The Hotel that became a Hospital
As early at 1899, there was a beautiful two story home located right off the tracks of the railroad. For decades visitors would come and stay as guests, and even eat dinner on the holidays. Its location near the Tate Depot made for easy accommodations for travelers.
The Tate Hotel remained under the care different people over the decades, including Amanda Evans of Tate, P.W. Walton, and Mr. and Mrs. Wythe until 1936 when it was converted into a hospital.
Dr. G.G. Robinson, formerly a doctor from Trion, Georgia moved to Tate to head up the hospital. The hospital became known as the Robinson Hospital and by early 1936 had X-Ray equipment installed. The facility was considered a fine hospital at the time and routinely conducted surgeries and other medical services. The hospital also had a small group of nurses to attend to patients. By 1938, Dr. James Weres joined the team as an additional doctor.
By 1941, Dr. Robinson moved to his home state to take over a large hospital in Humansville, Missouri. Dr. T. W. Whitfield moved to the Robinson Hospital to operate a clinic in the building upon Robinson's departure.
By 1946, the president of the Georgia Marble Company was concerned that his 600-700 workers that resided in Tate, Nelson, and Marble Hill were without adequate medical services or a viable hospital. Plans got underway to construct the Tate Clinic at a cost of $38,076 dollars. The Georgia Marble Company agreed to donate half of the building cost.
The seven room clinic was opened and the intercom system from the Robinson Hospital was transferred and installed in the new clinic. In 1948, Dr. W.G. Simpson became the first doctor to run the clinic. He left by 1949, and Dr. Coker and Dr. Hendrix operated the clinic as a branch of the Coker Hospital of Canton. Many doctors came and went over the years at the new clinic. Among them Dr. L.F. Lovett, and Dr. T.C. Boswell, and Dr. D.T. Darnell.
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