Fayette – Page 14 – The Kaintuckeean

Walking Tour of Woodward Heights Reveals Stunning Architecture and Beautiful Gardens

Examining the walking tour brochure of the
Woodward Heights Historic District – Lexington, Ky.

The best way to explore any urban area is on foot. In Lexington, the BGT has created a series of walking tour brochures for the various historic districts surrounding downtown.

A brochure for Woodward Heights is the most recent addition to the offerings, having been released at the June deTour.

It is the largest walking tour brochure to wit covering 45 properties in an area roughly bounded in a triangle between High, Maxwell, and Merino Streets – an area centered around #40: Botherum House.

This neighborhood was subdivided and developed in the late 1800s and stands as a largely intact reflection of the period’s architecture. Woodward Heights was added to the National Register in 1980 and was made a local historic district in 1987.

The neighborhood can be recognized not only for its architectural diversity, but also for the resident’s efforts to beautify the neighborhood with gardens in back yards, front yards, and shared use spaces.

722 West High Street – Lexington, Ky.

Two homeowners opened their doors for our deTour. The first was the Ella C. Williamson House at 722 West High. The brochure describes the property as follows:

An eclectic Victorian mansion, this house was owned by Ella Williamson, widow of a building contractor who had emigrated from Scotland with his brother in the 1860s. The house’s many ornate wood decorations reflect his connection with the East End [Planing] Mill on the Town Branch (1867). Rough-cut limestone lintels, dentil work, and Roman columns are also evident. A large bay with a turret and bracketed eaves are featured.

Walking into 722 West High, one is immediately overcome by the intricate walnut and cherry woodwork. Exceedingly high ceilings make the space so open and the pocket doors between foyer and living room that much more impressive. (The doors are easily seen in this Herald-Leader article.) Owned by Fran Taylor and Tom Cheek, the home is a pantheon of color that adds to the home’s grandeur.

Helene Steene welcoming us into her home at
312 Madison Place, Lexington.

Around the corner and a few doors up Madison Place is the home of artist Helene Steene. The native-born Swede’s studio is in Loudon House, but undoubtedly she can find inspiration (or reprieve) at her lovely home and stunning garden at 312 Madison Place. The home was described in Bricks+Mortar as being in the “romatntic revival [style], but the details are Colonial inspired.”

This property is the Frank W. Fletcher House as it was first occupied by he, a lumber dealer. The house appeared on the 1907 Sanborn map and is described in the Kentucky Historic Resources Inventory as being in the “Richardsonian/Neo-Classical” style.

That rose, pictured at right, is of the trellising variety in a particular plant that climbs to the second story! Steene’s art is impressive, but I will always remember her for a different accomplishment: I played LYSA soccer with her son in the 1990s and she was our Coach!

Yes, we all wear different stripes at different times. And so, too, does Madison Place. The neighborhood which had fallen apart through the 1970s has seen a slow continuous trickle of improvements that have made it one of the most impressive of Lexington’s near neighborhoods.

All photos from the Woodward Heights deTour are available on flickr.

The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour for young professionals (and the young-at-heart). The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Learn more details about this exciting group on Facebook! You can also see Kaintuckeean write-ups on previous deTours by clicking here.

163 West Short Street (Lexington, KY) #TBT

163 W. Short St., Lexington, Ky. (Photo: NRHP)

163 W. Short St., Lexington, Ky.
Photo: NRHP

Though its vault now contains beer and ice cream sandwiches, 163 West Short once housed a series of banks (the downtown branch of Traditional Bank still occupies part of the ground floor).

It is worth noting that the National Register application shows two photos of this building, both dated 1983. One can easily see that one of these photos is incorrectly dated as the signs indicate two different banks on the first floor.

The photo at right of Central Bank & Trust is likely incorrect as the Kincaid Towers opened in 1979.

Do you remember banking here or working here or doing other business in this building? Who else occupied it over the years?

And what are the true dates of these photos?

Talk in the comments…

Main & Limestone (Lexington, KY) #TBT

Main & Limestone, looking northeast – Lexington, Ky. (ca. 1983) (Photo: NRHP)

Picking up on a twitter trend, we’ll now add #ThrowBackThursday to our regular posts. Though most Kaintuckeean posts are throwbacks to bygone eras, these weekly posts will be short on text.

