The 1891 lithograph of the Togus VA Medical Center shows the original pastoral nature of the facility. The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers branches, were carefully designed and landscaped to provide a home-like setting for veterans. The campus provided everything for the veterans, from housing and food to medical care and recreational facilities. Recreational options included boating and fishing on the lake and reading books and newspapers at the library. These self-sustaining campuses provided a home to the Civil War veterans who could not support themselves after the war.