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A National Historic Recognition
In late 2025, Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church was added to the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The listing recognizes Historic St. Paul as a site with a verifiable connection to resistance to enslavement through escape and flight.
The National Park Service's Network to Freedom includes historic sites, programs, and research facilities with verifiable connections to the Underground Railroad. Historic St. Paul's designation honors the congregation's place within the broader history of faith, resistance, self-determination, and the pursuit of freedom.
On February 19, 2026, the Kentucky Senate adopted Senate Resolution 101, recognizing February 21, 2026, as Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Day in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Historic St. Paul holds an extraordinary place in Kentucky and American history:
Historical interpretation: The Network to Freedom designation confirms the site's verifiable connection to Underground Railroad history. Statements specifically attributed to church oral tradition are identified as such so that documented evidence, surviving architecture, historical interpretation, and inherited community memory remain clear.
This illustrated research exhibit expands the history presented above while carefully distinguishing documented records, surviving physical features, church oral tradition, and historical interpretation.
Photographs document the concealed upper room, narrow interior stairs, brick-lined pathways above the sanctuary, a doorway below the hidden area, and access toward the bell tower. The precise original purpose and construction date of every feature cannot be established from appearance alone; church oral tradition associates these spaces with refuge and concealment.
The exhibit places Historic St. Paul within a wider African Methodist network while preserving the distinction between local independence and denominational affiliation. The congregation governed its own property and local affairs until formally affiliating with the A.M.E. Church in 1865.
The final page traces overlapping Black Methodist, abolitionist, family, workplace, and community networks involving Gilson Berry, Rev. John Mifflin Brown, Calvin Fairbank, Delia Webster, the Hayden family, Henry Britton, and Lewis Garrard Clarke without claiming undocumented meetings or direct collaboration.
Evidence key used in the exhibit:
Preservation requires more than honoring the past; it requires investing in its future. Every contribution helps Historic St. Paul address critical repairs, protect historic architectural features, maintain a safe and welcoming place of worship, and preserve an important part of Lexington's history.
Gifts support the continued preservation, maintenance, restoration, and rehabilitation of the 1826 sanctuary and the church's historic campus.
“Since the birth of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 18th-century Philadelphia, we have been tasked with housing the homeless, educating those who desired to read and write, feeding those who could not feed themselves, and most importantly, introducing them to a God who liberates the captive and frees the prisoner. Historic St. Paul took up that mantle, and for decades in antebellum Lexington, our congregation cared for those who were yearning for liberation from enslavement. Within our sacred space, many enslaved men and women found a safe haven on their journey north to freedom. This acknowledgment is a signal moment in our history which we do not take lightly because it was not only the just thing to do, not only the honorable thing to do, it was the righteous thing to do. It was, and is, our sacred duty to care for those seeking justice and freedom, and we will not stop until all people see justice and are free.”
— Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry, Pastor
Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church
Learn more about Historic St. Paul's full history, schedule a heritage tour, share this story, and support the continuing preservation of the 1826 sanctuary.
| Year | Pastor | Year | Pastor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | William Smith | 1896 | J. T. Morrow |
| Mrs. Smith | 1900 | A. J. Chambers | |
| James Turner (1815–1885) | 1902 | A. H. Ross | |
| 1827 | Daniel Francis | 1903 | J. H. Byrd |
| Henry Lytle | 1904 | C. C. Townsend | |
| Christopher Brand | 1909 | E. A. Clarke | |
| Elias Wren | 1912 | J. C. Anderson | |
| 1838 (City Directory) | Isaiah Whitaker | 1913–1919 | Otho Eli Jones |
| Liberty Ross | 1919 | David Johnson | |
| Andrew Bryant | 1922 | A. T. Clark | |
| Moses Pittman | 1924 | J. O. Johnson | |
| Hueson Talbot | 1926 | Frank Madison Reid | |
| Samuel Keys | 1932 | Dr. Frederick Douglass Coleman, Sr. | |
| Nelson Saunders | 1935 | George A. Singleton (6 months) | |
| 1865 | David Smith | 1936 | Thomas M. Greene (13th) |
| 1865 | Rev. C. T. Shaffer, M.D., D.D. (later Bishop) | 1938 | H. M. McLinn |
| 1866–1869 | Grafton H. Graham | 1939 | Harrison J. Bryant |
| 1869–1871 | Levi Evans | 1942 | C. S. Spivey |
| 1871 | G. B. Stanberry | 1942–1944 | William H. White |
| 1872 | J. W. Gazzaway | 1950–1952 | Henry M. Green |
| 1876 | John W. Asbury | 1952–1956 | Joseph Reid |
| 1879 | J. W. Gazzaway | 1956–1968 | C. T. Buchanan |
