VA Announces Future Site of the VA National Archives

VA will have a home for the Department’s history in Dayton, O.H.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced that the Dayton VA Medical Center has been officially selected as the site for the National Department of Veterans Affairs Archives.  Secretary Robert A. McDonald made the announcement this morning speaking to a group of Dayton-area leaders.

“I believe that history is incredibly important to VA.  We’re all about keeping the promises of the past to the Veterans of the present and the future,” said Secretary McDonald. “With the necessary capital improvements, I can announce today that the Dayton Headquarters and Club House buildings will serve as a fitting home for VA’s National Archives and we look forward to working with community leaders to make the archive a reality and to improve the lives of Veterans. “

Dayton has a long history of service to our nation’s Veterans and is home to one of the original United States Veterans’ facilities. The Ohio community has been caring for our nation’s Veterans since the Civil War era when it housed a branch of the A National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, a predecessor to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and its predecessor agencies have generated archival records and artifacts from the time before the Revolutionary War. Many of these historic materials are stored at the Washington-area facilities of the National Archives and Records Administration along with records from other federal agencies. VA is one of the largest federal agencies and it owns more historic buildings than any other civilian federal agency.  Many of its historical documents, photographs, artifacts, and other materials are spread across the country in its 150 facilities under conditions that do not meet federal curation standards. The VA Archive at Dayton will enable VA to organize and protect its important heritage and eventually share VA’s rich history with the public.