Post Hospital Restoration Project

The exterior of the post hospital at Fort Davis was restored in the late 1960s. Restoration consisted of repairing the adobe walls and putting a new roof and porches on the structure. In the 1980s, a wood walkway was constructed in the administrative section to allow visitor access. In the 1990s, some interior plaster stabilization work was accomplished. Because the history of this structure and its staff affected all aspects of life at the post, it is the plan of the National Park Service, in partnership with the Friends of Fort Davis NHS, to restore and furnish the north ward and one or two of the administrative rooms. The restoration will enhance the visitor's experience as well as increase the park's ability to interpret the history of the entire garrison. Medical treatment at Fort Davis represented state- of- the- art medicine of the nineteenth century. The soldiers at Fort Davis and other frontier posts probably received medical treatment as good or better than what the average American received at the time. Lacking knowledge of what caused disease or infection, army doctors concentrated their efforts on treating symptoms and ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation at the post. The restoration of the post hospital will provide visitors with an understanding and appreciation of a segment of garrison life often overlooked. More importantly, it will serve to better tell the story of those who lived and sometimes died at Fort Davis during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. More in pdf format.