🌿 Community Volunteers Honor Historic Sanatorium Legacy in Crossville

The Uplands Cumberland Mountain Sanatorium stands as a landmark of medical pioneering in Cumberland County-a place where dedicated volunteers recently gathered to preserve its grounds and celebrate more than a century of community care.

📍 A Hospital Born from Need

Founded by Dr. May Cravath Wharton in 1922, the Uplands Cumberland Mountain Sanatorium opened at a critical moment in regional history. At the time, Cumberland County had no doctors, and the nearest hospital was 85 miles away. The Sanatorium filled that gap, providing essential medical care to residents across the region and laying the groundwork for what would eventually become Uplands Village.

💚 Make a Difference Day Brings Community Together

Members of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce Board, staff, and community volunteers recently came together for Make a Difference Day (MAD Day) to clean up and care for the historic Sanatorium grounds. The effort reflects a commitment to honoring the facility’s legacy while maintaining this meaningful piece of local heritage for future generations.

⭐ Why This Matters

Preservation efforts like this one connect residents to their shared history and demonstrate how community organizations can work together to steward important landmarks. The Sanatorium’s story-of a doctor responding to urgent local need more than a century ago-remains relevant to understanding how Cumberland County developed and how neighbors have historically supported one another through times of challenge.

The volunteers who participated in the cleanup day helped ensure that this historic site continues to stand as a reminder of the region’s resilience and the power of dedicated service to community health and wellbeing.