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Bowling Green, Kentucky

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Neighboring fast food restaurant advertisement signs in Bowling Green.
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Neighboring fast food restaurant advertisement signs in Bowling Green.

Bowling Green is the fourth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kentucky after Louisville, Lexington and Owensboro, and is the county seat of Warren County. Bowling Green was founded in 1798 after Robert and George Moore donated 30-40 acres to the Warren County trustees. The land surrounded the 2-acre plot they had previously donated for the construction of public buildings. In 2003, Bowling Green and its surrounding communities were designated as a metropolitan area.

General Motors has an assembly plant in Bowling Green in which all Chevrolet Corvettes and Cadillac XLRs have been constructed since 1981 and 2003 respectively. Other significant businesses in Bowling Green include Fruit of the Loom and Holley Performance Products. The third largest Kentucky public university, Western Kentucky University, is situated upon a hill in central Bowling Green, thus its athletes are called hilltoppers.

Contents

History

Settlement and incorporation

The first caucasian men credited with having settled the area now known as Bowling Green were Robert Moore, his brother George Moore and General Elijah Covington. The Moore brothers arrived from Virginia around 1794. In 1798, only two years after Warren County had been formed, Robert Moore donated two acres of land to county trustees for the purpose of constructing public buildings. Soon after, he donated 30-40 more acres surrounding the original plot. The city of Bowling Green was officially incorporated by the state of Kentucky on March 6, 1798.

The origination of the name Bowling Green has not been definitely pinned to a single source by historians. The Virginian settlers could have been honoring Bowling Green, Virginia. Also, Robert Moore kept a ball alley game on his residence which guests called bowling on the green. Early records indicate that the city name was also spelt Bowlingreen and Bolin Green.

The nineteenth century

By 1810, Bowling Green had only 154 residents. However, the increasing use of the steamboat for commerce and the proximity of the Barren River increased Bowling Green's importance. Canal locks and dams on the Barren River made it much more navigable. In 1832, the first portage railway was made from the river to the where the current county courthouse stands. Mules pulled freight and passengers to and from the city on the tracks.

Despite rapid urbanization of the Bowling Green area in the 1830s, agriculture remained an important tenet of working life. A visitor to Bowling Green noted the boasting of a tavern proprietor by the name of Benjamin Vance:

"[Vance] says that he has seen a turnip this fall that measures thirty-two inches around, and has a beet that weighs sixteen pounds and a half;... that corn in this country grows so fast that if you look at it the next, it has grown a foot higher; that the little hickory twigs growing in the barrens have roots as large as his legs..."
In 1859, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (currently CSX Transportation) laid railroad through Bowling Green that connected the city with northern and southern markets.

Bowling Green declared itself neutral in the American Civil War. However, because of its prime location and resources, both the Union and Confederacy sought control of the city. The majority of residents wished that the Union would succeed in preserving the country. On September 18, 1861, the Confederacy invaded and occupied Bowling Green under the command of General Simon Bolivar Buckner. Surrounding hills were fortified to secure any possible military approaches to the valuable river and railroad assets. The Confederate government of Kentucky chose Bowling Green as its capital in November, 1861. On February 14, 1862, after receiving reports that Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River had been captured by Union forces, the Confederates ended their occupation of Bowling Green. During their retreat, the Confederates destroyed bridges across the Barren River, the railroad depot and other important buildings. The city was subject to various disruptions and raids throughout the remainder of the war. During the summer of 1864, Union general Stephen G. Burbridge arrested 22 men in and around Bowling Green on suspicion of treason. This incident and other harsh treatments by federal authorities during the war led to bitterness among Bowling Green residents toward the Union and symphathies with the Confederacy. These feelings have endured to some degree to this day.

After the Civil War, Bowling Green's business district grew considerably. Previously, agriculture had dominated the city's economy. During the 1870s, many of the historic business structures seen today were erected. One of the most important businesses in Bowling Green of this era was Carie Burnam Taylor's dress-making company. By 1906, over 200 women were employed by Taylor.

