Greater Utica Magazine Cover – April 2021 – Rhoads General Army Hospital Utica NY History

The April 2021 cover of Greater Utica Magazine highlights the history of Rhoads General Army Hospital Utica NY, a major World War II medical facility that played a critical role in the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.

Constructed between 1942 and 1943 on a 175-acre site along Burrstone Road, the hospital was built to meet the growing demand for specialized care during World War II. Named after Colonel Thomas Leidy Rhoads, a distinguished Army surgeon, the facility was designed as a state-of-the-art orthopedic and convalescent center.

Officially operating from August 23, 1943, to July 1, 1946, Rhoads General Army Hospital treated more than 20,000 injured servicemen. The sprawling complex included approximately 180 buildings, nearly 2,000 beds, and over 15 miles of interconnected corridors. It functioned as a self-contained community, complete with its own railroad siding for medical transport, post office, fire department, chapel, and Red Cross facilities.

The hospital’s primary mission was rehabilitation—helping soldiers recover from injuries and, when possible, return to active duty. Its presence made Utica an important part of the national war effort and firmly embedded the site into Utica NY history.

After the war, the facility transitioned into an educational campus known as Mohawk College, part of the Associated Colleges of Upper New York, serving returning veterans under the GI Bill. Over time, the property was redeveloped, and today the former hospital grounds are home to Notre Dame Schools, a business park, and the Elihu Root Army Reserve Center. The original chapel was preserved and relocated, becoming the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary.

This cover captures a powerful chapter in Utica history, when the city contributed directly to the care and recovery of thousands of American soldiers during World War II.