Riverside Hospital began in 1917.  On September 1, 1927, Riverside merged with Fort Sanders Hospital.  Riverside was a private facility, located at 249 Riverside Drive.

Riverside Hospital had a training program for nurses.  A 1926 graduate stated she was in the second graduating class; however, applicants for the state board examination include women who completed their training at Riverside as early as 1920.

Miss Wilda Lowe was listed as Superintendent of the hospital in 1920, and she holds that designation in subsequent City Directories.

The images below are cropped from a larger, framed photograph that has the name “Nora Belle Heck” written on the back.  The following information is written on the back of the frame:

Sept 1925 picture of student body of Riverside Hospital, later consolidated with Ft. Sanders (1927) and known as Riverside-Ft. Sanders.
Superintendent — Wilda Lowe (directress)
Operating Supervisor — Laura Belcher
Night Supervisor — Hattie Harper

The following names were written on a card and affixed to the back of the frame:

1 – Georgia Mills
2 – Maxie Rimmer
3 – Bess Anderson
4 – Thelma Martin
5 – Myrtle Johnson
6 –
7 – ______ Carroll (different handwriting)
8 –
9 – Bess Taylor
10 – Bess Jenkins
11 – Mary McKelvy
12 –
13 – Mamie Nicholson (“Mamie” in different handwriting)
14 – Frances Loftis
15 – Belle ______
16 – Ethel Benson
17 –
18 – Pat Louellen (“Pat” in different handwriting)
19 – Mary Hammer
20 – Edna Weiss
21 – Mamie Nicholson
Laura Belcher – Wilda Lowe – Hattie Harper

The original photograph was donated to the Museum at Mountain Home for its permanent collection encompassing the history of nursing in South Central Appalachia.  If you can assist with confirming identities or adding names that are missing, please contact the KGH site (link in menu).

Please click on each image to see an enlargement.  You will need to use your brower’s “back” function to return to this page.