From Cows to Laws: Fascinating Finds at the NVAHC

Hi, this is Nina Herzog, the textual archivist at the National VA History Center (NVAHC). Do you know how much fun it is processing collections in archival institutions? Read on to find unique, exciting information which spans across many different collections housed at the NVAHC in Dayton, OH.

VA Central Office Room A-11 Cleanout

VA Central Office (VACO) contacted the NVAHC about materials located in the basement of their Washington, D.C. building. Senior Archivist Robyn Rodgers completed an assessment of the containers and determined those materials would be sent to the Center for preservation and research.

Going through the state files for Ohio, it was a pleasant surprise to see several souvenir booklets for the Central Branch of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (NHDVS), now the Dayton VA Medical Center. Flipping through the pages, I stopped at photographs of the milk barn and cows. One of NHDVS’ priorities was that the Homes would be self-sustaining. The photograph of the cows shows one way this was achieved.

After looking at the National Homes’ Annual Reports, I was curious to find out what specific activities were offered to the Veterans. In a folder for the Wisconsin location, I came across this 1932 history of the Northwestern Branch and discovered their baseball team won a trophy in the local league. This document also answered questions about the daily routine of the Home.

After retirement from the Air Force, my father chose to live close to large military bases. This listing of approved subdivisions for the VA Home Loan Guaranty caught my eye. I wondered how many retirees utilized these listings in selecting where their family would reside post-service, which also impacted future employment opportunities and the education of their dependents.

This addition had several additions, called accruals. In one of those, I came across stacks of vinyl records, including six TV Sermonettes records from 1955. This was one of the ways that VA worked to communicate updates, different policies, and programs at the VA.

Dayton VA Medical Center

In spring 2021, this collection was moved from Dayton VA Medical Center to NVAHC. It contains documents and books ranging from the Home period to the modern-day medical center.

As a family historian, photographs hold a special place in our collections. This also holds true for collections in archival institutions. This stereographic photograph shows how the Central Branch drew in large crowds, as the grounds provided beautiful grotto gardens to take a relaxing weekend stroll with the family.

Anyone conducting genealogical research with post-Civil War ancestors will find these reports provide an insight into daily life at the National Homes. One can also find many of the reports at https://www.va.gov/vetdata/report.asp

Always seeking different documents to support family history stories, the listings of civilian occupations of the Veterans living at the Homes provide these additional materials. I also love the titles of the occupations, as some have disappeared and others have changed to fit modern times.

The statistics for the libraries caught my attention; seeing how many books, magazines, and newspapers stocked at each of the National Homes warmed the heart. Also, growing up in the pre-internet and cellphone days, it was a blast from the past seeing how the residents occupied their time.

Tracking causes of death assisted doctors in understanding prevalent medical conditions from a statistical standpoint. Family researchers can also use this information for ailments that could be hereditary.

Office of General Council Public Law History Files

There are two components to the History Files, one on public laws and the other are topical. These Legislative History Files came from the VA’s Office of General Counsel. They contain information prior to the consolidation into the Veterans Administration in 1930 up to current Department of Veterans Affairs.

The file on the housing of VA employees and their families stood out as they documented the moving of existing staff along with their family members from an existing branch location to a new branch and how much it would cost.

I have processed many collections over the last ten years. They’ve never failed to aid in the discovery of the unique and interesting information that can aid all manner of researchers, historians, and scholars.