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URANTIA BOOK HISTORY
533 Diversey Parkway
Compiled by
Saskia Raevouri
 The building at 533 Diversey Parkway in
Chicago is known among Urantia Book readers as
the birthplace of the Urantia revelation, the
location where the papers came through and the
residence of the six contact commissioners, Drs.
William and Lena Sadler, Wilfred and Anna
Kellogg (who lived in a small apartment above
the garage), son Bill Sadler, and Emma
(Christy) Christensen, their adopted daughter who typed
the manuscript. The Sadlers moved into the
building around 1922, shortly before the first
official Urantia papers were received in 1924.
The Sunday Forum sessions were held here on the
second floor, as described in The Sherman
Diaries, Volumes 1-5. The Shermans lived
across the street at 530 Diversey for five years
and their detailed diaries bring the building
and its occupants to
life. Today it is the headquarters of Urantia
Foundation.
Photo at left taken by Harold Sherman in 1943 [Sherman Archives]
Harold Sherman to Harry Loose, Chicago, May 17, 1942
 "We
are at last settled in your old home town of Chicago, in
the Cambridge Hotel, 530 Diversey, directly across from
the Sadlers, in a one-room, light-housekeeping apartment
with kitchenette on the fifth floor (#507), with a
little two-foot balcony looking out on the street from
which we can look down and see Diversey and the Sadler
house. So, you see, we have them under close
surveillance; they can’t do anything from now on that we
won’t know about. We can even see their sun decks on the
roof where Bill Jr.’s wife goes to get her beach tan.
DIARY September
30, 1942
We were undecided until the last minute about attendance at this
[Open Discussion] meeting, and Harold observed that few people were
going in at the Sadlers’. . . . It was then about 8:15 p.m. and we
determined to go out and see if we could observe any particular
activity across the street. . . . As we were walking along the side
of the Sadler building, we were hailed from the second-floor-rear
darkened windows by Billy and Patsy, who had apparently gone to bed
but were keeping alert watch in order to have seen us. . . . "Hello,
Martha Sherman!" called Patsy,
followed by a similar greeting from Billy. As we answered and
continued walking toward Diversey, the children crossed the room and
looked out the front (north) windows, calling out after us. We
decided under such circumstances that we would go in. It was around
8:30 by this time. . . .
DIARY February
20, 1943
Miss Baumgartner said that at a comparatively recent annual picnic
held on the Sadler roof (instead of at the Haleses’), Dr. Sadler had
waxed prophetic in predicting that "this" building, which housed the
papers and which contained the Forum room where they had met, would
one day become what amounted to a "national shrine"; that certain
articles and rooms would be roped off and that people would come
from all over the world to view this place where this great
spiritual work had been done. In this connection Miss Baumgartner
said it might be better if all the Forum members were dead before
the Book came out.
Brotherhood Bulletin,
October 20, 1962: "For those of you who have never visited
headquarters of the Urantia Brotherhood a brief description of our
quarters might be interesting.
Dr. William S. Sadler owns the three-story building at 533 Diversey
Parkway, where he lives and practices. The Urantia Brotherhood and
the Urantia Foundation rent space in this building. We occupy the
first floor of the building and a large meeting room on the second
floor, as well as a vestibule. The First Society, the General
Council of the Urantia Brotherhood, and the Urantia Brotherhood
School use this second floor space.
 On
the first floor is a reception room used by the secretary of the
Brotherhood. To the right is a large waiting room and a private
office. We also have on this floor a committee room, furnished with
table and chairs for use of committee meetings and monthly executive
meetings. There is a hall leading from the reception room to the
back of the building. Private offices lead off from this hall. One
of the larger of the offices is used by the treasurer of the
Brotherhood and an officer of the Foundation, who is working on the
index. Leading off from this room is our print shop which also
contains some files. Our printing equipment consists of one
second-hand mimeograph machine which was given to us over ten years
ago. It still functions quite well. The quarterly news letters are
produced on this machine. Across the hall is the office used by the
secretary-general of the Brotherhood. This room contains two desks,
files, large supply cupboards, and counter space for wrapping books
for mailing. Leading off from this office is a room devoted to the
storage of Urantia Books (received from the printer in lots of 500),
the Urantia Books in French, textbooks for the Urantia Brotherhood
School, brochures, etc. This room is always locked since the
inventory amounts to thousands of dollars.
