Fort Davis Post Hospital
historic place
The Fort Davis Post Hospital, a historic place in Jeff Davis County, Texas, was a vital facility for the frontier army. A temporary hospital was first built in 1868. However, a more substantial adobe facility began construction in the mid-1870s. The north ward and central administrative ward were completed in 1876. A south ward was added in 1884, with the entire complex completed by 1885. This hospital was considered one of the most up-to-date medical facilities west of San Antonio. It even had an ether delivery system, which was uncommon in the West at that time. Post surgeons, many of whom were Civil War veterans, provided care. Army records show soldiers primarily suffered from diseases and accidental injuries, not battle wounds. The hospital's broad functions were critical to military activities and civilian life at the fort. The exterior of the hospital was restored in the late 1960s. The facility remained active until Fort Davis was abandoned in 1891. This site helps interpret 19th-century frontier military medicine and daily life.