Bowling Green, Kentucky

For other uses, see Bowling green (disambiguation).

Bowling Green, Kentucky
—  City  —
Shops along Fountain Square in Downtown Bowling Green
Location of Bowling Green within Warren County in Kentucky.
Coordinates: 36°58′54″N 86°26′40″W
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
County	Warren
Government
• Mayor	Bruce Wilkerson
Area
• City	35.6 sq mi (92.1 km2)
• Land	35.4 sq mi (91.7 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation	547 ft (166.7 m)
Population (2011)
• City	58,894
• Density	1,536.9/sq mi (537.5/km2)
• Metro	162,231
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	42101-42104
Area code(s)	270
FIPS code	21-08902
GNIS feature ID	0487744
Website	www.bgky.org

The B.G.M.U. Water Tower atop Reservoir Hill is a local landmark visible from many parts of Bowling Green.

The Warren County Justice Center is the center of the local court system.

Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,894 as of 2011. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated population of 162,231 as of 2012. Bowling Green anchors the Bowling Green-Glasgow combined statistical area which as of 2012 had an estimated population of 214,831. Bowling Green was founded in 1798 after Robert and George Moore donated an additional 30 acres (120,000 m²) to 40 acres (160,000 m²) to the Warren County trustees. The land surrounded the 2-acre (8,100 m²) plot they had donated for the construction of public buildings. Bowling Green was the provisional capital of the Confederate government of Kentucky.

General Motors has an assembly plant in Bowling Green in which all Chevrolet Corvettes have been constructed since 1981 and Cadillac XLRs were being built there until production ended in the spring of 2009. Other significant businesses in Bowling Green include Fruit of the Loom, Houchens Industries, Holley Performance Products, and Camping World. The second largest Kentucky public university, Western Kentucky University, is situated upon a hill in central Bowling Green. Its athletic teams are called Hilltoppers, and its mascot is Big Red who has been featured in several ESPN commercials. The city is famous for the eponymous 1967 song, "Bowling Green", by The Everly Brothers.

History

Settlement and incorporation

The first Europeans credited with having settled the area now known as Bowling Green were Robert Moore, his brother George and General Elijah Covington. The Moore brothers arrived from Virginia circa 1794. In 1798, only two years after Warren County had been formed, Robert Moore donated 2 acres (8,100 m²) of land to county trustees for the purpose of constructing public buildings. Soon after, he donated an additional 30 acres (120,000 m²) to 40 acres (160,000 m²) surrounding the original plot. The city of Bowling Green was officially incorporated by the state of Kentucky on March 6, 1798.

The choice of the name Bowling Green has not been attributed to any single source by historians. Some say at the first county commissioners' meeting in early 1798, the pioneers decided that the new town would be "called and known" by the name of Bolin Green." This name was after the Bowling Green in New York City, where patriots had pulled down a statue of King George III and used the lead to make bullets during the American Revolution. Others say the Virginian settlers may have been honoring Bowling Green, Virginia. Still others say, 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 spelled Bowlingreen and Bolin Green.

Nineteenth century

By 1810, Bowling Green had only 154 residents. Growth in steamboat 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 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 part of local life. A visitor to Bowling Green noted the boasting of a tavern proprietor named 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 an attempt to escape the American Civil War. Because of its prime location and resources, however, both the Union and Confederacy sought control of the city. The majority of its residents sided with the Confederacy. On September 18, 1861, to the delight of Bowling Green residents, the Confederate Army under command of General Simon Bolivar Buckner occupied the city. Surrounding hills were fortified to secure possible military approaches to the valuable river and railroad assets. In November 1861, the provisional Confederate government of Kentucky chose Bowling Green as its capital.

On February 14, 1862, after receiving reports that Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River had both been captured by Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant, the Confederates realized they had to withdraw from Bowling Green. They destroyed bridges across the Barren River, the railroad depot, and other important buildings that could be used by the enemy. The city was subject to disruptions and raids throughout the remainder of the war. During the summer of 1864, Union General Stephen G. Burbridge arrested 22 civilians in and around Bowling Green on a charge of treason. This incident and other harsh treatment by federal authorities led to bitterness towards the Union among Bowling Green residents and increased sympathies with the Confederacy.

