741 Jefferson Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL 924 Temporary Resource Number: 157508427001 Construction History: In addition to the construction history discussed in the 2000 inventory, Pastor David Christensen and Sandy Gormley of the Methodist Church provided the following information. The stained glass transom above the main entrance doors was donated in 2001. It was designed by the church youth group and each cross in the pattern was chosen for a specific reason. The glass in the round rose window on the east facade is not original, but the rest of the glass in the original church is original. On the interior, the pews can be rotated and may not be the original pews. The church bell was purchased for $32 in 1937 and is still hand -operated. The interior walls are finished with a non - historic wainscot of vertical composition siding with lightly textured plaster above. The wainscot and plaster were installed in the 1950s. At the same time, the original flat ceiling was removed and replaced with the gambrel -shaped interior plaster ceiling that exists today. The interior doors at the main entrance are original and have the original hardware. Landscape or special setting description: Jefferson Place Subdivision is a historic residential neighborhood adjacent to downtown Louisville. The subdivision is laid out on a standard urban grid of narrow, deep lots with rear alleys. Houses are built to a fairly consistent setback line along the streets with small front lawns, deep rear yards and mature landscaping. Small, carefully maintained single-family residences predominate. Most of the houses are wood framed, one or one and one- half stories in height, featuring white or light-colored horizontal wood or steel siding, gabled or hipped asphalt shingled roofs and front porches. While many of the houses have been modified over the years, most of the historic character -defining features have been preserved. 741 Jefferson Avenue is architecturally distinct and visually prominent as a large, historic church building. Prominently located on a corner lot, it has a large concrete plaza at the corner of Jefferson and Spruce with four steps up to the entrance vestibule. Centered in front of the east facade is a small lawn with shrubs. On the north side of the building along Spruce Street, there are additional trees, two areas of colored stone ground cover, and a concrete plaza with an accessibility ramp outside of the 1941 addition (between the original building and the 2000 addition). The colored stone ground cover continues along the west side of the building, adjacent to the alley. South of the building is a wood deck and a concrete sidewalk. 9. Changes in Condition: None. 10. Changes to Location or Size Information: A 1-1/2-story addition was added on the west in 2000. 11. Changes in Ownership: Same ownership as 2000 inventory form. 12. Other Changes, Additions, or Observations: Further research has yielded more information about the ownership and use of the building. This report is intended to supplement and update the 2000 survey that was conducted with respect to the history of the Methodist Church at 741 Jefferson. This church was the second church building in Louisville and is the oldest church still meeting in its original building. When Jefferson Place developer Charles Welch conveyed this property in 1891 to the "Methodist Episcopal Church" for the construction of a church building, it likely made sense for it to be located on Spruce, which was developing into the major east -west street in downtown Louisville. Maps and firsthand accounts indicate that Spruce was at the time a through street to the west, and Pine was not (whereas today, Pine is a through street, and Spruce is not.) By the early to mid-1900s, Spruce as it passed through the Jefferson Place Addition included the offices of the Louisville Times at 800/804 Spruce (5BL925), a very nearby store at 805 La Farge (5BL7984), the William Austin store at the northeast corner of Spruce and Jefferson, the Methodist Church at 741 Jefferson, and the Louisville grade school. Farther west on Spruce were the brick school house at 801 Grant (5BL7974) and the German Lutheran Church at Spruce and McKinley. 2