St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is one of Henderson’s oldest and most architecturally significant religious landmarks, representing nearly two centuries of faith and community life in the city’s downtown core.
The parish was formally organized in 1831, with early Episcopal services held in public spaces before the congregation completed its first church building in 1838 at Third and Main Streets. Continued growth led to the construction of the present church at the southwest corner of Green and Center Streets, where the new building was erected in 1859-1860 and consecrated on May 31, 1860, by Bishop Benjamin Bosworth Smith, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Kentucky.
The interior retains much of its historic character, including original pews, dark walnut ceiling beams, and a prominent pointed arch framing the chancel. Above the altar is a striking three-part stained-glass window depicting scenes from the life of St. Paul, believed to have been imported from Holland, while other stained glass appears to be of domestic origin.
A parish house was added in 1881 by extending the west transept in the same architectural style, followed by a two-story addition in 1958. Despite these changes, the church remains largely intact and continues to anchor its historic site along Green Street.
In recognition of its architectural and historical importance, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today, it stands as a rare surviving nineteenth-century structure in downtown Henderson and a lasting symbol of the city’s religious and architectural heritage.
