Founded by an act of Congress in 1798, the Marine Hospital Service was the first federal-level mechanism to provide public health care and disease prevention in the U.S. Its hospitals were constructed at key river and sea ports across the nation to provide health care for merchant marine sailors and to monitor and gate-keep against pathogenic diseases. Over time, the service expanded its key monitoring and gate-keeping role against pathogenic diseases and continued research and prevention work as well as the care of patients. Built in 1853, the Paducah location was one of seven similarly designed by world renowned architect Robert Mills, best known for designing the Washington Monument. Mills was the first professionally trained architect born in America. The Paducah design was the smaller of two versions and housed fifty patients. Fort Anderson was constructed around the hospital, which burned in the fall of 1863.