History
Bardstown Baptist Church was founded on September 30th, 1815, when a group met to organize a Baptist church for the settlement of Salem. The original members were from Cedar Creek, Cox’s Creek, and Mill Creek Baptist Churches. These were among the earliest churches in Kentucky.

 

Bardstown Baptist Church was originally called Salem Baptist Church, and their first building was built at 211 North Third Street. The first congregation worshiped there till 1891, when the church building caught fire. The property on the corner of North Third and Brashear Street was conveyed to the church by Mr. J.P. Jones and his wife March 29th, 1891. This is the current location of Bardstown Baptist Church. The Gothic Design stone structure was designed by local architect, Baker Smith, and was completed in 1893. The limestone that was used for the building was quarried at Clermont and brought to the building site on temporary railroad tracks running down North Third Street. Tracks were laid from nearby Bardstown Depot and cars filled with stone were wheeled to site using mules. The church was the last large stone building erected in Nelson County.

The architectural features of the church are unique for the late 1800’s. Following the Gothic Style, there are large pointed arches in the walls, doors and stained glass windows. These arches are supported by flying buttresses. The top of the church contains a belfry with the traditional four spires of varying heights.

The main sanctuary is circular with stone walls supporting the graceful vaulted ceiling. Suspended from the center of the ceiling is the largest chandelier in Bardstown. This chandelier was imported from Germany. The large stained glass windows highlight much of the outside three walls. A new pipe organ was installed in the sanctuary in the late 1960’s.
 
Bedford stone education annexes were built in 1939 and 1952 to provide space for Sunday School Classes.  The family life center was built and dedicated in 2000.