The photos will be more recent, like the above photo of Main & Limestone ca. 1983 looking northeast toward what is now the courthouse plaza. My hope is that you’ll comment below with the history and your memories of the scene from 30 years ago.

A Thief is in Our Midst: Historic Iron Door Stolen from Hunt-Morgan House

CSI: Lexington. The Hunt Morgan House.

During the Civil War, General John Hunt Morgan and his cavalry engaged in guerrilla style warfare springing attacks and raids on Union troops, supply chains, and communities. He was once caught and imprisoned at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus (demolished, 1998, for the Nationwide Arena), though the General escaped.

The subject iron door

Apparently, however, a raid against his history as occurred at the Lexington property bearing his name. From the property owner, the Blue Grass Trust:

A circa 1800s iron prison door, weighing more than 400 pounds and approximately 6 to 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide, (pictured above, on its side) was stolen from the grounds of The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation’s Hunt-Morgan House. The iron door is from the Ohio State Penitentiary that housed General John Hunt Morgan during the Civil War. It was donated to the BGT by Burl McCoy of Morgan’s Men and has significant historical significance. The Blue Grass Trust is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the safe return of the iron door. Please call the BGT at (859)253-0362, or the LFUCG Division of Police at (859)258-3600 with any information, re: Case #2013-072783.

The Blue Grass Trust and Debra Hensley are offering a ~~$500~~$1,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of this historic artifact.

Kentucky’s Oldest Florist, Michler’s

Michler Florist on Maxwell Street – Lexington, Ky.

Drive slowly down Maxwell Street and you may find one of the gems of Lexington. For generations, the Michler family has grown beautiful flowers and other flora in the greenhouses which now occupy land sandwiched better the University of Kentucky and downtown Lexington.

Michler Florist, or Michler’s, is the Commonwealth’s oldest continually operated greenhouse and florist. Carl Michler, an immigrant from Württemberg, Germany, began to establish his greenhouses on the site in 1902. It was a family business and remains so to this day.

It was written in the Herald Leader on the occasion of Michler’s 100th anniversary that Michler’s “is a fundamental piece of traditional downtown Lexington. It’s a grass-roots family business as old as the neighborhood around it, with a strong old-fashioned flavor.”

Carl’s two sons, Louis and Charlie shared the operation until Charlie broke out to begin the defunct Michler Nurseries on Richmond Road. Louis kept the family greenhouse operating on Maxwell Street before turning the helm over to his son, Karl, who returned from military service in World War II.

Karl’s son, John, would later operate the family business after having studied horticulture at UK. His expertise has expanded Michler’s offerings to include native species and educational offerings in perennials and garden design. And now, through John’s son Robin, a fifth generation has joined the fray!

Michler’s is unique for in those greenhouses – now a century-plus old – the plants sold here are still cultivated in-house. The alternative seen in most floral shops is to only assemble arrangements from the cuttings from far distant lands.

Ordinarily, I’d include a flickr link here – but, alas, I accidentally deleted my photos from this deTour. A pity, as the beautiful flora is a spectacle to behold. Since I can’t share them, you should stop by Michler’s at 417 E. Maxwell Street.

In Kentucky, Four Additions to the National Register and Two Newly Designated National Historic Landmarks

Each week, the National Park Service transmits a list of properties added to the the National Register of Historic Places. Depending on applications pending, there are weeks where no Kentucky properties are listed for inclusion. Some emails are full of Kentucky’s rich history. Such was a recent e-mail.

As I alluded to in one of my weekly roundup’s last month, two Kentucky properties were designated as National Historic Landmarks. This designation is the highest designation that can be afforded a property in terms of historic significance. With the inclusion of the George T. Stagg Distillery in Franklin County and the Camp Nelson Historic and Archeological District in Jessamine County, the number of Kentucky properties designated as National Historic Landmarks rests at thirty-two.

North elevation of the Liggett and Meyers Harping
Tobacco Storage Warehouse, Source: NRHP App./KHC

From Lexington, the Liggett and Meyers Harpring Tobacco Storage Warehouse (1211 Manchester Street) was added to the Register. Constructed in 1930, the warehouse sits on a six acre tract and was well-situated to tobacco storage. A rail spur from the L&N railroad ran to the property and, as preferred shipping methods changed, proximity to New Circle Road kept the Liggett and Meyers building relevant. The building itself is constructed in six segments with each segment containing 20,000 square feet. This immense structure was important to an industry vital to central Kentucky. Today, the building is part of the city’s growing Distillery District.