| 1880 | L. F. Lindsey | 1968–1974 | R. L. Parker Sr. |
| 1881 | R. G. Whitman | 1974–1980 | H. L. Parks |
| 1883 | Levi Hamilton | 1980–1989 | Fredrick D. Smith |
| 1884 | J. L. Grisby | 1989–1994 | Robert E. Keesee |
| 1885 | John M. Abby | 1994–1997 | James Stowe |
| 1887 | James M. Turner (9–7–1911) | 1997–1999 | George Moore |
| 1889 | Enoch Johnson | 1999–2006 | Kenneth E. Paris |
| 1890 | Jesse Smith | 2006–2007 | Kenneth E. Golpin |
| 1891 | P. A. Mattews | 2007–2014 | Troy Thomas |
| 1892 | John W. Pickett | 2014–2018 | William R. T. Hale |
| 1893 | A. J. Chambers | 2018–2023 | Dr. Robert A. Strode |
| 2023–2025 | Dr. Stephanie M. Raglin | ||
| 2025 | Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry (Current Pastor) |
Established 1820 • Historic 1826 Sanctuary • Lexington, Kentucky
Historic St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church traces its origins to 1820, when free and enslaved Black Methodists separated from the Lexington Society of Methodists and formed their own congregation. The congregation later known as Hill Street Methodist Church developed from that same early Methodist society. The available evidence therefore supports a shared early Methodist connection, but it does not establish that Historic St. Paul was founded as a mission of Hill Street Methodist Church.
The congregation initially worshiped in a rented brick stable on North Upper Street. In 1826, it constructed a permanent brick sanctuary on the site. In May 1827, the trustees purchased the property for $280. Historic St. Paul remains an active congregation and one of Kentucky's oldest surviving Black houses of worship.
In 1820, free and enslaved Black Methodists formed an independent congregation after separating from the Lexington Society of Methodists. This wording replaces an older oral account that described Historic St. Paul as a mission of Hill Street Methodist Church. The evidence reviewed to date does not support that mission relationship.
The congregation first worshiped in a brick stable on property owned by Charles Wilkins. Wilkins should be identified as the property owner from whom the congregation rented and later purchased its site—not as the congregation's founder or protector. An 1827 notice concerning his estate also advertised the sale of ten enslaved people, a fact that places his relationship with the congregation within the broader history of slavery in early nineteenth-century Kentucky.
In 1826, the congregation constructed a permanent brick sanctuary. In May 1827, it purchased the original 33-by-95-foot lot for $280. The deed named trustees Daniel Francis, John Skinker, Benjamin Tibbs, William Dolan, and Peter Lewis.
The 1838–1839 Lexington city directory described the city's Black churches, including St. Paul, as “handsome brick buildings, in which comfort and elegance alike predominate.” In 1850, the congregation purchased an adjoining 7-by-95-foot lot for $1. Trustees associated with that acquisition included Charles Buckner, James Turner, Robert Dolan, Liberty Ross, and Moses Spencer.
On July 8, 1862, the church acquired an adjacent parcel that included part of Lexington's city stray pen for $400. In 1863, it resold 80 feet of that property for $242. Church oral tradition associates the animals once confined near the site with efforts to disguise the scent of freedom seekers. That interpretation should continue to be identified as oral tradition rather than as the documented purpose of the property purchase.
The exact construction dates of the concealed upper room, the stairway behind the pulpit, and the interior pathways above the sanctuary remain under study. The features themselves survive and are central to the congregation's oral history of sheltering freedom seekers.
Historic St. Paul operated as an independent Methodist congregation until September 1865, when, under the leadership of Rev. David Smith, it formally affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The National Park Service has officially designated Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church as a site in the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The designation recognizes the church's documented association with Lewis Garrard Clarke and its broader freedom history.
Lewis Hayden and his family escaped enslavement in Lexington in 1844 with assistance from Delia Webster and Calvin Fairbank. Henry Britton, a St. Paul trustee and member, worked as a barber at the Phoenix Hotel while Hayden was hired there. This documented proximity is historically significant; however, a direct claim that Britton arranged Hayden's escape should be presented as an inference unless additional documentary evidence is located.
Historic St. Paul became an important gathering place for Black education, civil rights advocacy, mutual aid, and community organization in Lexington and across Kentucky.
These documented events demonstrate that St. Paul was not only a place of worship, but also a meeting place where Black Kentuckians organized for education, political participation, community care, and equal treatment under law.
Historic St. Paul's pastoral history spans its independent Methodist period and its formal affiliation with the A.M.E. Church beginning in 1865. Trustees, lay leaders, and pastors should be identified according to the office documented for each person; early trustees should not automatically be described as pastors.
