Dutch Reformed Church, Religious building in Harrodsburg, United States
The Dutch Reformed Church is a church building in Harrodsburg that was constructed primarily from vertical oak logs with mud and straw panels, measuring approximately 46 by 34 feet. The structure displays the distinctive construction methods used by Dutch settlers in the late eighteenth century.
The church was founded in 1781 when a congregation of approximately fifty members arrived from New Jersey, fleeing attacks by Native Americans in search of a new settlement. This establishment marked an important phase in the early European settlement of the Kentucky region.
The building displays Dutch construction methods using wattle and daub between wooden frames, which reflects the craft traditions the first settlers brought from their homeland. Visitors can see how this technique shaped the physical form of the congregation's gathering place.
The property includes a cemetery with graves of the first minister and soldiers from the American Revolution, providing visitors with historical context for the site. The burial grounds were expanded in 1857 to accommodate additional graves and reflect the growing community.
The building underwent major renovations in 1849 that covered the original wattle and daub walls with weatherboarding and added three new doors along with a single new window. These changes reveal how the structure adapted to meet changing community needs and preferences over time.
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