Ludlow Theatre, ca. 1975
Source: NRHP Application / KHC

The Ludlow Theatre, 322-326 Elm Street, is in the community of Ludlow in Kenton County. The Ludlow Historic District, added to the National Register in 1984, already includes the ca. 1946 theater, but the Ludlow Theatre is now individually listed. Of course, in 1984 the Ludlow Theatre (then less than 50 years of age) was deemed a non-contributing structure, yet the passage of thirty years has changed perspective. Consistent with much of the architecture built in the mid-twentieth century, the Ludlow Theatre is “largely a modest modern building
with little to characterize it within a specific style.” Architectural interest is found in the façade, however, as every sixth of the variegated brick projects slightly from the façade. The most significant change to the building’s exterior since 1946 is the removal of the marquee. This occurred around the time of the historic district’s inclusion on the Register, but can be more readily attributed to the theatre’s closure in 1983.

Hindman Historic District
Source: NRHP Application/ KHC

As Nate wrote, “There is no legitimate reason why anyone would ever stumble upon Hindman.” Though, remarkably, the National Register application remarks that “few Kentucky counties can match the education, literary, cultural, and political heritage found in and near Hindman.” With credits like that, one can imagine the variety of architectural styles found in the district. Much can be credited with three of the earliest Appalachian Settlement Schools being established in Knott County. So if one were to stumble into Knott County’s seat, they would find the sixty-one buildings in the Hindman Historic District, of which 40 are deemed to be contributing. They consist of religious, governmental, residential, commercial, educational, and health care purposed structures, though the majority are two-story residences and commercial structures built between 1903 and 1960. After this period, however, many older structures have been significantly altered or demolished and this has diminished the historic character of the community.

Buck Creek Rosenwald School
Source: Kentucky Heritage Council

Finally, the Buck Creek Rosenwald School in Finchville was constructed ca. 1920 as a one-room school house and was adapted into a residence in 1959 (the school had closed in 1957). One story with hipped roof, this simple structure was a Rosenwald school for African American children during the years of segregation. It was one of only two Rosenwald schools in Shelby County. Two contributing buildings – an outhouse for either sex – are also mentioned in the National Register application. The application also contains accounts of the school day from former students – a fascinating read! More fascinating is that the application was the project of Girl Scout Julia Bache in pursuit of her Girl Scout Gold Award. Well done, Julia!

Art Abounds at Central Christian Church

This is part 2 in a two part series on Central Christian Church. The first installment discussed the building and the church itself with some interesting tidbits. An earlier post on this site commented on the prayer garden at the church.

“The Good Shepherd” Stained Glass Window – Central Christian Church – Lexington, Ky.

No longer visible from the sanctuary after a post-fire remodeling of the historic sanctuary of Central Christian Church in downtown Lexington, “The Good Shepherd” stained glass window is alit and visible in the evenings on Martin Luther King Blvd. and from a mechanical room on the church’s interior.

A platform in the mechanical room brings you nearly to the face of Jesus, carrying the lost sheep to safety. The powerful art and imagery at Central Christian Church are reminders of their faith, designed to deepen spiritual understanding. A publication, Symbols in Our Journey of Faith, examines the art in this impressive church, as well as its meaning.

Doorways depicting Moses and David

After ascending the stairs along Short Street, one encounters the hand carved doors made of American Red Oak. Installed in the spring of 1980, each of the six doors depict a different figure in the Christian (Disciples of Christ) faith: Moses, David, the prophet Micah, Jesus of Nazareth, St. Paul the Apostle, and Barton Stone. Each pair of the highly symbolic doors close beneath a tympanum complete with more Judeo-Christian symbology.

Another entry to the church is through the prayer garden – a common feature found in churches as reminders of the first garden – “Eden, when God and humankind lived together in a relationship of absolute trust and obedience.” The prayer garden was added during renovations to the church in the 1950s.

Upon entering the sanctuary at Central Christian Church, one is immediately taken by the most impressive collection of stained glass windows. Each is described in Symbols, but I will highlight a few. In the rear of the church balcony is the Empty Tomb depicting the Easter scene of the angel in white advising Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome of Christ having been raised while the three wooden crosses of Golgotha are depicted in the window’s upper left.

