Roman Eagle History

Our History

Roman Eagle Rehabilitation and Health Care Center is a not-for-profit organization with a rich tradition. Our long history of service to the Danville-Pittsylvania County area dates back to 1918. On January 2, 1918, the State Corporation Commission chartered the Anti-Tuberculosis League of Danville, which served as the founding organization.


Danville was the first city in Virginia to declare war on tuberculosis and establish its own sanatorium, named Hilltop. The Danville Kiwanis Club supported Hilltop Sanatorium from its organization in the 1920’s.  With advances in medical technology, there was no longer the need to care for tuberculin patients. Through the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, led by President J. Blair Kerns, the Anti-Tuberculosis Sanatorium was converted into a nursing facility, Hilltop Nursing Home in 1956.


The existing facility was inadequate to meet the growing need of the senior citizen population and new construction was needed. Mrs. H. Smith Richardson, a native Danvillian, assisted in providing funds for this new construction from the Richardson Foundation. It was at this time that the Roman Eagle Lodge, No. 122, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, accepted sponsorship of the nursing facility. Their duty was to nominate the forty-five members of the Board of Directors and from this Board the Officers and Executive Committee, who were empowered to oversee the facility.


In 1961, the original charter was amended to change the name from the Anti-Tuberculosis League of Danville to Roman Eagle Memorial Home, Inc., previously known as Hilltop Nursing Home. In 2013, the legal name was changed to Roman Eagle Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, Inc. to better reflect the services now provided. Roman Eagle’s original facility was constructed in 1962 in front of the original structures, which were later demolished, and the cornerstone laid on July 28, 1962.


Since its inception, Roman Eagle has undergone four expansions to its present capacity of 312-beds.


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