Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church

Before the church, there was the hospital. Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church has a fascinating past. It all started in 1896 when Dr. David and Dr. Mary Paulson established a small Training School and Sanitarium on Wabash Avenue in Chicago. Their patient, Charles B. Kimball, felt strongly that the patients would benefit from clean air and country life so he suggested they build a sanitarium in the countryside.
When Kimball told Paulson that Hinsdale would be a good location for a sanitarium, he offered to buy the land and deed it to the Paulson’s for a price of $16,000. In 1904 the Paulsons moved into the former Beckwith estate, a 10-acre property, and started their sanitarium. They prayed for financial support and somehow, the exact amount needed always appeared.
Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church is the result of the Paulson’s strong faith and the prayerful support of their employees. In 1907, 48 people came together to form a church in the Hinsdale Sanitarium. Dr. David Paulson was the first minister. For the next 40 years, church members met in various parts of the Sanitarium.
After 40 years of gathering in the Sanitarium, they planned to build a church building of their own. But due to World War II, construction was delayed and the building cost ballooned.
In 1947, the church finally got to meet in their own sanctuary. The new building was dedicated in 1947 and had enough seating for 544 people. Membership continued to grow and in 1968 construction began on a new church building. The sanctuary was designed to accommodate 1,000 people and featured beautiful handmade European antique stained glass.
Today, Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to be a vibrant community of people. They focus on outreach programs, mission trips, and worship services. Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church is truly a testament to the power of prayer and faith.