Behind the chancel is the most impressive of the windows: God at Work in the World. The upper portion consists of a rose window with a central depiction of the hand of God under a crown with the words from Genesis, “In the beginning, God.” Each petal in the rose window are representative of God’s work in the world. Below the rose window, Christ stands with outstretched hands – “and became flesh.” Several Biblical scenes surround the Christ.

Many other stained glass windows frame the sanctuary: Gospel windows, The Three Graces (faith, hope, charity) window, and several Maltese crosses included.

Centrally located behind the communion table is an ornate Celtic Cross dedicated in 1969. It is a reproduction of the St. John’s Cross at the Iona Abbey in Iona, Scotland. Handcrafted in Scotland, the cross itself weighs nearly 100 pounds. Ancient symbolism are engraved into both sides of the cross, though weight and display options limit viewing to only the one side. The Celtic Cross is typically associated with the Scottish Presbyterian Church, of which many early Disciples of Christ leaders were first associated.

Regardless of your faith preference, one must stand in awe of the beautiful sanctuary and structure of Central Christian Church. Like an onion, each layer of meaning and symbolism can be peeled away to reveal more meaning and symbolism in the church’s journey of faith.

More photographs of Central Christian Church can be found on flickr.

Sources: Central Christian Church (DoC), Symbols in Our Journey of Faith.

Oldest Disciples of Christ Church is Historic Central Christian Church in Lexington

This is part 1 in a two part series on Central Christian Church. This installment discusses the building and the church itself with some interesting tidbits, while Part 2 examines the great art found at Central. An earlier post on this site commented on the prayer garden at the church.

Gathered on the Steps of Central Christian Church – Lexington, Ky.

In 1891, the Main Street Christian Church had an enrollment of 914. Too many for its space. A new location was found at the corner of Walnut and Short streets on the site of the derelict Masonic temple. The site was bought for $12,100 and the temple razed. At 5 p.m. on August 7, 1893, the cornerstone for the renamed Central Christian Church was laid atop the foundation of the old Masonic temple.

Central Christian Church, ca. 1898. Source: NRHP.

On July 22, 1894, the new church, constructed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, was dedicated. The photo, at right, is the earliest known photo of Central Christian Church. Taken in 1898, the photo shows the building’s original entrance with an “elegant concrete walks and steps leading to and around the building [all] in bold relief.” The paired steps along both Walnut and Short stand in contrast to the single set of steps now along only Short Street (the change being made due to a 1930s fire, discussed below).

According to the National Register Application, Central is Lexington’s only major remaining Richardsonian Romanesque, describing the old courthouse as being stylistically provincial.

A Growing Church. Around 1911, the church began to find their space inadequate and enlargement was discussed. An education wing was formally dedicated in November 1915.

In 1933, a fire in the church caused significant damage to the sanctuary. The decision was made to reconfigure it to its present layout (save the chancel which was later enlarged); the new sanctuary was dedicated in September 1934. In the time between the fire and the dedication, the church found refuge for its weekly services at the Kentucky Theatre.

Central Christian Church, ca. 1952. Source; NRHP.

Another expansion in 1950 saw the demolition of the previously mentioned education wing in favor of an enlarge education wing as well as another sanctuary remodel and the construction of the Chapel of Memories. During this remodel, the congregation met in the auditorium at the old Henry Clay High School on East Main Street.

In 1954, “My Father’s Garden” was dedicated. It had been designed by Central’s Mrs. Wilson Case Lawwill with Louis Hillenmeyer serving as consulting landscape architect.

A final addition occurred in the early 2000s after Central purchased the old municipal building at the eastern end of Barr Street. Though once a beautiful structure, a flat façade added in the 1960s or 70s eliminated all beauty. The decision was made to raze the building and in its place, a new fellowship, youth and children center, and additional parking were made available for the growing church. It was a wise decision (particularly when compared to the alternative of abandoning the downtown site), and the church has since grown.

Sanctuary of Central Christian Church – Lexington, Ky.

