Southern Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers , 100 Emancipation Drive, Hampton, Hampton, Virginia

Significance: From the National Historic Landmarks Theme Study: Established by Congress in 1865 and developed as a network of eleven branches across the country, the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (NHDVS) established a policy of veteran's benefits that directly influenced the development of a national system for veteran's health care in the United States. The NHDVS was a notable departure from the previous focus on care for professional soldiers and officially set forth the concern and commitment of the federal government for the well-being of the civilian soldier. The architecture and landscape architecture of the NHDVS branches reflects development of the institution, and the goal of providing residences and care to war veterans. The highly visible NHDVS branches reminded citizens of the federal government's support of veterans and helped forge a link between the public and the government. In 1930, the NHDVS was absorbed into the newly created Veterans Administration. With the transition, the practice of establishing and developing individual branches with unique architecture and landscapes ended as these past policies gave way to standardization. This report documents the national significance of the NHDVS from 1865-1930, and evaluates the National Historic Landmark eligibility of the eleven branches for that period.
Survey number: HABS VA-1210