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, Taylor employed more than 200 women.

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

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth founded St. Columbia's Academy in 1862, succeeded by St. Joseph's School in 1911. In 1884, the Southern Normal School, which had been founded in 1875, moved to Bowling Green from the town of Glasgow, Kentucky. Pleasant J. Potter founded a women's college in Bowling Green in 1889. It closed in 1909 and its property sold to the Western Kentucky State Normal School (see below, now known as Western Kentucky University). Other important schools in this era were Methodist Warren College, Ogden College (which also became a part of Western Kentucky University) and Green River Female College, a boarding school.

Twentieth century

In 1906, Henry Hardin Cherry, the president and owner of Southern Normal School, donated the school to the state as the basis of the Western State Normal School. The school trained teachers for the expanding educational needs of the state. This institution is now known as Western Kentucky University and is the second largest public university in the state of Kentucky, having recently grown larger than the University of Louisville.

In 1906, Doctors Lillian H. South, J. N. McCormack, A.T. McCormack opened St. Joseph Hospital to provide around the clock medical and nursing care to the residents and students in the area.

In 1925, the Kentucky Street Rail Depot was opened. About 27 trains arrived daily at the depot. Local bus lines were also a popular form of travel. By the 1950s, both of these forms of transportation had dramatically declined as highway construction was subsidized by the federal government and the private car became the primary means of travel.

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.

Downtown streets became a bottle-neck for traffic. In 1949, the U.S. Route 31W Bypass was opened to alleviate traffic problems but it also drew off business from downtown. 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. Between May and November 1967, stores in Bowling Green Mall opened for business. Another advertisement said, "One stop shopping. Just park [free], step out and shop. You'll find everything close at hand." Between September 1979 and September 1980, stores in the larger Greenwood Mall came inline. The city's limits began to stretch toward Interstate 65.

By the late 1960s, Interstate 65, which runs just to the east of Bowling Green, was completed. The Green River Parkway (now called the William H. Natcher Parkway), was completed in the 1970s to connect Bowling Green and Owensboro. These vital transportation arteries attracted many industries to Bowling Green.

In 1981, General Motors moved its Chevrolet Corvette assembly plant from St. Louis, Missouri to Bowling Green. In the same year, the National Corvette Homecoming event was created, becoming a large gathering of Corvette owners, car parades and related activities in Bowling Green each year. In 1994 the National Corvette Museum was constructed near the assembly plant.

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

Twenty-first century initiatives

The new Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce building was one of the first parts of the Downtown Redevelopment Project to reach completion.

In 2012, the city undertook a feasibility study on ways to revitalize downtown Bowling Green area. The Downtown Redevelopment Authority was formed to plan redevelopment. Plans for the project built on Bowling Green's waterfront assets and historic center and streetscape around Fountain Square. It also proposed a new building for the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, construction of a Riverwalk Park where downtown borders the Barren River, creation of a new public park called Circus Square, and installation of a new retail area, the Fountain Square Market.

As of the Spring of 2009, the new Chamber of Commerce, Riverwalk Park, and Circus Square have been completed. The Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, a facility for arts and education, broke ground in October 2009 and celebrated its opening night on March 10, 2012 with a concert by Vince Gill. Ground was broken for the Fountain Square Market in 2012.

In 2005 an effort was made to incorporate a Whitewater Park into the downtown Bowling Green riverfront at Weldon Peete Park. Due to the recession funding for the project fell through. However, as of summer 2010 the effort to have the Whitewater Park built is gaining momentum. Talks with public officials are being held and progress is being made. Information about the park can be found at: http://www.trailsrus.com/whitewater/initiative.html & http://www.facebook.com/BGWWP

Geography

The Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport is 547 feet (167 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92 km²), of which 35.4 square miles (92 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (0.45%) is water.

Climate

Bowling Green has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 35.7 °F (2.1 °C) in January to 78.7 °F (25.9 °C) in July. On average, there are 41 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually, and 11 days per winter where the high fails to rise above freezing. Annual precipitation is 49.3 inches (1,250 mm), with the late spring and summer months being slightly wetter; snowfall averages 8.4 inches (21.3 cm) per season. Extreme temperatures range from −21 °F (−29 °C) on January 23 and 24, 1963, up to 108 °F (42 °C) on July 28, 1930.