In 1868, the first waterworks system was constructed for the city. In 1889, the first mule-drawn street cars appeared in the city. The first electric street cars began to replace them by 1895. The fourth county courthouse was completed in 1868. The first three were completed in 1798, 1805 and 1813 respectively.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth founded St. Columbia's Academy in 1862 which was succeeded by St. Joseph's School in 1911. In 1884, the Southern Normal School was founded in Bowling Green. Pleasant J. Potter founded a women's college in Bowling Green in 1889. It was later closed in 1909 and its property sold to the Western Kentucky State Normal School (now known as Western Kentucky University). Other important schools in this era were Methodist Warren College, Ogden College (which became a part of Western Kentucky University) and Green River Female College (a boarding school).

The twentieth century

The Western Kentucky State Normal School was founded in central Bowling Green in 1906. This institution is now known as Western Kentucky University and is the third largest public university in the state of Kentucky.

In 1940, a Union Underwear factory was built in Bowling Green and bolstered the city's economy significantly. During the 1960s, the city's population began to surpass that of Ashland, Paducah and Newport.

In 1925, the Kentucky Street Rail Depot was opened. Around 27 trains would come through the depot on a daily basis. Local bus lines were also a popular form of travel. By the 1950s, both of these forms of transportation had dramatically declined as the family car became the primary means of travel.

Consequently, downtown streets became a bottle-neck for traffic. Traffic was constantly congested. In 1949, the U.S. 31-W Bypass was opened to alleviate traffic problems. The bypass grew to become a business hotspot in Bowling Green. A 1954 advertisement exclaimed, "Your business can grow in the direction Bowling Green is growing -- to the 31-W By-Pass."

By the 1960s, the face of shopping was changing completely from the downtown square to suburban shopping centers. In 1964, the Bowling Green Mall was opened. Another advertisement said, "One stop shopping. Just park [free], step out and shop. You'll find everything close at hand." A larger facility, the Greenwood Mall, opened in 1979 as the city's limits began to stretch toward the interstate.

By the late 1960s, Interstate 65, which runs straight through Bowling Green, was completed. The Green River Parkway (currently the William H. Natcher Parkway), which connects Bowling Green and Owensboro, was completed in the 1970s. These vital transportation arteries attracted many industries to Bowling Green.

In 1981, General Motors moved its Chevrolet Corvette assembly plant to Bowling Green from St. Louis, Missouri. The National Corvette Museum was constructed near the assembly plant in 1994.

In 1997, Bowling Green became a Tree City USA sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Law and government

Geography and climate

Bowling Green is located at [36°58′54″N, 86°26′40″W] (36.981657, -86.444423)[Geographic references#1GR1] at 547 feet above sea level at the airport.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 92.1 km² (35.6 mi²). 91.7 km² (35.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.45%) is water.

Economy

Demographics

As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 49,296 people, 19,277 households, and 10,698 families residing in the city. The population density was 537.5/km² (1,392.3/mi²). There were 21,290 housing units at an average density of 232.1/km² (601.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.82% White, 12.71% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.95% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 2.16% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

There were 19,277 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 23.5% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,047, and the median income for a family was $40,320. Males had a median income of $30,244 versus $22,606 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,621. About 15.7% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.1% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Education

''Refer to external links for respective education websites.