In addition to the rooms described, there are two other private
offices and several small rooms equipped for storage. In the
committee room are two large wall maps, one of the United States and
the other of the world. A red pin is put into these maps wherever we
know a Urantia Book is located. You would find them very interesting
to study.
The Brotherhood and Foundation have purchased practically no
furniture for either the first floor or the second floor rooms.
These rooms were furnished by Dr. Sadler and we have the use of all
of this furniture. About the only things we have bought (besides
supplies) are three file cases, three lamps, a small adding machine,
a blackboard, some maps, and carpeting for the meeting room (the
First Society paid half of the carpet bill.) Even the typewriters
were given to us. We feel very fortunate that we did not have to buy
furniture for these offices.
Any time you are in Chicago we will be very glad to have you visit
us to see the offices and get acquainted. The Urantia telephone
number is Area Code 312-Eastgage 7-0424.
[Photo above taken by Saskia Raevouri in 1986]
Message from Urantia
Foundation June 15, 1972:
"As most of you know, the building at 533 Diversey Parkway was
devised by the will of Dr. William S. Sadler to the Urantia
Foundation. Because a portion of the building is used for religious
purposes, we have been able to obtain a substantial reduction in our
real estate taxes.
"Although this building structurally sound, we have had to make some
costly repairs to extend the effective life of the building, such as
electrical wiring, tuckpointing, plumbing, painting and screens. In
addition, with increased activities of the Foundation and
Brotherhood, we are very soon going to need more space. We must
decide whether to remodel the building or sell it and and acquire
more suitable quarters. A committee representing the Foundation and
the Brotherhood has been appointed to study the problem.
"At the request of the Otis Elevator Company which carries insurance
on the elevator at 533 Diversey Parkway, a telephone has been
installed in it for safety purposes. Should the elevator become
inoperable, the trapped passenger can phone for help."
Brotherhood Bulletin November 27, 1972:
"Visitors are very
welcome at headquarters. Many come seeking answers to questions, to
meet the people who work here, and to see what the building is like.
It has been suggested that many readers of the Urantia Book who have
not visited the Urantia headquarters might enjoy a brief description
of the building.
"The building, owned by the Urantia Foundation, is a three-story
stone and brick building, built as a three-flat residence in the
early part of the century. It is one of the first all steel
residences built in Chicago, located about four miles north of the
Loop. At that time Diversey Parkway was an unpaved street with board
sidewalks. This very substantial building is now situated amidst
high rises and a thriving business district. There are eight or nine
rooms on each floor. The third floor is still maintained as an
apartment. The second floor has a large room used by the Urantia
Brotherhood and The First Urantia Society for meetings. The rest is
an apartment.
"The first floor is used entirely for Urantia Foundation and Urantia
Brotherhood business. It has a reception room, waiting room, two
conference rooms, four offices, a small room used for addressing
machine and mimeograph, two bathrooms, a small kitchen, and two
enclosed porches used for storing Urantia Books and other materials.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
"The building at the present time lends itself quite well to the
various activities, but some day will no doubt be inadequate. Those
who work here are very happy and grateful to be able to do so. Being
a non-profit organization it may be a long time before we will have
a magnificent structure worthy as a headquarters for the Urantia
Book."
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From
Urantia Foundation's 2008 Annual Report:
The historic building at 533 W. Diversey is one
of Urantia Foundation's treasured assets. In 2008
the Board decided to dedicate the second floor to
conferences, workshops, study, and educational
efforts. To make the facilities more usable, we are
remodeling and repairing areas of the 2nd floor. |
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DIARY,
October 15, 1944
Dr. Sadler said today that as long as the building at 533 should
stand, it would be pointed out as the place where the first
celebration of Jesus’ real birthday date—August 21—was celebrated.
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[Photo at left taken by
Saskia Raevouri in 1997]
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[Photo
above Urantia Foundation]] |
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