First Presbyterian Church c1934
of J. Winston Coleman, Jr., Transylvania University Special Collections
First Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest congregations
in Lexington. The church was founded in 1784 and was then known
as the Mount Zion Church. It was founded to serve the spiritual
needs of the many Scotch-Irish who had migrated to the frontier
in the soon-to-be state of Kentucky. Previous to the present building,
the congregation shared a church with the Second Presbyterian
Church. The First Presbyterian Church of Lexington was constructed
in 1872 and designed by Kentucky architect Cincinnatus Shryock.
Shryock was a member of the famed family of Kentucky architects
of which one member, Gideon, is responsible for Old
Morrison on the campus of Transylvania University as well
as the Old State Capitol Building in Frankfort.
First Presbyterian Church is executed in a simplified Gothic
style. The building is visually impressive because of its large
tower surmounted by a copper spire and arched stained-glass windows
that highlight the fašade. The interior of the building contains
many natural woods as well as other Gothic architectural elements.
The building is remarkably intact, reflecting both internally
and externally its 19th-century appearance. Despite the growth
of Lexington and the many skyscrapers within the city, the church
still maintains a prominent place in the Lexington skyline. As
the Lexington Observer & Reporter stated on May 8, 1872,
three days after the dedication of the building: "In the erection
of this beautiful ornament to our city, Mr. C. Shryock, the architect,
had made a noble monument to his own skill and good taste."
The First Presbyterian Church Lexington is located at 171
North Mill St. The church is adjacent to Henry
Clay's Law Office and less than a block from the Hunt-Morgan
House. Worship services of the First Presbyterian Church are
held here weekly. For information about worship times please call