Our History |
Springdale traces its beginnings to a tollgate on a road bisecting a farming community (named Springdale) in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky. More than 125 years ago, worshipers met in the Worthington School House, led by a pastor from Anchorage Presbyterian Church (in neighboring Anchorage, Kentucky). However, many of those headed to church were faced with paying a toll to access the road. After several years, the toll burden was alleviated with the construction of a church building on a donated woodlot, The congregation’s size doubled within three months of its 1882 dedication. The following year, Springdale Presbyterian Church was officially organized by the Louisville (now Mid-Kentucky) Presbytery.
Springdale has a long history of engagement in the community and around the globe. The congregation sent young women missionaries to China and Brazil in the late 1800s and later raised money for a riverboat steamer that provided transportation in Congo. During Louisville's 1937 flood, the congregation offered shelter to those who were displaced from their homes. A long-standing relationship with Grace (now Grace Hope) Presbyterian Church in downtown Louisville began in 1949 and was strengthened 50 years later through a partnership between our two congregations, called Hope Springs Eternal. Springdale continues to reach outward with a commitment to mission giving and by embracing community ministries like Habitat for Humanity. Springdale Preschool has been a vital part what we offer the community for more than 50 years. The youth of our congregation have traveled to and served mission sites in Jamaica, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. The congregation has built relationships with other churches and has had members serve at every level of involvement in Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. . The church building has always been used as a tool for ministry by Springdale Presbyterian Church. The congregation built an education building in 1928 and paid off the debt during the Great Depression by selling chicken dinners. The small sanctuary kept evolving with stained glass windows added in the 1940s. A larger sanctuary and an education building were the result of a six-year construction project which was completed in 1964. In 1978, a group of members went to Kansas and brought back a pipe organ that was installed in the sanctuary choir loft. The congregation continued to grow and to listen to God’s call. IIn 2002, the building was reshaped to improve the flow of people into and out of worship and make our building fully accessibly, by connecting the chapel and sanctuary with a gathering area. Following that work, a significant space was dedicated for youth. In 2015 the congregation invested in a new sound system and replaced the carpet in the sanctuary. In early 2016, the church nursery began a transformation with new carpet and paint. God continues to call Springdale from a rich and thriving past into ministry in the 21st century. We invite you to come with us as we discover what's next! |