- Collection:
- Digital Archives of Reese Library, Augusta University
- Title:
- The Forrest Ricker Hotel (Augusta, GA)
- Publisher:
- Georgia Regents University Collection, Reese Library Special Collections, Augusta, Georgia
- Date of Original:
- 1926/1999
- Subject:
- Augusta (Ga.)--History--Photographs
Historic buildings--Georgia--Augusta--Photographs
Hotels--Georgia--Augusta - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Richmond County, Augusta, 33.47097, -81.97484
- Medium:
- photographs
- Type:
- Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
- Description:
- The imposing white structure was located on top of one of the highest points in Richmond County and had many distinguished tittles. In 1926, it was constructed and known as the Forrest Ricker Hotel. In 1942, the Army purchased the hotel and operated it as the Oliver General Hospital. The hospital was named for a dental officer. Early in 1950, the Department of Defense closed Oliver General and in July of the same year the property was transferred to the Veterans Administration. When the Forest Hills Division opened in 1951, the operating capacity was 425 beds with 225 beds set aside for tuberculosis patients. The first patients admitted to this facility were by transfer from the Hospital No. 48. They were closing that facility for remodeling and conversion from a primary TB Hospital to a General Medicine and Surgery Hospital. With the arrival of these patients, there began the operation of a two division Medical Center. After serving the Augusta area for some 30 years, the Forest Hills Division was closed on August 20, 1980, relinquishing its role to the ultra modern hospital, the Downtown Division, located on a 20 acre tract adjacent to the Medical College of Georgia. -Thanks to the Augusta VA for the history of the building (https://web.archive.org/web/20090115091609/http://www1.va.gov/augustaga/page.cfm?pg=4)
- Metadata URL:
- http://guides.augusta.edu/AugustaPhotographs/RL00074
- Rights Holder:
- Contact Reese Library Special Collections (spcoll@augusta.edu) for rights information
- Extent:
- 19 x 24 cm
- Holding Institution:
- Augusta University, Reese Library
- Rights:
-