Primary and secondary education

Religious schools

Elementary schools

Briarwood Elementary ² Bristow Elementary ² Cumberland Trace Elementary ² Dishman-Mcginnis Elementary 1
Lost River Elementary ² Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary 1 Potter Gray Elementary 1 Rich Pond Elementary ²
Richardsville Elementary ² Rockfield Elementary ² T. C. Cherry Elementary 1 W. R. McNeill Elementary 1
Warren Elementary ² William H. Natcher Elementary ²

Middle/Junior high schools

Bowling Green Junior High 1 Drakes Dreek Middle ² Henry Moss Middle ² Warren East Middle ²

High schools

Bowling Green High 1 Eleventh Street Alternative 1 Greenwood High ² Light House Academy ²
Warren Central High ² Warren East High ²
1 Bowling Green City Schools
² Warren County Public Schools

Post-secondary education

Public library

The Bowling Green Public Library has five branches. The main branch, opened in 1956, is in downtown Bowling Green. The "depot" branch, opened in 2001, is located in the historic, renovated Louisville and Nashville Railroad Depot and houses a technology and early childhood center. The mobile branch is a 40-foot bus that travels across Bowling Green carrying 6,000 library materials. The Sugar Maple and Smiths Grove branches hold more library materials in other locations.

Transportation

Attractions

Parks and recreation

The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department administers 895 acres of public land for recreational use.

Community centers

Fitness centers

Parks

See Parks in Bowling Green, Kentucky for a formatted table of this data.

Swimming centers

Museums

Sports and event venues

Golf courses

Lovers Lane Park disc golf course. Bowling Green has eight such courses.
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Lovers Lane Park disc golf course. Bowling Green has eight such courses.

Bowling Green has three golf and eight disc golf courses.
Golf Disc golf
Crosswinds Basil Griffin Park
Paul Walker Hobson Grove Park
River View KOA Kampground
Old Stone Lovers Lane Park
Preston Miller Park
Spero Kereiakes Park
White Park
William H. Natcher Elementary

Other attractions

Media

Refer to external links for respective media websites.

Print media

Television

Radio

Nearby cities and communities

County communities

Allen Springs Alvaton Blue Level Browning
Cavehill Drake Oakland Petros
Plum Springs Rockfield Smiths Grove Woodburn

Neighboring cities

Brownsville Franklin Glasgow
Morgantown Russellville Scottsville

Famous residents

See also

External links

Education

Media

Print media

Television

Radio

 Commonwealth of Kentucky
State capital Frankfort
Regions Cumberland Plateau | The Bluegrass | The Knobs | Northern Kentucky | Pennyroyal Plateau | Cincinnati metropolitan area | Louisville metropolitan area | Western Coal Fields | The Purchase | Central Kentucky
Major cities Ashland | Bowling Green | Covington | Elizabethtown | Florence | Frankfort | Georgetown | Glasgow | Henderson | Hopkinsville | Lexington | Louisville | Madisonville | Nicholasville | Owensboro | Paducah | Radcliff | Richmond
Counties Adair | Allen | Anderson | Ballard | Barren | Bath | Bell | Boone | Bourbon | Boyd | Boyle | Bracken | Breathitt | Breckinridge | Bullitt | Butler | Caldwell | Calloway | Campbell | Carlisle | Carroll | Carter | Casey | Christian | Clark | Clay | Clinton | Crittenden | Cumberland | Daviess | Edmonson | Elliott | Estill | Fayette | Fleming | Floyd | Franklin | Fulton | Gallatin | Garrard | Grant | Graves | Grayson | Green | Greenup | Hancock | Hardin | Harlan | Harrison | Hart | Henderson | Henry | Hickman | Hopkins | Jackson | Jefferson | Jessamine | Johnson | Kenton | Knott | Knox | LaRue | Laurel | Lawrence | Lee | Leslie | Letcher | Lewis | Lincoln | Livingston | Logan | Lyon | Madison | Magoffin | Marion | Marshall | Martin | Mason | McCracken | McCreary | McLean | Meade | Menifee | Mercer | Metcalfe | Monroe | Montgomery | Morgan | Muhlenberg | Nelson | Nicholas | Ohio | Oldham | Owen | Owsley | Pendleton | Perry | Pike | Powell | Pulaski | Robertson | Rockcastle | Rowan | Russell | Scott | Shelby | Simpson | Spencer | Taylor | Todd | Trigg | Trimble | Union | Warren | Washington | Wayne | Webster | Whitley | Wolfe | Woodford

 

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