Interesting Tales. A review of the old newspaper archives is always revealing, and a few stories related to Central Christian Church are of note. In 1902, “Patrolman James Dodd, while searching for a burglar, fell into the baptistry at Central Christian Church.” In 1905, “Central … votes to try individual communion cups for 30 days.” (They still use them.) In 1918, “Fifty stars on flag unveiled at Central Christian Church yesterday.” (I don’t understand this as we didn’t get a fiftieth (or forty-ninth) state until 1959. Ideas, anyone?) In March 1955, noted Disciple Ronald Reagan, in town as a movie star and program supervisor for General Electric Theater, delivered a “layman’s witness” to the congregation.

Evolution of Church Polity and Doctrine. Theologically, the church and its prior inceptions represent the oldest Disciples of Christ church in the denomination (though other churches are older, they began under other denominational brands before taking the Disciples identity). The church can be linked through history to a founding in 1816.

In its early years, the church was a hotbed for the community’s temperance movement. The annual meetings of the Kentucky Women’s Christian Temperance Union met almost annually at Central. On the opposite corner from the church, Tom Lyons had to go to court against the church in order to open his saloon, though he ultimately succeeded in 1897. A 1911 sermon series on “Vital Church Discipline” including a message entitled “Excommunicate the unworthy” which “created a profound impression and caused much favorable comment.” Though taking harsh posititions in the early years, both Central (and Disciples, generally) ultimately have softened their tone with regard to alcohol (recognizing that, after all, Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine) and other matters. In 2011, Central was recognized as an Open & Affirming congregation, showing a grand shift in social thought from its former days as a hotbed of WCTU activity.

A deTour to Remember. Though I’ve attended services several times at Central, I knew little of its history until our Blue Grass Trust deTour of the venue in early April 2013. The senior minister since 1995, Dr. Michael Mooty, led an adventurous crew through the church’s old boiler room with the exposed foundation from the old Masonic temple. It was joked that a dusty old chair in the boiler room was the a strict form of discipline for those talking during Sunday school or during services; it would seem this to be less strict, however, than that proposed in the 1911 sermon on “Excommunication: Withdrawal from the Church of Unworthy Members” preached by Rev. I. J. Spencer.

Our adventure continued through a portal off the balcony into a small mechanical room where we discovered a ladder mounted to the wall. Up we climbed to a small landing next to the magnificent stained glass rose window of Jesus that is visible from Martin Luther King Blvd, but not from the church’s interior since the 1933 fire and reconfiguration.

Another long ladder, fixed at about 30-45°, took the most adventurous from the landing to the platforms that span above the sanctuary. Though the spaces were tight, the sense of construction and the sentiment of history was strong in this surprising elements to the deTour.

Shimmying to the area atop the sanctuary

An ajar light fixture above the sanctuary revealed the height from the ground below. Pictured through the opening in the light is the front pew of the church, upon which lay a few hymnals.

More photographs of Central Christian Church can be found on flickr.

Sources: Central Christian Church (DoC); Local.LexPubLib.org; NRHP; Ward Russell’s Church Life in the Bluegrass.

The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour for young professionals (and the young-at-heart). On May 1, the group will meet at the Michler Florist on East Maxwell Street before visiting the Pope Villa. Join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Learn more details about this exciting group on Facebook! You can also see Kaintuckeean write-ups on previous deTours by clicking here.

Freemasonry in Kentucky and Lexington Lodge #1

The location of Central Christian Church – Short and MLK (nee Walnut) streets – was the site of the first Masonic activities in Kentucky. On April 3, at 5:30 p.m., the historic late 19th century Central Christian Church will be opened for the Blue Grass Trust deTour. More information is available on Facebook. Learn about the location’s history before it was a church below.

Old Masonic Hall – Lexington, Ky.
Source: KDL

After the fear of Indian attacks was diminished, Lexington began to grow as a community. Soon, the city contained more than pioneering woodsmen but craftsmen and tradesmen. Too came Virginians and others with land grants for their service during the Revolution. With them, came freemasonry. The Masons are a fraternal order which originated in Europe in the late 16th century and the earliest lodges were already operating in Pennsylvania by 1730. And the earliest names associated with Lexington were freemasons: Levi Todd. Robert Patterson. John Maxwell.

Seals of the Lexington Lodge and the
Grand Lodge of Kentucky. Source: Lex. Lodge 1

A short collection of Masons assembled in Lexington sought to have a lodge of their order in a location more convenient than across the mountains in the older portion of Virginia. On November 17, 1788, the Grand Lodge of Virginia issued a new charter “at the town of Lexington, district of Kentucke … to Richard Clough Anderson, John Fowler, Green Clay and others to hold regular lodge Free Masons at the town of Lexington, by the name, title and description of the Lexington Lodge No. 25.” It was the first lodge located west of the mountains.

