Founded here in 1917 at Sunny Hill, the former home of David and Margaret Watson, it began as a residential school for disabled children. In 1952, Dr. Jonas Salk, assisted by medical director Dr. Jessie Wright, began the first human testing of his polio vaccine here with patients, staff, and local children. Successful testing led to the 1955 approval and use of the vaccine and the eventual eradication of the debilitating disease.