Climate data for Bowling Green, Kentcuky (Warren County Airport), 1981–2010 normals
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	78 (26)	82 (28)	92 (33)	96 (36)	100 (38)	110 (43)	113 (45)	110 (43)	105 (41)	94 (34)	88 (31)	78 (26)	113 (45)
Average high °F (°C)	45.0 (7.2)	50.0 (10)	59.8 (15.4)	69.7 (20.9)	77.8 (25.4)	86.1 (30.1)	89.4 (31.9)	88.9 (31.6)	82.1 (27.8)	71.2 (21.8)	59.4 (15.2)	47.9 (8.8)	68.9 (20.5)
Average low °F (°C)	26.4 (−3.1)	29.6 (−1.3)	37.0 (2.8)	45.6 (7.6)	55.0 (12.8)	63.9 (17.7)	67.9 (19.9)	66.1 (18.9)	58.0 (14.4)	46.3 (7.9)	37.5 (3.1)	29.2 (−1.6)	46.9 (8.3)
Record low °F (°C)	−21 (−29)	−20 (−29)	−6 (−21)	19 (−7)	30 (−1)	39 (4)	46 (8)	42 (6)	33 (1)	19 (−7)	−7 (−22)	−14 (−26)	−21 (−29)
Precipitation inches (mm)	3.58 (90.9)	4.00 (101.6)	3.88 (98.6)	4.33 (110)	5.67 (144)	4.09 (103.9)	4.17 (105.9)	3.38 (85.9)	3.80 (96.5)	3.44 (87.4)	4.18 (106.2)	4.80 (121.9)	49.33 (1,253)
Snowfall inches (cm)	2.5 (6.4)	3.4 (8.6)	1.1 (2.8)	0.1 (0.3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1.3 (3.3)	8.4 (21.4)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	10.4	10.5	11.4	11.7	11.8	10.6	10.0	7.9	7.9	8.5	9.9	11.5	121.9
Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	2.1	2.3	0.7	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.3	6.5
Source: NOAA (extremes 1893–present)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	4,574		—
1880	5,114		11.8%
1890	7,803		52.6%
1900	8,226		5.4%
1910	9,173		11.5%
1920	9,638		5.1%
1930	12,348		28.1%
1940	14,385		16.5%
1950	18,347		27.5%
1960	28,338		54.5%
1970	36,705		29.5%
1980	40,450		10.2%
1990	40,641		0.5%
2000	49,296		21.3%
2010	58,067		17.8%

As of the census of 2010, there were 58,067 people and 22,735 households in the city. The population density was 1631.1 people per square mile (630.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.8% White, 13.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.16% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.5% of the population.

There were 22,735 households out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.3% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out with 20.1% under 18, 28% from 15 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.6 years. Females make up 51.7% of the population and males make up 48.3%.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,362, and the median income for families was $45,287. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $28,916 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,302. About 19.4% of families and 27.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.9% of those under age 18.

Economy

The Medical Center, an ever expanding part of Commonwealth Health Corporation, is one of the top employers in Bowling Green.

Bowling Green is shifting to a more knowledge-based, technology-driven economy. With one major public university and a technical college, Bowling Green serves as an education hub for the South Central Kentucky region. In addition, the city plays an integral part as the leading medical and commercial center.

General Motors Manufacturing Plant, Holley Performance Products, Houchens Industries, SCA, Camping World, Fruit of the Loom, Russell Brands, and other major industries call Bowling Green home. It has also attracted new industries, such as Bowling Green Metalforming, a division of Magna International, Inc.; and Halton Company, which chose to expand their worldwide companies into Bowling Green.

Commonwealth Health Corporation, Western Kentucky University and Warren County Board of Education are the biggest employers for Bowling Green and the surrounding region. Other companies based in Bowling Green include Eagle Industries and Trace Die Cast. The third largest home shopping network ShopNBC has its warehouse fulfillment center located off Nashville Road. Shopnbc also recently moved a large amount of its Customer Service Call Center Operations to its Bowling Green location. ShopNBC is owned by Value Vision Media with its corporate headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota although the largest part of its day-to-day operations are in Bowling Green.

