The Ringgold Welcome Center at Doc Steve’s Place, next door to City Hall, is open for visitors to stop in and sign the log-in book. The center pays tribute to the late Dr. Charles Stephenson, whose practice was formerly located in the building.
Ringgold Depot associate Jamie Klementisz leads tours of the new welcome center, which still contains equipment like chairs and beds as well as bottles used by the late doctor, who started operating there in 1933 before passing away in 1990.
“He was part of the Tri-County Hospital,” Klementisz said of Stephenson. “He was the first chief of staff at Hutcheson [formerly Tri-County].”
In addition to free city maps and brochures and city memorabilia like Ringgold Depot-emblazoned wooden whistles and city-promoting hats, the visitor center holds five exams rooms with the doctor’s equipment. The welcome desk is in the first patient room on the left. The back room is a conference room.
“Dr. Stephenson delivered more than 6,000 babies. People [born in Dr. Stephenson’s office] can come in and look at the logs to see when they were born and when their siblings were born,” Klementisz said. “He charged people what they could afford. He let people pay him in onions and potatoes or a dollar or two dollars. He had people lined up outside and he would not leave until the last patient was taken care of, which was sometimes midnight. He was known for his penicillin shots.”
The place which now pays homage to him didn’t always belong to Dr. Stephenson. Klementisz said the doctor originally visited Evitt’s Drug Store in Ringgold looking for a job, and was encouraged to go visit the local Dr. Greene. Stephenson ended up working with him, and later, when Greene became physically unable to pursue his career, Stephenson bought the practice.
To learn more, visit facebook.com/DrStevesPlace.
Email Katie Ward at kward@timesfreepress.com