Kentucky Historical Society
KHS to Dedicate Historical Marker Honoring Hopeful Lutheran Church

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 11, 2012) — The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will dedicate a historical marker to honor Hopeful Lutheran Church, at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 24, at 6430 Hopeful Church Road in Florence.

Hopeful Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1806 as “the Mother of Lutheranism west of the Allegheny Mountains,” by German-speaking families from Madison County, Va. It is the oldest Lutheran church in Kentucky. Early member George Rouse donated an acre of land on which the original cabin church was built in 1807 and the present church stands today. The Rev. William Carpenter, a Revolutionary War veteran, served as its first pastor. He was followed by the Rev. Jacob Crigler, whose farm is now the site of Hopeful Cemetery.

The Kentucky Historical Marker Program, administered by KHS in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, commemorates historical sites, events and personalities throughout the state. Through the program, the wealth of Kentucky history is made accessible to the public on markers along the state’s roadways. The markers are on-the-spot history lessons that add drama and interest to the countryside for Kentuckians as well as tourists. They are also available in an online database at www.history.ky.gov/markers.

For more information, contact Becky Riddle, Kentucky Historical Marker program coordinator, at 502-564-1792, ext. 4474 or becky.riddle@ky.gov.

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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, established in 1836, is committed to helping people understand, cherish and share Kentucky's history. The KHS history campus includes the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the State Arsenal. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit www.history.ky.gov.