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"Now on the National Register of Historic Places, Immanuel Hall continues to serve the community as a place available for public use.
In 1900, the same spirit built the Immanuel Evangelical Church, now known as Immanuel Hall located on the corner of Third and Grant Streets. German immigrants once occupied much of west Hinsdale. These talented craftsmen built most of the Village’s houses and businesses. Recognizing a need in their own neighborhood, they built a simple, carpenter Gothic-style frame church for $3,000, volunteering the necessary labor and expertise. The church was constructed in eight weeks. The building beautifully complements its setting in an older residential neighborhood.
In 1920 there were major changes made to the structure, including the digging of the basement and exterior renovations. In 1923, a six-rank pipe organ (402 pipes) from M. P. Moeller & Sons, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was purchased and installed. The following year, 10 stained glass windows from Flanagan & Biedenweg Company of Chicago, replaced what were believed to have been two-over-two sash windows.
The building was deactivated as a church in 1964, after which it was used as the state headquarters for the United Church of Christ and then as a Montessori school. The sale of the site in 1998 made it likely that the former church would be demolished, with Hinsdale losing yet another irreplaceable piece of its history and tradition.
In 1999, a resident informed the Hinsdale Historical Society that the former Immanuel Evangelical Church had been sold to a private party and was likely to be demolished so a new home could be constructed on the site. For months, the Society led residents and Village officials in seeking ways to preserve the small frame building, whose unique features were largely originally intact, in good condition and a vivid reminder of Hinsdale’s beginnings.
With the aid of a state grant the property was purchased by the Village from its private owners, and later deeded by the Village to the Society. The Society began the long process of assessing an appropriate rehabilitation of the building, which it renamed Immanuel Hall, and wanted to continue serving the community as it had throughout its 100-year plus existence as a church, office and school.
Various events and activities, including concerts, receptions, exhibits, meetings, rehearsals and a wedding, were held at the Hall to test its viability as a multi-purpose venue, and each was successful. Also, the Hall’s historic significance was enhanced by its listing on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places, designation as a local landmark and receipt of several preservation-related awards and citations.
The largest contribution came from the family of Roger and Ruth Anderson and helped found the Society’s Anderson Architecture Center, located in the Hall’s lower level. See (
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Not surprisingly, the rehab of the Hall was a near-total “gut job” of the lower level. Also, a completely new roof, new gutters, a reconditioned bell tower and spire, a replica of the original finial atop the spire, new siding and trim to replace damaged areas, and new stucco on the exposed foundation; a complete interior and exterior painting, with the latter in a scheme close to the original; and state-of-the-art HVAC, fire detection and suppression, and safety and security systems; damp-proofing of the entire original foundation; insulation of the attic; and upgraded utility services.
The projected current cost of the rehab is nearly $1,000,000, which is exceeded when numerous in-kind contributions of services and materials are factored in.
The real bottom line: Immanuel Hall is fit to serve the community for another 100-plus years."