Built December 3, 1894 Opened 3 December 1894 Added to NRHP 4 September 1974 | NRHP Reference # 74000498 Area 18 ha | |
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Location North Little Rock, Arkansas Similar T R Pugh Memorial Park, The Old Mill, Arkansas Inland Maritime, Burns Park, Dickey‑Stephens Park | ||
Fort Logan H. Roots (usually referred to simply as Fort Roots) was a military base located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, set on a high promontory overlooking the Arkansas River. The land was traded to the Federal Government in 1892 in exchange for the property now known as MacArthur Park, in Little Rock, which had been a military arsenal since the 1830s when Arkansas was a territory. The base was named for Congressman Logan H. Roots in recognition for his work in the negotiations.
The 66th United States Congress transferred Fort Roots to the Public Health Service department on March 4, 1921, for conversion to a veterans hospital for neuropsychiatric disorders. On June 10, 1983, a newly constructed hospital building was dedicated on the existing property. The main hospital building was formally named the Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in May 1996 in honor of Eugene J. Towbin, M.D., Ph.D., in recognition of his 40-year career at the VA Medical Center. The Center provides long-term, rehabilitative care for eligible veterans.
Although four of the existing hospital structures were demolished, Fort Roots (as the campus is still known) retained many of its original military buildings and an 11-acre (4.5 ha) "parade ground" in the center of the original post. Many of the historic buildings flanking the former parade ground were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 in recognition of the area's military history, and virtually the entire campus was listed in 2013 in recognition of its significance as a Veterans Administration medical facility.