Flomaton Medical Center History
Abernathy Hospital
William Lordin Abernethy was born in 1870 in Wilcox County, Alabama. He practiced medicine in the Flomaton community for nearly 60 years, from 1896 until his retirement in 1951.
Abernethy received his medical degree from the University of Alabama Medical School in 1894. At the time, the medical school was located in Mobile, Alabama.
During the early days of his practice Dr. Abernethy traveled to the homes of his patients on horseback. After moving to Flomaton in 1896, he traveled by horse and buggy. His practice extended for a radius of 15 to 25 miles from Flomaton.
Abernethy, who never married, closed his practice in January of 1951. When he retired he had only taken one vacation, which was for a month in 1904 to visit California. Also at the time, it was figured that he had delivered 3,481 babies in the Flomaton community.
Dr. Abernethy passed away in 1953. Upon the opening of Flomaton’s new hospital in 1956, the Escambia County Hospital Board voted to name it the Abernethy Memorial Hospital in his remembrance. Unfortunately, the hospital closed in 1992.
Flomation Medical Center
Flomaton Medical Center originated as the Private Practice of Dr. John Vanlandingham which he established in Flomaton in 1974.
In 2002 Escambia County Healthcare Authority (D W McMillan Memorial Hospital) transitioned Flomaton Medical Center from a private practice to a Hospital Based Rural Health Clinic. It's original location was on Jackson Street in Flomaton and in 2006 it relocated to Hwy 113 where it still stands today.
Dr. Vanlandingham retired in 2018 after 44 years of service. Practicing at the Flomaton Medical Center today are providers Dr. Scott Moore, JB Golden, CNRP and Melissa Kilcrease, CRNP.
