In 1820, a community of free and enslaved people of African, Indigenous, Spanish, and mixed ancestry chose self-determination by separating from Hill Street Methodist Church to form their own congregation. They first worshiped in a rented brick horse stable belonging to Charles Wilkins, a banker, saltpeter manufacturer, and trustee of Transylvania University.

In 1826, the congregation constructed a permanent brick sanctuary on the same site. The existing cornerstone confirms this construction date. In May 1827, the church purchased the property for $280. The original lot measured 33 by 95 feet and was conveyed to trustees Daniel Francis, John Skinker, Benjamin Tibbs, William Dolan, and Peter Lewis.

By 1830, most of the original stable had been removed, though portions of its foundation remain intact in the basement directly beneath the sanctuary. The 1838–1839 Lexington City Directory described the city’s African American churches, including St. Paul, as “handsome brick buildings, in which comfort and elegance alike predominate.”

On March 15, 1850, the congregation purchased an adjoining 7-by-95-foot lot for $1. Trustees involved in this acquisition included Charles Buckner, James Turner, Robert Dolan, Liberty Ross, and Moses Spencer. Sometime between 1830 and 1850, the church added the concealed area now associated with the 20-foot stained-glass windows, expanding both the worship space and the hidden architecture that would later be associated with Underground Railroad activity.

On July 8, 1862, the church acquired an adjacent parcel that included a portion of the city’s stray pen—a site once used to confine stray dogs and livestock—for $400. In 1863, 80 feet of that lot was resold for $242. Oral history connects the former stray pen with efforts to mask the scent of freedom seekers as they moved toward safety, using the smells of confined animals to confuse those who might pursue them.

Today, the church owns not only its historic sanctuary but also the surrounding properties, extending from Byway Alley and West Third Street to the building at 251 North Upper Street. This complex reflects two centuries of faith-driven land acquisition, stewardship, and community presence.

Although the congregation was aligned in faith and practice with the African Methodist Episcopal Church from its earliest years, it operated independently until the end of the Civil War. In September 1865, under the leadership of Rev. David Smith, the congregation formally affiliated with the A.M.E. Church. Historical accounts describe a contentious meeting during which Rev. Smith persuaded the congregation to join the A.M.E. Church, despite attempts by Bishop William Henry Miles to incorporate them into the newly forming Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. Until that moment, St. Paul functioned as an autonomous Methodist body, closely connected to Black Methodist networks but intentionally independent in governance.

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Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church is closely associated with the Underground Railroad and the struggle for freedom. Its architecture, membership, and location in Lexington’s Northside placed it at the heart of a network of Black leaders and abolitionist allies.

• The church possesses a hidden room located above the sanctuary near the tall stained-glass windows. Oral history connects this space with the sheltering of freedom seekers, offering a concealed vantage point within the worship space itself.
• The church’s acquisition of land that included a portion of Lexington’s stray pen provided a strategic landscape. According to tradition, the smells of confined animals helped mask the scent of people in flight, making it harder for enslavers and their agents to track them.
• In 1844, freedom-seeker Lewis Hayden and his family escaped enslavement in Lexington with the assistance of white abolitionists Delia Webster and Calvin Fairbanks. Fairbanks came to Lexington at the request of Rev. John Mifflin Brown, a prominent Black minister who would later become a bishop in the A.M.E. Church. Although Fairbanks originally intended to rescue the family of Gilson Berry, circumstances led him instead to Hayden.
• At the time, Hayden was leased out by his enslaver to work at the Phoenix Hotel. Henry Britton, a trustee and member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, was a carpenter and barber who operated a barbershop in the hotel’s basement. He likely helped connect Hayden to Fairbanks, making St. Paul’s membership a quiet but critical link in Hayden’s escape.
• In 1842, Lewis Garrard Clarke, who had previously escaped slavery in Madison County, Kentucky, returned to Lexington to rescue his younger brother, Cyrus Clarke. After a successful escape, the brothers traveled north to Oberlin, Ohio. Lewis Garrard Clarke later became an influential abolitionist author and lecturer, and the model for the character George Harris in Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
• Following the death of his wife, Clarke returned to Lexington in January 1897 and passed away later that year. His funeral was held at Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church on December 19, 1897. Before the service, his body lay in state at the Lexington City Auditorium, most likely the Lexington Opera House, by order of Governor William O’Connell Bradley. It was the first time in Kentucky’s history that a Black man was honored with such a public tribute.

Preserving this building protects one of Kentucky’s earliest documented freedom stories and honors the courage of those who risked everything in pursuit of liberty.

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Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, St. Paul A.M.E. Church emerged as a powerful hub for education, civil rights advocacy, and community organizing. Its ministries extended far beyond Sunday worship, shaping schools, institutions, and public policy in Lexington and across Kentucky.

Historic St. Paul was the site of several landmark state conventions during and after Reconstruction, affirming its position as a central meeting place for African American advocacy:

• In 1866, the church hosted the founding of the Kentucky State Benevolent Association (KSBA), one of the earliest statewide organizations established by African Americans to advocate for civil rights, voting access, education, and economic self-determination.
• In 1867, the State Convention of Colored Men convened at St. Paul, bringing together delegates from across Kentucky to organize around issues critical to the social and political advancement of formerly enslaved people and free Black people.
• In 1885, the church once again stood at the forefront of Black civic leadership by hosting the Colored State Convention during a period of growing political disenfranchisement, racial violence, and systemic segregation. Delegates strategized on how to resist these injustices and continue the pursuit of full citizenship and equality.

