You are in The Holy Land!
The Presbyterians settled here in 1785 with Terah Templin being the first ordained minister in Kentucky. Located here is the Springfield Presbyterian Church, founded 1788. The early history of the Springfield Presbyterian Church is closely associated with the pioneer missionary work of Rev. Terah Templin. Templin cane to Kentucky before 1791 and obtained 600 acres of land about 5 miles north of Springfield in the area of Lincoln Homestead State Park. He later sold this property to Mordecai Lincoln, President Abraham Lincolns uncle.
The Methodists erected a log meeting house north of Springfield and were connected with Jesse Head who on June 12th, 1806 officiated the wedding of Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln, President Lincolns parents. Baptists settled here in 1796 and worshipped in the Methodist Meeting House.
The Catholics had a significant influence in Kentucky. English-heritage Catholics settled here in 1785. Father Stephen Badin (first Roman Catholic priest ordained in America) and the French bishop Joseph Flaget, developed this area into a headquarters to serve Americas growing Catholic population. Gethsemani Abbey, the Sisters of Loretto, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine were a result of this
this page online
St. Rose Church is located two miles from Springfield. Built in 1809, it is the first foundation of the Dominican Order in America and one of the oldest churches still in use. The first ordination of a priest in Kentucky took place here in 1811 when Bishop Flaget ordained Fr. Gary Chabrat. Edward Dominic Fenwick, first bishop of Cincinnati, was also consecrated here. It was at St. Rose that the first congregation of Dominican Sisters in America was founded.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical date for this entry is June 12, 1806.
Location. 37° 41.089′ N, 85° 13.266′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Kentucky, in Washington County. It is on East Main Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Springfield KY 40069, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s The Knobs. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: In Honor of Louis Sansbury (within shouting distance of this marker); Felix Grundy (1777 - 1840) (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln - Hanks (within shouting distance of this marker); Was President Lincoln Born Out-Of-Wedlock? (within shouting distance of this marker); War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lincoln Legacy
Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 14, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 576 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 14, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 2. submitted on August 17, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 3. submitted on August 14, 2018, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 4, 5. submitted on September 3, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
