On 2 November 1902 the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery bought 96.5 acres (391,000 m2) of land that was owned by the city of Charleston, South Carolina adjoining the northwest side of the Navy Yard.

After establishment of the Navy Yard in 1902, the Medical Department activities occupied "hospital" tents near the site of the Marine Corps Post Exchange.

Emergency facilities in the shape of tents and temporary beds were established in connection with the Naval Dispensary until a total capacity was reached for 120 patients.

This was a temporary expedient to meet the circumstances incident to a sudden influx of men without accommodations for the sick.

[6] Work commenced on June 1, 1917, and the hospital was commissioned on July 31, 1917, in spite of many difficulties encountered in obtaining enough labor and a minor strike among the carpenters.

On 21 December 1922, the emergency hospital was officially closed and the Medical personnel transferred to the dispensary building.

This hospital/dispensary consisted of several frame buildings occupying about 4 acres (16,000 m2) of land near the center of the Navy Yard, and had a bed capacity of 57.

On 1 May 1941, the Yard Dispensary and the Naval Hospital, which had been combined, were separated into independent medical departments units.

In July 1942, the dispensary was transferred to building number 58 of the Naval Shipyard at the entrance of the Third Street gate.

On 4 October 1940, these wards were completed, this gave the hospital a total capacity 117 beds which was still inadequate for the patient load at that time.

In September 1940, funds amounting to about one million dollars were obtained from the Works Progress Administration for the construction of a 200-bed hospital.

At the soda fountain on the north wall of the ships service is a gigantic mural of life size Navy, Marine Corps, and Red Cross figures and a Gray Lady surrounding the seal of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

This is the work of Quartermaster First Class Wilko H. ANDERSON, who was a civilian portrait painter prior to his naval service.

[12] The early 1990s ushered in the zenith of Naval Hospital Charleston's status as a tertiary military treatment facility.

At the time of the 75th anniversary ceremony in 1992, the Hospital employed over 1,200 personnel, delivered over 1,300 babies, performed more than 3,000 surgeries, admitted 9,000 patients into our wards, and treated over 365,000 beneficiaries.

In 1996, North Charleston witnessed the final closure of its Naval Base and Shipyard and the City bid farewell to most of the mighty vessels of war that had long home ported at its piers – destroyers, frigates, cruisers, submarines, tenders and other support ships.

The Naval Hospital's Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit were both disestablished in February 1998 to further optimize resources.

Another historic event occurred when, in October 2006, the Operating Room and Post Anesthesia Recovery and Ambulatory Procedures Units located on the hospital's 10th deck were disestablished during a poignant ceremony that celebrated the numerous safe and successful procedures performed by the dedicated surgeons and support staff during the 33 years that the units were in operation.

The Naval Health Clinic Charleston currently renders quality health services for approximately 12,000 enrollees from these buildings located at the Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek to better serve our beneficiaries in that strategic location: The Branch Medical Clinic offers family medicine and ancillary services.

On September 1, 2010, the long-awaited move to the new consolidated Joint VA and Naval Health Clinic commenced.

12th Day of July, AD 1902 Be it resolved, by the Mayor and Alderman of the City Of Charleston in City Council assembled, that the honorable Mayor id hereby directed, authorized and empowered to execute such deeds as may be necessary to convey to the United States of America such portions of the land, the property of the City of Charleston, now known as "Chicora Park", at and for the consideration of two hundred dollars ($200) per acre, as may be desired by the said United States of America, for the purpose of establishing a Marine hospital.

In witness where I, J. Adger Smyth, the said Mayor of the said City of Charleston, under and by virtue of the Resolution aforesaid, have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the said City Council of Charleston to be hereunto affixed by the Clerk of the said City Council this 20th day of November in the year of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and two, and in the one hundred and twenty seventh year of the Sovereignty and Independence of the United States of America.