Red River Meeting House

The Red River Meeting House was the site of the first religious camp meeting in the United States and the start of the Second Great Awakening from June 13–17, 1800. [http://www.goodshepherdfarm.us/1800/redtext.htm Good Shepherd Farm] , accessed September 25,2006] [ [http://www.gbgm-umc.org/pearce/history.htm Wright, Nancy, Pearce Memorial United Methodist Church,] accessed February 2,2007 ] The meeting was organized by Reverend James McGready (also spelled M’Gready) in Logan County, Kentucky.

First Camp Meeting

There were several hundred people in attendance from Friday through Tuesday. [http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/pages/resources/publications/knowingDoing/2004/RevivalFrontier.pdf C.S. Lewis Institute] , accessed September 25,2006] The attendees were mostly from McGready’s churches at Red River, Muddy River, and Gasper River.

A letter from McGready to a friend dated October 23, 1801, described the meeting. [http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/McGreaBK.htm Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church] , accessed September 25,2006] [http://www.pbministries.org/History/John%20T.%20Christian/vol2/history2_part3_04.htm PB Ministries] , accessed September 25,2006]
Barton W. Stone was one observer of the events and also recorded a description.

A more recent analysis by Paul Conkin downplays the significance of the Red River meeting. He states that McGready was only one of several preachers at the event, and it was McGready's widely-circulated, yet exaggerated account which developed most people's perception of the event. [http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/htallant/border/bs10/conkin.htm Conkin, Paul] , accessed September 25, 2006 ]

History

The first settlers of European descent in the area were Ambrose Maulding and his family in 1780. [http://www.carolyar.com/Illinois/AmbroseMaulding.htm Ambrose Maulding biography] , accessed September 25,2006] They established what became known as Maulding’s Station or Maulding's Fort. The original church building in this area was built between 1789 and 1792 and is described by some as the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church. [http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/churches/RedRivKY.htm Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church] , accessed September 25,2006] The church building collapsed in 1856, and the adjacent cemetery expanded onto the site of the original cabin. A white framed church was built nearby but was torn down in 1929 due to deterioration and disuse. A log cabin believed to resemble the original style was built in 1959. It burned due to an unknown cause on May 2, 1992. cite news |last=Dietz| first=Donna| title=Red River House Burns Down| publisher=News Democrat & Leader| date=May 7,1992 ] The Red River Meeting House and Cemetery Association was formed to raise funds for a replacement, which was constructed in May 1994. cite news | title=Meeting House Rebuilt| publisher=News Democrat & Leader| date=May 23,1994 ] cite news|title=article|url=http://www.newsdemocratleader.com/articles/2005/10/11/news/news02.txt |work=News Democrat & Leader|accessdate=2006-09-25|date=2005-10-11 ]

Kentucky Historical Highway Marker 71 erected at the intersection of U.S. Highway 431 and Route 663 states: "Three miles east is site of early pioneer church. Organized by 'A Society of Presbyterians,' 1789. Here the Great Revival of 1800 was conducted by the Rev. James McGready. First camp meeting held here." [http://kentucky.gov/kyhs/hmdb/MarkerSearch.aspx?mode=County&county=71 Kentucky Historical Society] , accessed September 25,2006]

The adjacent cemetery contains the graves of numerous veterans of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The gravestone of William McPherson is engraved with the Twenty-third Psalm in Gaelic.

The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 (Site 76000917).

Location

The site is located three miles (5 km) east of U.S. Highway 431 along Route 663 and the Red River in Logan County, Kentucky.

Current Use

A primitive camp meeting and rendezvous is held annually on the grounds during the local Tobacco & Heritage Festival (second weekend in October). The Red River Meeting House and Cemetery Association holds its annual meeting on the grounds on the second Sunday in September. The site is privately owned but is open to the public from dawn to dusk and does not charge admission. There are no interpretive signs or facilities.

Notes

ee also

* Second Great Awakening

External links

* [http://www.goodshepherdfarm.us/1800/ Good Shepherd Farm]
* [http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/churches/RedRivKY.htm Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church]
* [http://www.loganchamber.com/festival/festivalhistory.htm Tobacco and Heritage Festival]
* [http://www.synodoflivingwaters.com/the_voice/0406/10jerks.html "Presbyterian Voice" article]
* [http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/churches/McGready.htm Biography of McGready] at the Historical Foundation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Further reading

* Christian Life, "America’s Great Revivals", Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, MN, ISBN 0-87123-003-8
* Boles, John B, "Religion in Antebellum Kentucky", ISBN 0-8131-0844-6