The South Main and South Elm Streets Historic District in

Henderson, Kentucky Henderson is a home rule-class city along the Ohio River and is the county seat of Henderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,757 at the 2010 U.S. census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area, locally known as t ...

is a historic district which was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1992. It includes all or part of 13 blocks roughly bounded by Washington, Center, S. Green, Jefferson, S. Main and Water Streets, including 125 contributing buildings, four contributing structures, and a

contributing site In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, on about . Architects

Shopbell & Harris Shopbell & Company was an American architectural firm located in Evansville, Indiana, in the United States. History The firm was founded as Harris & Shopbell in 1897 and still had that name in 1905. The firm later became Clifford Shopbell & Co. ...

and

Benjamin Bosworth Smith Benjamin Bosworth Smith (June 13, 1794 – May 31, 1884) was an American Protestant Episcopal bishop, and the Presiding Bishop of his Church beginning in 1868. Early life Smith was born at Bristol, R. I., and lost his father when he was 5 years ...

designed works in the district. It includes 125 contributing buildings, four contributing structures, and a

, on . With It includes: * Barret House, separately NRHP-listed in 1977 * St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1859), separately NRHP-listed in 1978, "the oldest Henderson church remaining in use by original denomination", which is in a "picturesque Gothic Revival style of stuccoed brick in a cruciform plan; all bays defined by simple stepped buttresses with stone caps and pointed arched windows with stone hood molds; gabled main facade has large pointed arch window topped by second, much larger stone hood mold in low relief and ornamental bracing with a pierced trefoil pattern; 3-stage square tower on northwest corner has Tudor-arched sain entrance, belfry with louvered lancet windows and tall 8-sided spire; 7-bay deep sanctuary has 3 aisles, original pews, exposed walnut beans and large pointed arch framing the chancel; geometrical tripartite window behind altar depicts scenes from life of St. Paul, said to be imported from Holland; parish house added 1881 by extending west transept 5 bays in same style as original; stucco added at unknown date; 2-story wing added to south side of parish house 1958; parish formed 1831 and built first church 1837 at corner Rain and Third; this second building designed by Bishop

, who visited England and is credited with designs of several mid-19th c. Episcopal churches in central KY inspired by a church in

Stoke Poges Stoke Poges () is a village and civil parish in south-east Buckinghamshire, England. It is centred north-north-east of Slough, its post town, and southeast of Farnham Common. Etymology In the name Stoke Poges, ''stoke'' means " stockaded (pl ...

, England; built by William Temperly of Maidson, IN. (NR nomination, OHH)" Also contributing is its "wrought iron fence with panelled posts and lancet pickets." *

Henderson County Public Library The South Main and South Elm Streets Historic District in Henderson, Kentucky is a historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. It includes all or part of 13 blocks roughly bounded by Washington, Center ...

(1904), S. Main St.; designed "by prolific library architects

of Evansville, Indiana, the stone structure features a tall primary level on a full raised basement, an Ionic

tetrastyle A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

temple front at the entrance pavilion, tall windows with pedimented hoods, and a low dome on an octagonal drum." The library received funding from

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

as part of the philanthropist's Carnegie library program, but had issues finding a suitable lot in the town. The library was opened to the public on August 1, 1904. The Library underwent renovations in 2020, with a major expansion to the existing building.

References

National Register of Historic Places in Henderson County, Kentucky Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky Henderson, Kentucky {{HendersonCountyKY-NRHP-stub

See also

References