The current pastor is Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry. The church maintains a separate pastoral leadership page so that names, titles, and dates can be updated without revising this history article.
The congregation was established in 1820, while the surviving historic sanctuary dates to 1826. Keeping both dates visible accurately distinguishes the founding of the congregation from the construction of the building.
Preservation requires more than honoring the past—it requires investing in its future. Every contribution helps Historic St. Paul address critical repairs, protect historic features, maintain a safe and welcoming place of worship, and preserve an important part of Lexington's history.
Recent preservation work has focused on stabilizing the 1826 sanctuary and protecting it from continued deterioration. Major completed phases include roof work, exterior masonry and façade repairs, bell-tower work, and foundation stabilization.
Preservation partners have included the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund through the Preserving Black Churches program, the Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky, and other state and local preservation partners.
The preservation team has included Barr Construction, Jordan Yeiser Engineering, and Gibson Taylor Thompson Architecture. A comprehensive three-dimensional laser scan and digital model prepared by Ayoroa Simmons support future restoration, interpretation, and accessibility planning.
Current priorities include completion of the historic stairway enclosure and protective covering, replacement of the sanctuary heating and cooling system, and repair and finishing of sanctuary plaster walls and ceilings. These remaining projects are necessary to protect the building, support continued worship, and complete the current rehabilitation phase.
Historic preservation is not separate from the church's ministry. It sustains a living place of worship, protects the physical evidence of Black history, supports education and heritage tourism, and creates safe space for community service.
Monetary support is essential because historic buildings require specialized materials, skilled preservation contractors, ongoing maintenance, building-system upgrades, and rapid response when new problems are discovered.
Together, we can protect the 1826 sanctuary, sustain the congregation's present ministry, and preserve a nationally recognized story of faith and freedom.
Visit Historic St. Paul's official channels for worship services, historic reflections, preservation updates, and community programs.
Prepared from the Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church Research Archives. Research coordination: Priscilla Sullivan. This public history is updated as deeds, newspapers, directories, church records, architectural evidence, and official historic-designation records are reviewed.
The article follows four standards: documented facts are stated directly; oral traditions are labeled as oral traditions; reasonable interpretations are identified as interpretations; and claims that remain unconfirmed are omitted or qualified.
Selected public references:
Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church • Lexington, Kentucky
Giving Tuesday marked the beginning of our ongoing effort to preserve Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church's original 1826 sanctuary and the historic spaces associated with its nationally recognized Underground Railroad history.
Preservation requires more than honoring the past—it requires investing in its future. Your support helps protect this sacred place of faith, refuge, resilience, worship, education, and community service.
Secure online giving: One-time gifts are processed through Clover's secure checkout. Monthly pledges help provide dependable support for continuing preservation obligations.
We gratefully recognize the partners and supporters who have invested in safeguarding Historic St. Paul and its nationally significant historic sanctuary.
These gifts, together with contributions from members, friends, partners, and other supporters, have helped make important preservation accomplishments possible.
The following preservation priorities have been identified to help complete this phase of rehabilitation, protect the historic sanctuary, and support its continued use for worship and public history.
Provides reliable climate control while helping protect the sanctuary, organ, furnishings, and historic interior.
Repairs deterioration and restores sanctuary walls and ceilings following stabilization work.
Protects the historic stairway and associated spaces while improving safety and supporting long-term preservation.
Supports assessment, repair, stabilization, and conservation of the sanctuary's historic stained-glass windows to address deterioration and help preserve these significant features for future generations.
Preservation priorities and project scopes may be updated as professional assessments, restoration planning, and preservation needs continue to evolve.
Every contribution—large or small—helps Historic St. Paul:
Make a one-time gift or establish a pledge commitment for continuing support.
Your secure online gift supports the preservation of the 1826 sanctuary and continuing preservation work.
Examples of Giving Levels
Other Ways to Give
Cash App: $SPAMELex
Text-to-Give: (859) 209-6003
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Mail:
Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church,
251 N. Upper Street,
Lexington, KY 40507
Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church is honored to steward a historic African American congregation, its 1826 sanctuary, and a site recognized for its connection to the Underground Railroad.
Please enter the pledge amount and payment frequency you are committing to in support of the Building Preservation Fund.
After submitting your pledge, you will receive information on how to manage and schedule your payments, including selecting your start date and payment method.
Monthly giving is encouraged because dependable recurring support helps the church plan for continuing preservation, maintenance, and restoration obligations.
Together, we can protect the 1826 sanctuary, sustain its continuing ministry, and preserve a nationally recognized story of faith and freedom for generations to come.
