Hancock Memorial Hospital

Owned by the County

Constructed in 1967 in Sparta, Georgia, the 26-bed Hancock County Hospital was built at a cost of approximately $375,000. It boasted an emergency room and intensive care units, employing a staff of 150. An expansion in 1971 introduced a new wing and EMT station, increasing the total bed count to 40.

In May of 1974, Hancock County Hospital became embroiled in racial tensions when approximately 300 African-Americans marched down Sparta’s main street. They pledged to boycott white businesses, including the county hospital, until Mayor T. M. Patterson Jr. resigned. This unrest followed a four-day period of racial strife triggered by a confrontation involving John McCown, an African-American county government leader, and city officials.

Later in 1974, Hancock County Hospital shuttered its doors due to insufficient funding and a shortage of professional staff. An investigation was launched into John McCown regarding his handling of Federal and county funds, aiming to trace an estimated ten million dollars in missing tax funds.

On January 30, 1976, tragedy struck when McCown and his companions, enjoying drinks at a bar, decided to embark on a plane ride in a single-engine Cessna. Shortly after takeoff, the plane piloted by McCown crashed abruptly, claiming his life and the lives of two others.

Exactly two years after McCown’s demise, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced six of his former associates to probation for their involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the federal government of grant money.

New Life and New Death

In 1985, the hospital underwent a revival, now under the name Hancock Memorial Hospital. This revival was prompted by the collaborative efforts of Sparta community leaders who established the Hospital Corp., a nonprofit entity tasked with leasing the hospital from the Hancock County Authority and overseeing its day-to-day operations.

However, by 1995, the Hospital Corporation found itself burdened with close to $1 million in debt. Concerns arose from the Hancock County Hospital Authority regarding the diminishing funds in the reserve account, originally designated by the county commission. Allegations emerged that the Hospital Corp. had insufficient insurance coverage for the emergency room physicians.

In 1999, reductions in Medicaid funding dealt a severe blow to Hancock Memorial. Subsequent staff layoffs ensued, culminating in the facility’s closure by the conclusion of 2001.

Following the hospital’s closure, approximately 9,000 rural residents of Hancock County were left without immediate access to medical care, with the nearest hospital located in Milledgeville in a neighboring county. Presently, Hancock Memorial Hospital remains shuttered, leaving Hancock County without a local healthcare facility.

Photo Gallery

If you wish to support our current and future work, please consider making a donation or purchasing one of our many books. Any and all donations are appreciated.

Donate to our cause Check out our books!