Compared with Elizabethtown and Owensboro MSAs, Bowling Green has experienced the largest post-recession employment gain. From November 2001 to April 2006, total payroll employment increased by 13%. Bowling Green has experienced a 5% increase in manufacturing employment, a 5% increase in professional and business services, and a 6% increase in leisure and hospitality since April 2005.

Bowling Green's high income and job growth combined with a low cost of doing business led the city to be named to Forbes Magazine's 2009 list of the "Best Small Places for Business". In an evaluation of 179 cities across the nation, Forbes ranked Bowling Green 19th in which to do business, finishing ahead of Elizabethtown and Owensboro. The list ranked Bowling Green 34th nationwide for the lowest cost-of-living and 22nd for highest job growth.

In March 2009, the Bowling Green metropolitan area was recognized by Site Selection Magazine as a top economic development community in the United States for communities with populations between 50,000 and 200,000 people. The Bowling Green metro also received the same recognition by Site Selection magazine in 2008.

The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce received the 2009 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and a 5-Star Chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Top employers

According to the City's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Western Kentucky University	4,626
2	The Medical Center at Bowling Green	1,914
3	Fruit of the Loom	1,632
4	Walmart	1,018
5	Warren County Public Schools	958
6	Express Employment Professionals	931
7	Sun Products	917
8	Houchens Industries	733
9	Magna International	665
10	City of Bowling Green	633

Education

Primary and secondary education

Public education is provided by the Warren County Public Schools system and the Bowling Green Independent School District. Several private schools also serve Bowling Green students.

Religious schools

• Anchored Christian School - Preschool through 12th grade Baptist Christian school[2]
• Bowling Green Christian Academy - Preschool through 8th grade non-denominational Christian school
• Foundation Christian Academy - Preschool through 8th grade Church of Christ Christian school [3]
• Holy Trinity Lutheran - Preschool through 6th grade Lutheran Christian school [4]
• Old Union School - Preschool through 12th grade Christian school [5]
• Saint Joseph - Preschool through 8th grade Catholic school

Elementary schools

Alvaton Briarwood Bristow Cumberland Trace Dishman-McGinnis Lost River North Warren Elementary

Oakland Parker Bennett Curry Plano Elementary Potter Gray Rich Pond Jody Richards Richardsville Rockfield

T.C. Cherry W.R. McNeill Warren Warren East William H. Natcher

Middle and Junior high schools

• Bowling Green Junior High
• Drakes Creek
• Henry F. Moss Middle School
• Warren East Middle School
• South Warren Middle School

A view of the campus of Western Kentucky University.

.

Pearce Ford Tower at Western Kentucky University.

.

High schools

• Bowling Green High
• Greenwood High
• Warren Central High
• Warren East High
• South Warren High School
• Lighthouse Academy High School

Post-secondary education

• Bowling Green Adult Learning Center
• Daymar College
• Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
• Western Kentucky University

Public library

The historic L&N Train Depot.

The Warren County Public Library has four permanent locations. The Main Library, which opened in 1956, is in downtown Bowling Green. The Smiths Grove Branch, the system's first branch location, is located in the nearby community of Smiths Grove, Kentucky. The Graham Drive Community Library is a neighborhood branch located in a residential area of the Housing Authority of Bowling Green; it opened for business in late 2007 and replaced the branch formerly located in the Sugar Maple Square Shopping Center. The system's newest location is the Bob Kirby Branch Library, located off Interstate 65 close to Greenwood High School, which opened spring 2008. The Mobile Branch is a 40-foot (12 m) bus that travels across Bowling Green and Warren County carrying 6,000 library materials. The Depot Branch, which opened in 2001, was located in the historic, renovated Louisville and Nashville Railroad Depot and housed a technology and early childhood center, as well as traditional library materials; it closed in late 2007. On July 27, 2007, the Warren County Fiscal Court voted to create a county wide taxing district to benefit the public library. The library system, formerly known as the Bowling Green Public Library, became the Warren County Public Library on July 1, 2008.