• The church remained a meeting ground for members working to establish educational opportunities for African Americans. It played a foundational role in the creation of Kentucky State University, where John Jackson, the university’s first president, was a member of St. Paul. The church was also instrumental in establishing the Orphan Home on Georgetown Street (later known as the Lexington Colored Orphan Industrial Home), providing care and shelter for vulnerable children.

Into the late 20th century, St. Paul continued its leadership in education and social justice:

• In 1993, Rev. Robert E. Keesee, then serving as pastor of Historic St. Paul and president of the Tri-Methodist Fellowship (1989–1994), played a pivotal role in addressing long-standing inequities in Lexington’s public school system and their disproportionate impact on African American students. His work reflected both pastoral care and a deep commitment to ecumenical collaboration and educational justice.
• These efforts contributed to greater diversity and representation on the Fayette County Board of Education, culminating in the election of Jerry K. Devine, a member of St. Paul’s Steward Board, to serve as a school board member.
• During the pastorate of Rev. James Stowe, the church remained deeply engaged in matters of public concern. In the aftermath of the Tony Sullivan shooting, Rev. Stowe took a role in calming tensions and addressing unrest among the city’s youth, reaffirming Historic St. Paul’s role as a moral voice and stabilizing presence during times of crisis.

Through these and many other efforts, Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church has remained a catalyst for education, advocacy, and community uplift for more than two centuries.

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Over two centuries, Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church has been served by a long line of pastors who guided the congregation through slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights era, school desegregation struggles, and into the present. Early leaders included Daniel Francis, James Turner, Liberty Ross, Moses Pittman, and others recorded in church and city records, followed by dozens of appointed A.M.E. pastors in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Significant 20th-century renovations and financial milestones reflected both pastoral vision and congregational sacrifice. In 1906, under Rev. C.C. Townsend, major renovations were completed at a cost of $13,000. The parsonage was remodeled in 1919 for $2,600 and paid off within four months. In 1920, under Rev. David Johnson, the church celebrated the retirement of its remaining $4,400 mortgage debt.

Recent pastoral leaders include:

• Rev. Robert E. Keesee (pastor during pivotal work on educational equity and Tri-Methodist Fellowship leadership)
• Rev. James Stowe (pastor during critical moments of community unrest, including the response to the Tony Sullivan shooting)
• Rev. Kenneth E. Paris (1999–2006)
• Dr. Robert A. Strode (2018–2023)
• Rev. Dr. Stephanie M. Raglin (2023–2025)
• Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry (Current)

Each pastor has added a chapter to the story of St. Paul, helping the church remain a moral and spiritual anchor for the Northside neighborhood and the wider Lexington community.

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St. Paul A.M.E. Church is more than a local landmark. It is a statewide and national resource:

• It is a rare surviving example of early 19th-century church architecture in Kentucky and an original E1820 sanctuary with continuous Black ownership and worship.
• It anchors the Northside Residential Historic District, contributing to the historic character and economic vitality of the neighborhood.
• It preserves stories of faith, resilience, education, and freedom that shaped Lexington and the Commonwealth as a whole, including documented connections to the Underground Railroad and landmark civil rights conventions.
• It has the potential to serve as a heritage tourism destination, an educational resource for schools, and a cultural anchor for visitors from across the country.

For over 200 years, people from all backgrounds have walked through St. Paul’s doors for worship, mutual aid, advocacy, and healing. Protecting this building honors those generations and the ones still to come.

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Across its history, Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church has invested in preserving its buildings and grounds. Early 20th-century improvements included a major renovation in 1906 under Rev. C.C. Townsend at a cost of $13,000, a parsonage remodel in 1919 for $2,600 (paid off within four months), and the retirement of a remaining $4,400 mortgage in 1920 under Rev. David Johnson.

In recent years, the church has launched a new phase of preservation to stabilize and safeguard the sanctuary for future generations. With support from national and state partners—including the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Black Church Preservation Fund, the Linda & Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky, and the Kentucky African American Heritage Commission—the church has been able to complete critical work such as:

• Foundation and wall stabilization to secure the structure.
• Reinforcement of the hidden room associated with the Underground Railroad legacy.
• Roof replacement and repair.
• Brick tuckpointing and exterior masonry restoration.
• Front façade painting and architectural repairs.

These recent preservation projects were made possible through the skilled work and partnership of our dedicated preservation team, including Barr Construction (general contractor), Jordan Yeiser Engineering (structural engineering), and Gibson Taylor Thompson Architecture (historic architecture). Their expertise has played a vital role in stabilizing and protecting our 1826 sanctuary for future generations.

We also acknowledge Ayoroa Simmons, whose comprehensive 3D laser scan and digital model now provide an essential foundation for all future restoration and accessibility planning.

These projects are laying the groundwork for future phases of preservation, accessibility improvements, Legacy Kitchen and fellowship hall upgrades, and expanded community programming that will fully use the church’s historic campus.

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Our preservation work is not separate from our ministry—it is part of our ministry.

By investing in this building and campus, we are:

• Honoring the faith of those who built and sustained St. Paul since 1820.
• Creating a safe, welcoming space for worship, education, and community services today.
• Ensuring that the stories of freedom seekers, educators, pastors, and lay leaders are available to future generations of Kentuckians and visitors from around the world.

Today, Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church stands as a living monument to faith, freedom, and community progress. From the era of slavery through Reconstruction and into the present day, it continues to uphold a legacy of over 200 years of African American leadership, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice in Kentucky.

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You can support the ongoing preservation of Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church by:

• Making a donation toward preservation and restoration efforts.
• Sharing our story with friends, family, and organizations interested in history, education, and social justice.
• Visiting our church, attending events, and engaging with our heritage and educational programs as they grow.

Together, we can safeguard our history and our future—preserving an original Underground Railroad landmark and a living story of faith and freedom in Kentucky.

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