History

VA North Florida/South Georgia Healthcare System

Malcom Randall VA Medical Center

President Harry S. Truman initially approved the establishment of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Gainesville in October 1945. However, authorization for the construction of the hospital was canceled in December, and it was not until October 10, 1961 that President John F. Kennedy approved the construction of a 500-bed hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

In 1962, the Administrator of the Veterans Administration approved the master plan for a new VA Hospital in Gainesville. The plan provided for a 480-bed general hospital to be located adjacent to the University of Florida. VA purchased 31 acres of land. Construction began on January 16, 1964.

Gainesville VA Medical Center was dedicated On October 22, 1967. U.S. Representative, Olin E. "Tiger" Teague, D-Texas, the keynote speaker, said, "the Veterans of the sunshine state can be assured they are never forgotten men."

The five story, 480-bed hospital began admitting patients in October 1967. Marine Corporal Lawrence W. Hale of Tallahassee was the first patient admitted to the new hospital. Hale, a combat Veteran of the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam, was transferred here from the Jacksonville Naval Hospital on September 25, 1967.

Lake City VA Medical Center

What is now the Lake City Medical Center was the original site of the Florida Agricultural College. In 1920, the site was purchased by the U.S. government and after extensive renovations, the first patient was admitted on December 6, 1920. It was named the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital No. 63.

On August 9, 1921, the Veterans Bureau was created to care for returning World War I Veterans, and the transition from Public Health to the Veterans Bureau Hospital began. This transition was completed in 1924 when the Lake City VA Hospital began its proud tradition of caring for our nation's veterans.

The Lake City VA Hospital officially became the Lake City VA Medical Center in 1978. It expanded its mission to include long term and geriatric care for veterans with the completion of a 120-bed Nursing Home Care Unit in 1985 which was expanded to 240 beds in 1995. More recently, 12,600 square-foot addition was completed in March 2000 on top of the existing Outpatient Clinic. The new space houses two primary care teams with 16 exam rooms.

VA History 

On the VA History web page you will find a  growing collection of features, content, and multimedia that dive into the VA story and learn the HISTORY of VA's services to those who served.