Transportation

Major highways

• Interstate 65 north to Elizabethtown, Louisville (110 mi), south to Nashville, TN (55 mi)
• William H. Natcher Parkway north to Owensboro (70 mi)
• U.S. Route 231 north to Morgantown, south to Scottsville, Kentucky
• U.S. Route 31W north to Park City, south to Franklin, Kentucky
• U.S. Route 68 / Kentucky State Route 80 west to Russellville, east to Glasgow, Kentucky

Other highways

• Kentucky State Route 185
• Kentucky State Route 234
• Kentucky State Route 242
• Kentucky State Route 880

Attractions

Parks and recreation

The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department administers 895 acres (3.62 km²) of public land for recreational use.

Community centers

• F. O. Moxley - Facility includes a game room (billiards, video games), board game room, concession stand, racquetball/wallyball courts and basketball courts.
• Parker-Bennett - Facility has hourly rental rates for meetings, parties and receptions.
• Kummer/Little Recreation Center - Facility includes basketball/volleyball courts, concession stand, and walking trails.
• Delafield Community Center - Facility includes an auditorium, basketball courts, a playground, and picnic shelters.

Parks

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

• 'Basil Griffin - Named for former Bowling Green mayor - Large pond with migratory birds such as ducks and geese, playground, disc golf, picnic tables/pavilions, soccer fields, volleyball court.
• C. W. Lampkin - Baseball fields, outdoor basketball courts, concession stands, grills, picnic pavilions and tables, playgrounds, soccer field, tennis courts, volleyball courts
• Chuck Crume Nature - picnic tables, walking/running trail
• Covington Woods - golf course, baseball field, outdoor basketball court, concession stand, grills, picnic pavilions and tables, playgrounds, tennis courts, volleyball court
• Fort Webb - historic site
• Fountain Square - historic Victorian fountain and city square in Downtown Bowling Green

Fountain Square Park, in the heart of Downtown Bowling Green.

• H. P. Thomas - barbecue grills, picnic tables, playground, soccer fields, volleyball court
• Hobson Grove - golf course, baseball fields, disc golf course, historic site, picnic tables, concession stands
• James Hines - boating, historic site
• Lovers Lane - soccer fields, disc golf course, picnic pavilion & tables, playgrounds, concession stand
• Ogden - playground
• Pedigo - baseball fields, outdoor basketball court, batting cage, concession stand, picnic pavilion & tables, playground, volleyball court
• Preston Miller - water park/swimming pool, disc golf course, picnic pavilions & tables, playgrounds, swimming pools, volleyball courts, walking/running/running trail, concession stand
• Reservoir Hill - outdoor basketball court, grills, historic site, picnic pavilion & tables, playground, tennis courts, volleyball court
• RiverWalk/Brownfield - historic site, walking/running trail

Riverwalk Park, bordering the Barren River.

• Roland Bland - skatepark, outdoor basketball courts, grills, horseshoes, picnic pavilion & tables, playgrounds, soccer field, tennis courts, volleyball court
• Spero Kereiakes - baseball fields, outdoor basketball court, batting cage, concession stand, disc golf course, grills, picnic pavilions & tables, playgrounds, public gardening plots, soccer fields, tennis courts, volleyball court, walking/running trail
• Westside Neighborhood - outdoor basketball court, playground

Swimming centers

• 'Russell Sims Aquatic Center - The largest "water playground" in south-central Kentucky. The center includes zero-depth entry into the water, splash playground, swimming pool, water slides, diving boards and concessions.
• 'Warren County Aquatics Facility - Domed pool facility open year-round. Closed February 2008. New facility is now open on Lover's Lane behind Warren County Public Schools main office.

Museums

The Kentucky Museum is located on the campus of Western Kentucky University.

• Barren River Imaginative Museum of Science - Unique "hands-on" science museum where visitors can experience the force of a mini-tornado, operate one of the largest interactive transportation exhibits in the country, suspend a body with magic mirrors, and more. Closed SEP 2011
• Kentucky Museum and Library - Home of rich collections and education exhibits on Kentucky history and heritage. Genealogical materials, published works, manuscripts and folk life information.
• National Corvette Museum - Showcase of America's sports car with more than 75 Corvettes on display, including mint classics, one-of-a-kind prototypes, racetrack champions and more.
• Historic Railpark and Train Museum - L & N Depot - Train museum in the original train depot of Bowling Green. Opened after the library moved at the end of 2007. Includes 5 restored historic rail cars.
• Riverview at Hobson Grove - This historic house museum is a classic example of Italianate architecture—arched windows, deep eaves with ornamental brackets, and cupola. Painted ceilings. Began late 1850s, Confederate munitions magazine in winter 1861-62, and completed 1872.

