Wichita Veterans Administration Hospital

The Wichita VA Hospital Historic District is eligible under Criterion A in the area of Politics/Government because the selection of the site of the hospital was partially determined by the political influences exerted by the local community to acquire the federal hospital and its substantial contribution to the local and state economy during both construction and operation. A National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was located in Leavenworth, Kansas and a veterans hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. A new hospital began to be constructed at Leavenworth in 1930 and was expected to be completed in 1933.32 Although these two veterans' health care facilities were already in existence, their location in or near the northeastern part of the state made travel to them difficult for those living in southern and central Kansas. The VA recognized that many Kansas veterans were being underserved because of the existing facilities' location. In the spring of 1931, with the VA announcement of plans to build a second facility in the state, the Wichita Chamber of Commerce began lobbying the federal government to build the facility in Wichita. As the state's second-largest city, Wichita was the focal point of commerce for the southwestern portion of the state, where wheat, cattle, and oil were the chief products. What is more, the Veterans Bureau had an earlier presence in Wichita, establishing a subdistrict office in the community in 1921 and a larger regional office in 1925."

The delegation from the Wichita Chamber of Commerce and the efforts of many of Wichita's citizens paid off when the VA announced that the hospital would be built in Wichita. A site was selected just outside Wichita's then city limits on Kellogg Avenue. On January 20, 1932, the Chamber of Commerce helped secure 48.68 acres of land. The cost of the property was $23,230. On April 7, 1932, the deed was filed with the Sedgwick County Clerk. The city had purchased the last right-of-way deed by February 1932, which cleared the way for paving East Kellogg Avenue from the city limits to the hospital. This paved road replaced the preexisting simple, narrow, sanded roadway."

The ground was broken on June 15, 1932, with the Henry B. Ryan Company of Chicago, Illinois, serving as general contractor for the project. Ryan had a strong national reputation as a builder of government offices, having erected nine other hospitals and a number of post offices across the country. Ryan's contract required that first priority be given to the hiring of local labor for subcontract work. At the time of construction, jobs were a scarce commodity in the nation's heartland as a result of the Great Depression, and the wages and supplies purchased during the construction provided a much-needed stimulus to the local economy. The fourteen-building compound for the new hospital complex cost $1,250,000 to build. Of this amount, $750,000 went toward construction costs, $250,000 for equipment, and $250,000 for furnishings.37 During the period of construction from June 1932 to March 1933, from 200 to 400 men were employed at the site, with an average daily employment of 300 men, mostly from the Wichita area. This employment stimulated the local economy by creating jobs that in 1933 amounted to $200,000 in wages.

Work progressed rapidly due to the organized construction, large labor force, and mild weather. Work finished ahead of schedule. In early March 1933, Joseph J. Fahy, supervising superintendent of construction for the VA, along with Jacob Pyrah, engineering supervisor, completed inspections of the new complex. On March 12, 1933, Fahy took possession of the buildings for the federal government. Fahy paid tribute to the contractors and workers who labored on the project, stating that the facility is well built in every part and is a tribute to the conscientious labor of the men who have been entrusted with its building....it is the latest and most up-to-date institution of its kind in the United States. The first patient was admitted in November 1933, and the hospital had reached full capacity by December of the same year.

Even after its opening, the hospital continued to provide employment and financial support through the wages paid and supplies purchased for the operation of the hospital. Hospital employment fluctuated slightly from its opening in 1932 until the early 1940s but averaged slightly over 200. With the influx of new patients made up of veterans of World War II, new facilities, and the introduction of new programs, employment swelled from 263 in 1945 to 900 in 1948. The statewide level of significance for the Wichita VA Hospital Historic District is evidenced by its role as a regional medical center that provided general medical and surgical care. In May 1950, the VA Regional Office and the hospital combined management functions, and the mission of the newly created Veterans Administration Center was to administer programs providing pension, compensation, insurance, and burial benefits to veterans throughout Kansas." The regional identity of the Wichita VA Hospital Historic District is also evident in the design of the main and recreation buildings that utilized monumental, classical revival architectural detailing to create a local landmark. The hospital remained important to the state and local community throughout the period of significance, as the Wichita VA Hospital expanded to care for additional patients and continued to serve as an economic engine to the local economy.