Cane Ridge Meeting House, Little Rock Road, Paris

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS KY,9-CANRI,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

About eight miles from Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky, on Little Rock Road. Owner or custodian: Mr. Samuel Clay Address: Paris, Kentucky Date built: (approx) Archi tec t Robt. w. Finley and his followers from or builder: North Carolina. Present condition: Good. Has been well oared for. Number of stories: One story and balcony. Material used Foundation: Native stone. in construction: Exterior walls: Ash logs chinked with cement. Rail of balcony: Cherry. Floor: Oak boards. Roof: Hand split shakes of oak, four feet long. Description: The following is from records on file at architectural the University of Kentucky, Department of and historical University Extension, Lexington, Kentucky. "The Cane Ridge Meeting House was built in by Robert w.

Finley and his followers from North Carolina and was first used as a Presbyterian Church. Five years later, Barton W. Stone, a native of Maryland and a Presbyterian minister, assumed the pastorate of the church, and in following the break with the Presbyterians, he and his fol- lowers formed an independent organization and adopted the name of Christian Church. HA6:; KY . q - (ANR1 I 2 "When Alexander Campbell came into Kentucky a few years later, organizing churches known as Disciples of Christ, Stone and a number of his followers joined with Campbell, and formed an independent organization, retaining the name of Christian Church, which was united a few months ago with the Congregational Church.

"The old Cane Ridge Meeting House was built of logs, but in the building was weatherboarded, and the inside of the walls and ceiling were lathed and plastered. In the present reconstruction, the weatherboarding, laths, and plaster have been removed, leaving the log walls and beamed ceiling as they were originally. The logs have been rechinked and treated with a process to aid in their preservation. the original structure, there was not a log in the side wall exceeding twenty feet in length. This was made practical by using shorter logs, attached to the main logs, and forming an off-set, or alcove, in each side wall. These alcoves, covered during recent years by weatherboarding, are now revealed.

"In the building was remodeled again, the east door being closed and the old pulpit transferred from its original position on the north side to the east end of the building. The pulpit now has been restored to its first loca- tion in the alcove in the north wall, and the east door opened. "In the original structure there was a massive bal- cony, which seated approximately one-half ell' the number of persons seated in the main body of the church. The only en- trance to the balcony was by means of a ladder placed on the outside of the church. 11 In the remodeling in the balcony was torn down and the r:mterial used in the erection of a stock barn on a neighboring farm.

It is planned now to use the old material, which is said to be in good condition, for the reconstruction of a balcony,as similar as possible to the origl,nal. 11 The material in the old building is said to be in excellent condition and with some repairs, which have been made, it is expected that the original structure will last for many years. A new foundation has been built of concrete below the ground level and rock above. It is planned that in the nea; future the old structure will be given further protection by enclosing it in another building, where it will be preserved for ~uture generations. The old church has interested comparatively few persons during recent years, presenting as it has, the appearance of an ordinary frame building.

It is expected, however, that with its restoration HABS 3 KY, ~ CANR ' I in keeping with its original form, it will become one of the most outstanding historic spots in the country". ADDENDUM TO: HABS No.

Cane Ridge Meeting House

Little Rock Road HM~ Paris vicinity Bourbon County Kentucky Kl C1 - CAfJ~\, \ - PHOroGRAPHS HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior St. NW Washinglon, DC