The James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center is at 2907 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

The Van Zandt VA Medical Center is celebrating its 75th anniversary on Thursday.

The milestone reflects the center’s growth from serving just 2,400 inpatient veterans in 1950 to caring for more than 27,000 veterans across central Pennsylvania.

James E. Van Zandt, for whom the hospital is named, envisioned the facility. During his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, he championed legislation establishing a Veterans Affairs medical center in central Pennsylvania. He famously told Altoona resident Lloyd Peck that 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard would be the perfect home for a VA hospital to serve Altoona and the region’s veterans.

Since opening its doors in 1950, the medical center has continuously expanded and modernized to meet the needs of those who served. Most recently, in June 2025, a new Veteran Experience Center opened as a one-stop shop for questions, services and support.

Later this year, a modernized and expanded pharmacy will open, further enhancing care and operational efficiency.

Timeline of significant events:

– Sept. 18, 1950 – Veterans Affairs Medical Center opened in Altoona. The first patient admitted was George H. Alcott. By the end of opening day, nine veterans had been admitted.

– The facility opened as a seven-story, 173-bed medical/surgical hospital.

– 2,700 patients were admitted in the first year.

– Annual operating budget: $6 million.

– Construction cost: $6 million.

– Nov. 30, 1983 – Congress unanimously passed legislation officially naming the facility the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center.

– 1997 – A small team of a doctor, nurse and front-office staff opened the Johnstown Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.

– Since then, clinics have expanded into four more communities — Indiana, Huntingdon, State College and DuBois — bringing care closer to where veterans live.

Recent and future expansion

– July 2025 – Opened the new Veteran Experience Center, home to patient advocates, veteran service officers and billing teams.

– July 2025 – Opened a modern Indiana County Outpatient Clinic to replace the original location, creating room for expanded services.

– August 2025 – Broke ground on a new Huntingdon County Outpatient Clinic to replace the existing facility. Anticipated opening: Fall 2026.

– Fall 2025 – Relocating and expanding the pharmacy within the main medical center, with enhanced technology and design for better service.

Today, the Van Zandt VA Medical Center serves a 14-county, 10,000-square-mile region of Central Pennsylvania and employs about 1,250 staff members, including more than 200 veterans, 60 physicians and 375 nurses. The medical center provides care to over 27,000 enrolled veterans, with nearly 400,000 outpatient visits annually.