The spire of Trinity United Methodist Church is visible from many points in Madison. Seen from across the river, from the hilltop, and from Main Street, the slender spire serves to orient visitors and locals alike.

This Gothic Revival church was built in 1873 according to the design of B.V. Enos and Son of Indianapolis. The brick church’s steeply-pitched gable faces Broadway Street and features a centrally-located main entrance. The bell tower stands at the southeast corner of the church, with horizontal bands of limestone dividing it into four parts. Limestone also ornaments the Gothic windows. A pinnacle terminated by metal finial projects above the roofline on the north side of the entrance. Another metal finial, in the shape of the cross, sits atop the gable. Buttresses that are a frequent feature in true Gothic architecture were unnecessary in this Gothic Revival building. However, a nod to historic building technique is apparent in the petite brick projections capped by limestone along the sides of the church, where buttresses historically would have been placed. Many local craftsmen contributed to its construction. Installed between 1900 and 1905, the current windows came from the studio of W. Coulter and Son of Cincinnati.

In 1967, an educational wing was added to the original church’s west end. It stretches to the south and has its own entrance on West Main Street. This 20th century addition mimics features of the original Gothic Revival church with the pitch of its roof, brick walls, and miniature decorative buttresses.

The church contributes to the historic significance of the Madison Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.