Second Presbyterian Church - Lexington, KY
N 38° 02.399 W 084° 29.411
16S E 720252 N 4213224
Dedicated by Pastor Dr. Benjamin Jay Bush, on December 14, 1924 the current church building replaced its predecessor which was destroyed by fire. Famous guests to the original church were Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.
Waymark Code: WM5GFK
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 01/03/2009
Views: 13
Mary Todd Lincoln's family was from the Lexington area and she was born in the city.
In the 1920's the current church was thought of as a "suburban" church. It didn't take long before expansion and growth pushed Lexington further out and the church became a "downtown" church.
In 1813 a young minister named James McChord preached a series of sermons at the home of Dr. T.S. Bell. This was against the by-laws of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of which McChord was a member.
Due to the conflict, McChord decided to leave Lexington. However,a great many members of the congregation were influential citizens. They decided the church would operate independently of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church until the conflict was resolved.
Their first building (Market Street Church) was dedicated in 1815 with McChord as the pastor. It remained an independent church for three more years at which time McChord resigned from the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. At that time the congregation joined the East Lexington Presbytery and became known as Market Street Presbyterian Church. McChord remained with the church full time until 1819. He continued with the church on a part-time basis until he died, at the age of 35 in 1820. Originally interred in a crypt under the pulpit of the Market Street Church, he was later interred at the historic Lexington Cemetery.
In 1828 the church was named Second Presbyterian, after being named briefly after McChord.
Street address:
460 E. Main Street
Lexington, KY United States
40507
County / Borough / Parish: Fayette
Year listed: 1980
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Religion
Current function: Religion
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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