Sanatorium in Simpson County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Sanatorium
— Simpson County Heritage Trail —
What is the Simpson County Heritage Trail?
The Simpson County Heritage Trail was established through the Simpson County Development Foundation in 2011. Each stop along the trail is of historic significance to Simpson County, showcasing points of interest and facts about the origins of the County.
Sanatorium
Sanatorium, the community, is named for the Mississippi Tuberculosis Sanatorium, which owes its existence primarily to the efforts of Dr. Henry Boswell. Dr. Boswell, himself a victim of tuberculosis, returned to Mississippi to convalesce following treatment in Texas. He became convinced that tuberculosis could be treated as well in Mississippi as in any other place. In 1916, the Mississippi Legislature authorized the creation of a Mississippi Tuberculosis Sanatorium, and Simpson County was selected as the site. The specific site, 3 miles north of Magee, is the highest point between Jackson and Gulfport. The citizens of Magee donated 200 acres of land and, with the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, $2,000 for the building of the Sanatorium. Further developments, including additional appropriations, contributed to the continuing growth of the Sanatorium in size and in service. In 1930, Dr. Boswell opened the Preventorium, the first institution of its kind in the South, dedicated to the care and building up of undernourished children to prevent their ever contracting tuberculosis.
The Sanatorium served its purpose illustriously for several decades. In 1976, the old Sanatorium facilities were transferred to the MS Department of Mental renamed Boswell Regional Center which is now an Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation and other developmental disabilities. In the 1990s, the post office was abolished and the community was incorporated into Magee.
The campus is open for public tours, and in addition to its modern facilities, contains several of the original buildings, some of which are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Inset
From the Columns of Bee King
The Simpson County News
1937-1948
Dr. R.E. Giles, son of William Giles, born in 1829 near Nottingham. England, came to Westville in 1859. During a heavy snow fall (8 inches) the good doctor put on three pairs of pants, heavy wool socks, heavy shoes with long wool socks over them, coat and overcoat plus a large wool shawl, to answer out of town calls. He called his horse "Kennesaw Mountain." Other physicians in the early years of the county included Dr. William Estes, Dr. A. L. McRae, Dr. John Daniel Funchess, Dr. John Franklin Alford, Dr. Samuel T. Mosley, Dr. Julis Caraway, Dr. Henry Lafayette Guynes, Dr. McRae Hyde, Dr. Emanuel Plummer Neely, Dr. Edmund DeWitt Barron, Dr. Wyatt S. Miles, Dr. John Duncan Wilkerson, Dr. Doddridge McCallum. Dr. Christopher Norman, Dr. Thomas M. Walken and Dr. John L. Ware.
Erected by the Simpson County Development Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 2011.
Location. 31° 53.553′ N, 89° 46.67′ W. Marker is in Sanatorium, Mississippi, in Simpson County. Marker is on Boswell Boulevard south of Sanatorium Road, on the left when traveling south. Located on the grounds of the Boswell Regional Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1049 Simpson Highway 149, Mendenhall MS 39114, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Magee (approx. 2.9 miles away); Magee - McNair Springs (approx. 2.9 miles away); Simpson County Veterans Monument (approx. 2.9 miles away); Weathersby and Choctaw Heritage (approx. 4˝ miles away); Mendenhall (approx. 7.2 miles away); Westville, Mississippi (approx. 10 miles away); Braxton (approx. 14.7 miles away); Flags Over Simpson County (approx. 14.7 miles away).
More about this marker. Formerly known as the Mississippi State Sanatorium or the Mississippi Tuberculosis Sanatorium, founded in 1916.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 26, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 557 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 26, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.