Riegel Hospital
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Nestled in the Northwest Georgia mill town of Trion, the Riegel Hospital was a facility designed to better care for the workers of the mill, as well as the rest of the community. Complete with patient rooms, laboratories, operation rooms, and nurseries, this two-story facility served the Trion community until its closure in 1975.
Images
Aerial photo taken in 1962, with the hospital located in the bottom right corner. (Photo retrieved from http://chattoogaphotohistory.com )
Riegel Hospital staff in front of the hospital in 1970. ( http://chattoogahistory.org )
Photo of the exterior of the hospital taken in 2010 (photo by Eddie Douthitt)
Photo of the hospital entrance taken in 2010 (photo by Eddie Douthitt)
Photo of the location where the hospital once stood taken in 2017. (Joshua James
Photo of the location where the hospital once stood taken in 2017. (Joshua James)
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Established in the 1840s, the incorporated town of Trion, Georgia sits in Chattooga County, in the Northwest Georgia mountains some 40-miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Formed due to the building of Trion Mills cotton mill (known today as Mount Vernon Mil No. 3), Trion is historically a small town of mill workers.
In 1924, in an effort to better serve their workers, Trion Mills built a two-story hospital known as Riegel Hospital (or Riegel Community Hospital or Trion Community Hospital). Named after the president of Trion Mill at the time Benjamin Riegel, the hospital was a full service facility that included patient rooms, examination rooms, operating rooms, delivery rooms, and nurseries, as well as administration rooms. The hospital graciously served its factory and community patients until its closure in 1975.
In 1990, the building was donated to the Town of Trion to maintain the facility. Later, in 2002, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and is one of seven hospitals on the register in the State of Georgia. After a large flood in 2009, the facility received heavy water damage due to being situated in a flood plain. During the 40 years after its closure, the building also suffered roof and other cosmetic damages. The building also contained asbestos and lead paint.
In 2010, the building began being considered for demolition through a bidding process, and as of 2013 the building had been completely demolished. The site of the former hospital now is a large open green space.
(Note: The Google Maps street view reflects an image from 2007, rather than present day view of the site.)
In 1924, in an effort to better serve their workers, Trion Mills built a two-story hospital known as Riegel Hospital (or Riegel Community Hospital or Trion Community Hospital). Named after the president of Trion Mill at the time Benjamin Riegel, the hospital was a full service facility that included patient rooms, examination rooms, operating rooms, delivery rooms, and nurseries, as well as administration rooms. The hospital graciously served its factory and community patients until its closure in 1975.
In 1990, the building was donated to the Town of Trion to maintain the facility. Later, in 2002, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and is one of seven hospitals on the register in the State of Georgia. After a large flood in 2009, the facility received heavy water damage due to being situated in a flood plain. During the 40 years after its closure, the building also suffered roof and other cosmetic damages. The building also contained asbestos and lead paint.
In 2010, the building began being considered for demolition through a bidding process, and as of 2013 the building had been completely demolished. The site of the former hospital now is a large open green space.
(Note: The Google Maps street view reflects an image from 2007, rather than present day view of the site.)
Sources
Wikipedia Page for Riegel Hospital-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riegel_Hospital
Eddie Douthitt photos- http://landmarkhunter.com/138680-riegel-hospital/
Crisp, Adam "Trion considers razing historic hospital building". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
September 9th, 2010. Accessed on May 21, 2017. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/news/story/2010/sep/09/trion-considers-razing-historic-hospital-b...
Chattoogaphotohistory.com photos- http://chattoogaphotohistory.com/trion_apartments.html
Chattooga County Historical Society photo- http://www.chattoogahistory.org/photo-archive/page/3/?location=trion&subject
Eddie Douthitt photos- http://landmarkhunter.com/138680-riegel-hospital/
Crisp, Adam "Trion considers razing historic hospital building". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
September 9th, 2010. Accessed on May 21, 2017. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/news/story/2010/sep/09/trion-considers-razing-historic-hospital-b...
Chattoogaphotohistory.com photos- http://chattoogaphotohistory.com/trion_apartments.html
Chattooga County Historical Society photo- http://www.chattoogahistory.org/photo-archive/page/3/?location=trion&subject