The Nailling Hospital was established in 1913 by William A. Nailling, a studious man with an entrepreneurial, curious, and innovative spirit. Apart from running the hospital and acting as the town’s Chief Surgeon, he had many business endeavors, including real estate investments and ownership of the Nailling Lumber and Milling Company.
Prior to becoming a doctor, William Nailling was an established pharmacist with a successful business. He knew he wanted to pursue a medical school education at Vanderbilt University but did not have the financial resources to do so. This setback, however, did not deter him, and what he did next made him a folk hero.
During a visit to Vanderbilt Medical School, he requested a meeting with the Director of the School of Pharmacy, where he talked about the innovative methods and techniques he used within the field of pharmacy. The Director was so impressed that he thought of the perfect trade-off: they would use William Nailling to work with the pharmacy students on campus in exchange for his admission to medical school. He finished his medical studies at Vanderbilt in 1900, and because of the prevalence of farming-related injuries in West Tennessee, he decided to open a hospital in Union City.
Dr. Nailling was committed to Union City in many ways. He prioritized bringing innovation in medicine to the area. As a medical pioneer, he took regular trips to Boston to study emerging medical techniques and to engage in cutting-edge research. Upon returning home, he would adopt these new techniques and share them with other doctors in Tennessee. His commitment to his community can also be seen through his real estate and business investments. While many people chose to invest in the stock market, he put his money into farms and properties in his hometown.
Dr. Nailling purchased the property where the hospital would eventually stand in 1910 for $6,000, the modern-day equivalent of $186,250. In 1913, he established a three-room office, the first private office in the state of Tennessee. He then opened his doors to many other businesses, such as Oliver's Red Cross Drug Store, Farmers Exchange Bank, and Taylor Grain Company, to name a few.
The 10,000-square-foot building was considered very modern in its time, with a buff-pressed brick and stone façade. Its interior consisted of tile floors and walls, decorative composition beam ceilings, and elaborate frescoes. On the second floor were 15 offices occupied by dentists, physicians, surgeons, and a life insurance agent as well as real estate agents, creditors, a lumber company, architects and contractors, a sewing machine company, and a reporter.
The Nailling Building was of prime importance to the city because of its unique location in the downtown area, the center of life in Union City. It was also the main intersection for the town hall, courthouse, and post office, all important landmarks in a vibrant community that would continue to thrive in the 1930s and 1940s.
Sadly, Dr. Nailling passed away in 1952, and the building experienced architectural decline due to a lack of regular use and upkeep.
The history of Dr. Nailling and the Nailling Building was supplied by David Ring, great-grandson of Dr. Nailling, Jay Ostrosky, great-great grandson of Dr. Nailling, Bill Ring, grandson of Dr. Nailling, and an article from the Union City Souvenir newspaper.