In 1794, a primitive log masonic temple was erected. It was replaced in 1796 by a greater, two-story brick structure at the same site. Soon, the distance from Richmond, Va. again became an issue of impracticality. Though Kentucky achieved statehood eight years earlier, the Lexington Lodge #25 and other regional lodges continued to meet under their Virginia charters. And so in the autumn of 1800, representatives from the various lodges in Kentucky met at the Lexington temple and organized the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. A plaque marks this occasion on the exterior of Lexington’s Central Christian Church.

The old Lexington Lodge #25 was rechartered under the Grand Lodge of Kentucky as Lexington Lodge #1 in recognition of it being the oldest lodge in Kentucky.

A March 1819 fire destroyed the two-story brick temple, whereafter “a sum of money was raised, sufficient to rebuild the lodge hall; and such has been the zeal and activity of the superintendents, that the rafters for the roof, were raised this day. A spacious suite of rooms fifty six by thirty, is being raised, which when completed, will render it one of the most roomy and elegant structures in the city.” (Ky. Gazette, Sept. 3, 1819).

The next five years seem to be a mystery for in 1824, it was decided to build a “handsome building” with “commodious edifice” “which would stand for all ages and should, in some degree, indicate to posterity the state of the arts at he period of its erection.” Due to events described below, I believe this 1824 structure was on a site different than the lodge temples described above which is at Walnut and Short.

Architect Matthew Kennedy oversaw the construction as the cornerstone was laid on July 1 of that year. During construction, Freemason General Marquis de LaFayette visited the city of Lexington and the new temple.

Lafayette, a member of the Masonic Order, was royally entertained by his brethren and citizens of Lexington, and a Masonic Ball was given in his honor in this partially completed building. Lafayette took his seat at the banquet table in front of a large castellated cake, surmounted by the American and French flags, and covered with Masonic designs. This cake was the splendid workmanship of his fellow-countrymen, the well known restaurant-keeper and culinary artist Mathurin Giron, immortalized by James Lane Allen in his “King Solomon of Kentucky.”

After a bounteous repast was served and suitable speeches and toasts for the occasion delivered, the remainder of the evening was devoted to dancing to the strains of Anton Phillipe Heindrick’s masterpieces. The dancing lasted far into the night, but the old general, still lame from the wound he received in the war, was able to tread out but a few of the measures, and left the hall about eleven o’clock “to indulge in those thoughts and feelings which must occupy the mind of such a benevolent man, and which must consecrate his day to peace and happiness, and the day was over for him.”

Next morning, General Lafayette and his suite attended a Masonic breakfast in the grand hall, where he was addressed by John Ward: “Excellent and venerated Brother! Patron of our Country and of National Freedom wherever man exists – The Fraternity of Masons in Lexington greet and welcome you!” General Lafayette’s visit to Lexington was less than two days, yet in that short space he was elaborately entertained in the Masonic Hall on two occasions.

Dedication of the three-story building occurred on October 26, 1826, massively over-budget. A number of lotteries were held to raise funds to pay off the Order’s debts from construction. Dr. Lewis Marshall of Woodford County had the winning ticket in a significant $20,000 lottery. Demanding payment in gold, and sufficient gold not being available to pay the man from Woodford, Marshall was issued a mortgage on the hall. On the mortgage, he foreclosed.

The headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky was relocated to Louisville in 1833 during Lexington’s cholera epidemic. On August 29, 1835, a fire was found in a carpenter’s shop at the rear of the building. Despite the valiant efforts of several fire brigades, the temple lodge along with her archives, furniture and jewels were lost. All of these events occurred to the detriment of local lodge activity, and all while a national tide of anti-masonry sentiment swept several lodges and some grand lodges from existence. Membership dwindled.

Lexington Lodge #1. Source: Ranck’s Guide to Lexington.

Despite all odds, the Lexington Lodge #1 overcame and rebuilt on the site of its original log meeting house. The cornerstone was laid on July 3, 1840 and a the building dedicated September 1, 1841. The fate of this building was unfortunate, as well. Seized by Union forces during the Civil War, it was used as a hospital, recruiting station and eventually as a prison. The building fell into disrepair and could not recover.

