History

San Antonio Community Hospital began as the dream of community members who needed local medical services. Through the efforts of community visionaries, a hospital was built on the original site at Arrow Highway and San Antonio Avenue in 1907. It was community need and a tragic accident that inspired Frances Mary Paul to campaign to expand the hospital. Mrs. Paul's personal donation of $75,000, which equates to over $3 million today, initiated the fundraising effort, which in 1924 resulted in a new, expanded hospital on San Bernardino Road. The support exhibited by the Paul family and others in the community who followed has helped sustain San Antonio Community Hospital for nearly a century. Read here about how a total eclipse of the sun served as a catalyst that generated a community reaction, leading to the growth of San Antonio Community Hospital.

As more members of our community responded to the Hospital's needs, a way to accept donations and maximize their benefits was required. The San Antonio Hospital Foundation Board of Directors was established in 1972.