
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.