741 Jefferson Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL 924 Temporary Resource Number: 157508427001 The earliest available photo of the church shows a central entrance on the east and a bell tower, although records indicate that there may not have ever been a bell installed in that particular tower. The photo would likely have been taken between 1892 and 1910 (when some modifications were made). In these earliest years, the pews faced south and the pulpit was in the south alcove. The Methodist Church had a strong affiliation with the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. The Iliff School provided student pastors for the church. According to local historian Carolyn Conarroe, writing in 1991, "[o]f the total 60 ministers who have served Louisville Methodist Church, 57 are thought to have been students." It was true for at least some of these student pastors that they would come up from Denver and stay over the weekend in a small room in the building. One of these student ministers was Ralph Mulhollen, who was assigned by the Iliff School of Theology to be the pastor for the Louisville Methodist Church from 1923 to 1925. It was likely during this time frame that he made a map of the Louisville parish that shows the location of not only streets but also houses and businesses at the time. His name appears on the map. This map was found in a home at 700 Lincoln that until recently was still owned by the Thomas family and was donated to the Louisville Historical Museum. Mary Thomas, the home's former resident, was among the founders of the church, according to a Thomas family history. She and her husband, Nicholas Thomas, were also associated with 733 Pine (5BL853) in Jefferson Place. The date of construction of the church has been well established as having been 1892, but it should be noted that the church building does appear in the correct location on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville and on the Methodist Church Map of Louisville that was made in circa 1923-25. The property in question is outside of the boundaries of the Sanborn Maps that were done for Louisville in 1893, 1900, and 1908 (they focused on the downtown business district and La Farge Avenue only). The Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Church was a very active group of women who are credited with starting Louisville's Labor Day Fall Festival that is to this day a crowd -drawing annual event that has played a large role in Louisville's reputation as a festival town. It quickly grew out of an annual church bazaar that was started in 1932. The Ladies Aid Society had almost identical members as the Pioneer Club and the Saturday Study Club, which operated the Louisville Public Library for decades. The following photo, dated 1925, shows the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Church: The woman seated on the farthest right was Jane Carlton, the daughter-in-law of Tom and Jane Carlton. She was the widow of their son, David Carlton, and was very active in the Ladies Aid Society and in the Methodist Church. As noted by local historian Carolyn Conarroe, in her booklet "A Cloud of Witnesses" written for the centennial anniversary of the Methodist Church in 1991,"Some men of the church were merchants who put in long hours at their businesses. Many men were coal miners in the early years before the mines closed in the 1940's. Their workloads were so heavy, the hours so long, there were no hours left for church work. And the women took over." 5