The old Masonic Hall fell into disrepair and was demolished in December 1891. Title to the land passed to Central Christian Church whose cornerstone was dedicated in August 1893. Within the cornerstone “contains contents of era” and “is the same piece of rock that came out of the old Masonic Temple.”

Sources: Grand Lodge of KY; Lexington Lodge #1

If the walls of Lexington’s Oldham House Could Talk

The Oldham House – Lexington, Ky.

The names Samuel and Daphney Oldham don’t ring out among the most famous in Lexington’s storied history. Like many in Lexington’s early years, their stories began in Virginia. But they, and their ca. 1835 home at 245 South Limestone Street (then 95 South Limestone, or South Mulberry), represent a unique part of our community’s African-American heritage.

Listing from Lexington City Directory, ca. 1864

Samuel A. Oldham was an enterprising barber and business owner when he and his wife built their home on what was then Lexington’s southern edge. But at the start of the 1826, Oldham was enslaved. During the course of the year, he would purchase his own freedom. In 1830, he transacted for the freedom of his wife and sons. The freed black family thereafter built the two-story, five-bay common bond brick house.

In 1839, the Oldhams sold the home to William R. Bradford. Though they lived there only a short time, their ownership was marked as the first time a freed slave at owned a home in Lexington. In 2008, their South Limestone home was the inspiration for a one-woman act portraying Daphney Oldham. In In This Place, Daphney told her story of being born into slavery but dying as a free woman of color. The show was a collaborative effort between LexArts and director Ain Gordon; thanks be to God, Ain has published the entire performance on Vimeo:

Ain Gordon’s IN THIS PLACE… from Ain Gordon on Vimeo.

1890 Sanborn Map of then
95 S. Limestone/Mulberry

Like the Oldham’s, Bradford owned 245 S. Limestone for only a few years. It was purchased in 1845 by Juretta Shepherd,a widow, who five years later would marry Dr. Joseph G. Chinn. Attorneys kept the couple’s finances separate and it appears that Dr. Chinn, who would serve as a councilman and mayor of Lexington, never had an ownership interest in the property. Mrs. Chinn died in 1872 and the property was sold as the result of a lawsuit brought in 1877.

The property would transfer hands many times over the following century-plus. Over the years, it would be utilized as “a single family home, an antique store, apartments, and eventually a rooming house.”

The house became quite dilapidated.

Oldham House, ca. 1965
Photo: BGT/KDL

As you can see from the ca. 1965 photo above, the old house was beginning to show signs of her age and lack of maintenance. It was listed on the Blue Grass Trust’s most endangered properties list in 2000. In 2004, the owner sought a permit to raze both the Oldham House and an adjoining structure; the Board of Architectural Review denied the request. The building was one of the most blighted structures on South Limestone; in fact, Hayward Wilkirson was quoted in a 2006 Herald-Leader article as describing South Limestone as a “gap-tooth grin” in the Historic South Hill Neighborhood. Of course, Wilkirson was referring to the Oldham House in the article entitled “Historic home needs loving owner.”

Oldham House, ca. 2007
Photo: Gilpin Masonry

A new owner was found: local builder Coleman Callaway III bought the property in early 2006 for $175,000. At that time, squatters had been the building’s most recent occupants; they had started fires to keep warm. There were holes in the roof and hardwood floors were no longer connected to floor joists or the foundation. As you can see from the photo at right, the condition of the property was nothing less than poor.

In December 2006, the home’s savior entered into a fight with the architecture review board (BOAR) over a sloped-roof addition Coleman had added to the rear of the structure. BOAR found the addition was 4 1/2 feet too wide and the sloped-roof was not in keeping with the architectural style. Seven months later, the planning commission overruled the BOAR.

An op-ed in the Feb. 4, 2007, Herald-Leader summed up the situation quite well in: “Lexington’s desire and ability to connect with the past is fantastic and, in many ways unique among growing, forward thinking cities. But our love for history and tradition should not blind us from the reality of the modern day.”

Additional photos of the deTour of the Oldham House can be viewed on flickr.

Sources: ancestry.com; BGT; LBAR; local.lexpublib.org; Merlene Davis (H-L); Rootsweb