11/09/2026
Dr. Dalton and Black Prince — Another Chapter of Floyd County History
We’ve shared some history before about the building that now houses the Floyd County Historical Society Museum and how it once served as a hospital. But there’s more to that story, especially when it comes to the doctor behind it.
Take a look at this wonderful old photograph of Dr. Martin Luther Dalton on horseback.
The caption accompanying the photograph identifies his horse as Black Prince and says Dr. Dalton rode him to visit patients.
Imagine making house calls on horseback along the mountain roads of Floyd County more than a century ago. Depending on where a patient lived, those trips could have been quite an undertaking, especially during bad weather.
But Dr. Dalton’s involvement in medicine went well beyond making house calls.
Here’s something interesting we hadn’t shared before.
On December 10, 1912, physicians from around Floyd County gathered to organize the Floyd County Medical Society. Dr. Dalton was named chairman of its executive committee.
And this wasn’t just a story passed down through the years. The meeting was documented in the Virginia Medical Semi-Monthly, a medical publication of that period. The report was submitted by Dr. Dalton himself.
The following year, Dr. Dalton had the Ridgemont built in downtown Floyd. The hospital officially opened on March 26, 1914.
For a small mountain community at that time, it was quite a facility. The first floor included a surgery, pharmacy, examining room with an X-ray machine, and waiting room. Upstairs were rooms for patients who needed to stay overnight.
Dr. Dalton operated the hospital until 1923. Dr. Silas T. Yeatts subsequently operated the facility.
And here’s another interesting piece of history about the property.
According to the official National Register documentation for the Floyd Historic District, there was once a house next door where the hospital’s doctors and nurses lived.
That house has since been demolished.
It’s interesting to think about how different that little stretch of North Locust Street must have looked when the hospital was operating.
Today, the Ridgemont building is still standing at 217 North Locust Street, where it serves as the Floyd County Historical Society Museum.
And here’s something else I discovered while researching Dr. Dalton.
The Historical Society lists a book in its reference library titled Floyd County Doctors Past and Present: Memories of Ridgemont 1914–2014.
I haven’t had an opportunity to read it, but I’d certainly be interested in learning what additional stories and memories it contains.
If you’re visiting the Historical Society Museum, you might ask about the book and whether it’s available to look through. It could be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the physicians who cared for Floyd County families over the years.
And if anyone has old photographs or family stories passed down about Dr. Dalton, Black Prince, or other early Floyd County doctors, I’d certainly be interested in hearing about them.
For anyone who enjoys exploring our county’s history, the Floyd County Historical Society and Old Church Gallery are both wonderful resources.
Historical sources: Floyd County Historical Society, History of the Ridgemont and Reference Library; Virginia Medical Semi-Monthly, 1913, “Floyd County Medical Society,” reported by M. L. Dalton, M.D.; Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Floyd Historic District National Register Nomination, 2005, Section 7, page 4.
Additional historical research: Cindy Akers, “Our Patriotic Roots & Branches: The Dalton Gang and Floyd County,” The Floyd Beacon, June 1, 2022.
