country.

One part of the cemetery is called "The Silent Circle." It has seven rows of graves arranged in circles. Each grave has a simple marble marker with the soldier's name, rank, and military unit. There is also a section reserved for employees of the home and their families.