Bethel Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bethel Academy Site (15JS80)
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | On cliffs above a bend in the Kentucky River near High Bridge, four miles south of Wilmore |
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| Nearest city | Wilmore, Kentucky |
| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1790 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001597 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 1984 |
Bethel Academy was a very important school. It was the first school started by the Methodist Church in the western part of the United States. This was back in 1790! The school was founded by a leader named Francis Asbury. It was located in what is now Jessamine County, Kentucky, and it taught students until 1805.
How Bethel Academy Started
In 1789, a group of Methodists living in Kentucky asked Bishop Francis Asbury for help. They wanted to start a school. At that time, Kentucky was still part of Virginia.
Bishop Asbury said he would help. But first, the Methodists needed to find a lot of land. They had to get at least 5,000 acres!
So, Bishop Asbury traveled to Kentucky in the spring of 1790. He arrived in Lexington on May 12th. He met with the local Methodists. He also helped set up the Kentucky Conference for the church.
After these meetings, Asbury went to Jessamine County. There, he met a man named Thomas Lewis. Mr. Lewis generously gave enough land to build the school. With help from Francis Poythress and John Metcalf, Bishop Asbury made all the plans. Bethel Academy officially started in 1790. It was the first Methodist school west of the Appalachian Mountains and only the second in the whole country!
Years of Learning and Growth
Francis Poythress was in charge of building the school. It was built on high ground overlooking a curve in the Kentucky River. This spot was very beautiful and easy to reach. The school building was three stories tall. Later, the famous High Bridge was built nearby.
The school was ready for classes in 1794. John Metcalf became the first principal. In 1798, the Kentucky legislature officially recognized the school.
Bethel Academy quickly became a central place for Methodism in Kentucky. Bishop Asbury even visited again in 1792 to encourage people to support it. The Kentucky Conference also held its meetings at the school in 1797.
Bethel Academy often competed with Transylvania Academy. Transylvania was a school run by the Presbyterian Church at the time.
What Happened Later
In 1803, Principal John Metcalf moved to Nicholasville. This town was in the middle of the county. He opened a new school there, also called "Bethel Academy."
After this, the original Bethel Academy became less important. Nathaniel Harris oversaw it for a short time. The first Bethel Academy closed its doors in 1805.
Metcalf's new school in Nicholasville did very well for many years. It was known as a high-quality private school. But by the late 1800s, farming in the area became difficult. People had less money. So, the school was given to the state and became a public school.
In 1890, John Wesley Hughes started a Methodist college in Wilmore. He named it Asbury College. He chose this name partly because of the history of the original Bethel Academy.
Today, the place where the first Bethel Academy stood is an archaeological site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's an important historical spot. Even in 1898, people could still easily find the ruins of the old school building.
