Annville Institute brought “Complete Living for the Mountain people”

Original Lincoln Hall, ca. 1915. Photo: Jackson Taylor. Source: KY Explorer.

Nine miles south of the Jackson County seat of McKee rests the community of Annville where the Reformed Church of America once had its college. Like so many communities across Kentucky, a “Campus Road” or similar name harkens back to an area when small, regional schools or colleges dotted the landscape — many in lieu of our modern high school which were often too far for students to reach, particularly in poor weather or at the time of the harvest. With dormitories on site, Annville was able to avoid these issues as well.

Lincoln Hall – Annville, Ky.
Source: NRHP Application.

Rev. William Worthington, instrumental in establishing and growing the school, had the purpose of “Complete Living for the Mountain people.” With the lens of political correctness, this mission statement may not seem appropriate, but considering the era the meaning is true: “to give the mountain people the best possible opportunity for the largest development for service in home, Church and state.”

The most notable building at the Annville Institute is Lincoln Hall, constructed in 1923 after a fire destroyed the original hall. The new Lincoln Hall is a Colonial Revival and would be more fitting or expected in Williamsburg, Va. than in Annville, Ky. Atop, the ten-foot square cupola features built-in arches, a metal dome and a presently-inoperable clock.

The school closed in 1978, but the property remains in the hands of the Reformed Church of America. They recently had the site added to the National Register of Historic Places and are working to convert Lincoln Hall into a cultural center. You can read more about what is going on at Annville with the good work of Jackson County  Ministries which has operated the site as a field mission since the school closed.

Jackson County Courthouse – McKee, Ky.

Believe it or not, this was not the first time I’ve been to McKee. It’s a quaint little town, but something seemed different this time. Then I realized that the building you can see in the background on the right is brand new. It appears to me to be a new courthouse building, and the last time I was here I’m pretty sure it was a parking lot.
Much has changed since I was here two years ago. At that time, the courthouse contained the Ten Commandments (which have since been removed following a federal lawsuit), and the proceedings were overseen by Judge R. Cletus Maricle (who was recently arrested by the FBI for some alleged RICO violations).
The courthouse you see here was built in 1950.

BONUS PIC FOR PETER – As mentioned above, McKee was most recently in the news when the Ten Commandments were removed from the courthouse after a federal lawsuit was filed. As a result, the Ten Commandments are EVERYWHERE in Jackson County, including this monument on private property just off the courthouse square.