Central AL Veterans Health Care System Celebrated 85th Anniversary

On February 10, 2024, the Central AL Veterans Health Care System celebrated the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the medical center at 216 Perry Hill Road in Montgomery. An outdoor flag raising ceremony was held on the campus. Stephen Sheets, the Associate Director of the medical center, served as the emcee of the program. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Wille J. Rogers, Sr. Vice Commander of the AL American Legion, and the invocation was given by the VA Chaplain Tony Brown. Amir Farroqi, Director of the Central AL Veterans Health Care System, spoke to the attendees.

The Veterans Administration purchased the 138-acre tract in the Dalraida section of Montgomery to construct the hospital, approximately four miles from downtown. The Montgomery VA Hospital is considered a second-generation veterans’ hospital. The first generation was domiciliary in nature. The original complex was comprised of nine buildings with one connecting corridor and was partially air conditioned. Operating rooms were located on the top floor to keep noise to a minimum. The Veterans Administration awarded the sole bidder, Montgomery-based builder Algernon Blair, the million-dollar contract to build the 250-bed facility, and construction was competed in sixteen months. Materials used in the building’s construction included Alabama limestone and local colonial bricks, and the building combines Colonial Revival and Classical Revival architectural styles. The Montgomery VA Hospital opened its doors on November 1st, 1940. Robert P. Shields served as the first director.

In September 1988, the VA announced a $20 million expansion project for the hospital adding approximately 145,000 square feet of space to the facility. Some100,000 square feet of existing space was renovated to include a new surgical suite, intensive care unit, patient wards, and an outpatient clinic. Montgomery-based Caddell Construction Company received the contract with the low bid of $23.7 million. The Montgomery VA Hospital has served hundreds of thousands of Veterans since its opening.

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