Fort Logan H. Roots

Fort Logan H. Roots, commonly known as Fort Roots, is a former U.S. Army post in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was named in honor of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Logan Holt Roots, U.S. Volunteers, who served with distinction in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was established in 1892 and garrisoned from 1896 to 1913. After World War I, the post was transferred to the Public Health Service for use as a hospital, and in 1921, an Act of Congress authorized the establishment of a hospital for veterans.

Fort Logan H. Roots
Building No. 1 at Fort Logan H. Roots
LocationNorth Little Rock, Arkansas
Coordinates34°46′30″N 92°17′45″W
Arealess than 100 acres (40 ha)
BuiltDecember 3, 1894
Current useVeterans' hospital
ArchitectFrederick Kepler
Architectural style(s)Greek Revival
Romanesque
Governing bodyU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Official nameFort Logan H. Roots Military Post
TypeU.S. historic district
DesignatedSeptember 4, 1974[1]
Reference no.74000498
Fort Logan H. Roots is located in Arkansas
Fort Logan H. Roots
Location of Fort Logan H. Roots in Arkansas

Fort Roots is home to the VA's Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center and the Law Enforcement Training Center.

History

Establishment and World War I

In 1892, about 1,049 acres was traded to the U.S. government in exchange for the area now known as MacArthur Park Historic District in Little Rock, which had been a military reservation since the 1830s. During World War I, the post served as an officers' training camp.

Health care and veterans affairs

The 66th U.S. Congress transferred Fort Roots to the Public Health Service department on March 4, 1921, for conversion to a veterans hospital for neuropsychiatric disorders. On June 10, 1983, a newly constructed hospital building was dedicated on the existing property. The main hospital building was formally named the Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in May 1996 in honor of Eugene J. Towbin in recognition of his 40-year career at the veterans medical center. The Center provides long-term, rehabilitative care for eligible veterans.

Although four of the existing hospital structures were demolished, Fort Roots (as the VA campus is still known) retained many of its original military buildings and an 11-acre (4.5 ha) "parade ground" in the center of the original post. Many of the historic buildings flanking the parade ground were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 in recognition of the area's military history,[2] and virtually the entire campus was listed in 2013 in recognition of its significance as a U.S. Veterans Administration medical center.[3]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "NRHP nomination for Fort Logan H. Roots" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  3. "NRHP nomination for North Little Rock Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
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