Center aisle of Clinton First Christian Church

The historic Clinton First Christian Church was named to the National Register of Historic Places last week.The church is privately owned by Sarah and John Bowman. The congregation disbanded and the church has sat empty, only being used in the past to house two congregations temporarily. Both had been misplaced by fire.

According to Diane Comer, Public Information Officer of the Heritage Council, the church "was nominated under Criterion C, embodying the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, in this case Romanesque Revival. The church is constructed of brick and dates to 1899. According to the authors, "This building is the only instance of Romanesque style recorded in the county... Its masonry material, chunky proportions, and heaviness of detail impart a solidity to the building... [that] offers the local population a design that seemed sophisticated relative to others on the local landscape. For a church group intent on announcing the solidity, wealth and social prestige of their congregation, the Romanesque Revival design provided those messages." The building's significance was evaluated within the historic context "Romanesque Revival Buildings of the Jackson Purchase Region, 1875-1925."

The Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office (KHC) administers the National Register program in Kentucky and provides administrative support to the Kentucky Historic Preservation Review Board, which is charged with evaluating National Register nominations prior to their submission to NPS. The review board is made up of 11 members appointed by the governor and meets twice a year.

Owners of National Register properties may qualify for state and/or federal tax credits for rehabilitation of these properties to standards set forth by the Secretary of the Interior, as certified by the Kentucky Heritage Council, or by making a charitable contribution of a preservation easement. National Register status does not affect property ownership rights, but does provide a measure of protection against adverse impacts from federally funded projects.

In January 2015, Daniel Patterson, an expert in historic architecture submitted an essay on the church. Click on "More" below to see photos and his essay.