History

East Orange VA Medical Center

Our East Orange VA Medical Center includes 34 acres situated on a knoll at South Center Street and Tremont Avenue, 228 feet above sea level. The campus overlooks a residential area with views of the Manhattan skyline on the horizon.

The grounds are in 4 municipalities: Orange, East Orange, South Orange, and Newark. The site formerly belonged to the Bamberger estate, which was endowed originally to Princeton University and in turn, sold to a private owner and then purchased by the government.

Recognizing the need for a medical facility to serve Veterans in metropolitan areas, Congress approved and funded our facility in 1943. We broke ground in 1948 and was completed in July 1952.

On Oct.12, 1952, the Department of Medicine and Surgery dedicated our facility as a general hospital. The 950-bed hospital was designated for surgical, medical, neuropsychiatric, and tuberculosis beds.

In 1953, a series of studies was begun by Oscar Auerbach, chief of laboratory service, to study microscopic changes in the lungs and other organs in relation to smoking habits. By the mid-1960s, Dr. Auerbach’s studies were included in the surgeon general’s report on smoking and health.

In 1966, we began an affiliation with the Teaching Hospital of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for educating and training medical residents.

In 1978, VA hospitals nationwide were given the designation of medical center to reflect the broad spectrum of health care offered, especially the inclusion of ambulatory care services.

In the mid-1980s, we completed a $28 million expansion and modernization program. The 2-year project included modernization and improvements of technology and infrastructure. 

In 1996, the Lyons and East Orange facilities consolidated under a single leadership and became the VA New Jersey Healthcare System. Since that time, we served a vital role in meeting the health care needs of our Veterans.

Lyons VA Medical Center

The Lyons VA Medical Center was originally designed in the 1920s as a neuropsychiatric hospital capable of treating 400 Veterans.  The initial 50 Veterans were admitted as transfers from the Northport, New York VA Hospital on Nov.12, 1930. Another 50 were transferred from the Bronx VA the following day.

A formal dedication ceremony was held on Aug. 2, 1931. The Lyons campus was expanded to accommodate more than 2,500 Veterans in the aftermath of World War II.

The Veterans Bureau’s Federal Board of Hospitalization reviewed 161 parcels of land throughout New Jersey before choosing the Somerset Hills site on Nov. 28, 1928. The 272-acre parcel was acquired from the estate of Walter E. Reynolds and was locally known as Knollcroft. The property would eventually expand to 864 acres, some of which was sold or declared excess between 1956 and 1964.

From 1948 to the mid-1960s, the Lyons campus rapidly expanded to become one of the largest hospitals in the VA system. The Lyons campus gained recognition as a treatment and teaching center in the field of psychiatry and mental health.

As the Lyons campus entered the 1970s, the medical center underwent many changes. In 1970, 1,900 Veterans were discharged, and the active bed capacity was reduced to 1,700; however, the total number of Veterans treated increased due to more rapid turnover of bed availability. The expansion of outpatient and ambulatory care programs also increased activity.

In 1982, VA decided the Veterans in New Jersey would be better served through centralization of surgical services at the East Orange campus. A domiciliary program was established at Lyons to assist Veterans who were homeless to reintegrate into the community after treatment. A 240-bed community living center was completed in 1988.

In 1996, the Lyons and East Orange facilities consolidated under a single leadership and became the VA New Jersey Healthcare System. Since that time, the health care system has served a vital role in meeting the health care needs of our Veterans.