"Restore, Renew, Rediscover Your Historic Neighborhood Schools!"

3rd Annual Preservation Week 2002 Photo-Essay Competition

The Free-Town Church is located just below the Gamaliel Park, going into Gamaliel. The church was built in the year of 1846 by the freed slaves of William Howard. Howard gave the slaves four hundred acres of land on which to build their homes. Some of this land may have spread to where present day Gamaliel park is located, and some parts of Gamaliel. Along with this church and the homes, this has since been known as Free-Town. Albert Martin gave them the land on which to build the church.

Along with the church is a graveyard of the many slaves that attended the church and some family members of these slaves. The oldest tom stones are unknown for they are only field stone and are not marked with any information. These are the stones for the slaves. Many of these stones have been taken up or buried under dirt and grass. Some of the stones have been weathered away by rain or by wind, making the names and dates illegable. The latest grave in the graveyard is that of a thirty-six year old man who was buried in the year of 2000. The latest grave that can be identified dates back to 1885, over one hundred years ago. There are also graves of several War Veterans here in this graveyard.

There have been no replacemnets of original building material of this church, except for a metal roof that replaced the wooden one. The logs are held together with wooden pegs and are chinked with clay. Some of the clay between the logs has also been replaced. There may have been some other replacements since 1970. The sign on the front of the church was put up in the year of 1970 by the county.

In an interview with the caretaker of this church, he mentioned that his grandparents were part of the many slaves that were freed by Howard. After being freed, they stayed on the land known as Free-Town. He says he gets enjoyment out of taking care of the land, knowing that his grandparents were once a part of the community and took part in the building of the church.

This building has been standing strong and proud for a long period of time, one hundred and fifiy five years to be exact, and there is no reason that it should not be able to stand for another one hundred and fifty five years. The existence of this church is very important to the families of the people who attended this church and the families of those who are buried in the cemetary. The destruction of this landmark would also be the destruction of many people's hearts, for they may have never known their family members buried here. This church and graveyard should be preserved as a Monroe County landmark, not only because it is old, but because it is a part of our history.

This essay and photograph(s) are the property of Preservation Kentucky, Inc. and Kentucky Heritage Council and that any use of the photo or essay must be approved by PK and KHC.