I got to wondering about the Old Soldiers home in Danville because I didn't know anything about it's history. Evidently we used to take care of our soldiers a lot better than we do now and that's a shame. I don't know exactly what type of services the Old Soldiers Home provided other than a place to live...I would be curious to know more. I suppose they might have something more at the Historical Society?
United StatesThe first national old soldiers' home in the U.S. was established in Washington, D.C. in 1851. The Old Soldier's Home (Washington), now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home, was the site of President Abraham Lincoln's summer home during the Civil War and is adjacent to National Cemetery, the first federal military cemetery in the U.S. President Lincoln's Cottage has been designated a National Monument, and recently underwent renovation. It reopened to the public on President's Day, February 18, 2008.
The Home has remained in continuous use since its establishment in 1851. It is funded through a small monthly contribution from the pay of members of the U.S. Armed Services. It is located on a beautiful 250-acre (1.0 km2) wooded campus overlooking the U.S. Capitol in the heart of D.C. and continues to serve as a retirement home for U.S. enlisted men and women.
Within the United States, most old soldiers' homes were established following the Civil War with state monies. The old soldiers' home system was not replaced by the Veterans Administration. The VA is federal and the old soldiers' homes are run by states. Confederate soldiers were supported entirely at the state level with no funds from the federal government against which they had fought.List of old soldiers' homes within the United States
Danville Illinois Soldiers’ Home 1908 Old Antique Vintage PostcardsDanville Illinois, IL, is the county seat of Vermilion County and is located about 120 miles south of Chicago almost on the Illinois Indiana state line. Founded in 1827, the town prospered from the 1850s until the 1940s as a major coal mining area and used some of the first open pit mining techniques. Today, many of the old open pits have been converted into lakes and provide fishing and recreational facilities. From a population of approximately 500 in 1840 to almost 28,000 in 1910, the town grew steadily and reached a high of 42,750 in 1970. The population in the 2000 census was 33,904. The first postcard is a circa 1908 C. U. Williams postcard with two views of the Soldiers’ Home.
This is a link to Danville, IL postcards and other items on eBay...might be kind of interesting to look at.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=danville+home&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=