Sports and event venues

E.A. Diddle Arena, located on the campus of Western Kentucky University, is a multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 7,500 persons. Built in 1963 and renovated in 2004, the arena has hosted college sports such as basketball and volleyball. The arena has also played host to various traveling rodeos and circuses. In 2006, Diddle Arena hosted the first WWE event to be held in Bowling Green in over ten years.

The Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers won the Division I-AA Football National Championship in 2002. WKU's men's basketball team has a storied past including the 1971 NCAA Final Four and is one of the winningest teams, in both total victories and winning percentage, in the history of NCAA Division I college basketball.

The Bowling Green High School Purples football team won the KHSAA State Championship in 2011. Along with a three-year state championship runner-up streak starting in 2005 and ending in 2008. The Greenwood Gators softball team won the 2007 and 2008 state championship. The Warren Central Dragons boys basketball team took home the 2004 state championship. The Bowling Green Jr High School won the 2008 and 2009 KYMSA State Championship, as they went undefeated two years straight, with a combined record of 26-0.

Bowling Green Ballpark

The city and surrounding area is home to the Warren County Inline Hockey League. It also is home to the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers team, which competes in the NCRHA, and has several members in the Bluegrass Hockey League and Central Commonwealth League.

Bowling Green Ballpark is a new stadium currently in use in Bowling Green. It is primarily used for baseball, for the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods organization of the Midwest League. The Hot Rods began play in the spring of 2009 in the South Atlantic League, transferring to the Midwest League for 2010. They are a farm team for the Major League Baseball team of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Bowling Green Hornets of the Central Basketball League are based in Bowling Green, although they play their home games in Russellville. The Hornets are coached by former Harlem Globetrotter and Russellville native Otis Key.

Golf courses

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

Bowling Green has seven golf and eight disc golf courses.

Golf	Disc golf
Crosswinds	Basil Griffin Park
Paul Walker	Hobson Grove Park
River View	KOA Kampground
Olde Stone	Lovers Lane Park
Bowling Green Country Club	Preston Miller Park
Indian Hills	Spero Kereiakes Park
Covington Woods	White Park
	William H. Natcher Elementary

Other attractions

Riverview Mansion at Hobson Grove Park.

William H. Natcher Federal Building and United States Courthouse.

• Beech Bend Park
• General Motors Assembly Plant
• National Corvette Homecoming
• Capitol Arts Center
• Cave Spring Caverns
• Eloise B. Houchens Center
• Historic Railpark at the L&N Depot
• Lost River Cave and Valley
• Riverview at Hobson Grove
• GADS (Great American Donut Shop)
• William H. Natcher Federal Building and United States Courthouse
• Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center (SkyPac)
• Low Hollow Bike Trail at Weldon Peete Park
• Corsair Artisan Distillery
• Civil War Discovery Trail
• Duncan Hines Scenic Byway
• Shake Rag Historic District
• Warren County Quilt Trail
• St.Joseph Historic District

Media

Refer to external links for respective media websites.

Print media

• The Amplifier - Southern Kentucky's Arts & Entertainment monthly since 1995
• Bowling Green Daily News
• Bowling Green Parent - A resource for families in the South Central Kentucky area
• Buy Local Bowling Green
• College Heights Herald - WKU student newspaper
• The Sporting Times - South-Central Kentucky's first area high school monthly publication
• Country Peddler
• Soky Happenings - A Guide to What's Happening In and Around Bowling Green KY

Television

• WBKO ABC Channel 13
• WKYU PBS Channel 24
• WNKY NBC Channel 40
• WKGB PBS/KET Channel 53
• Insight Communications (Cable Operator)

Digital Broadcast

• WBKO ABC Channel 13.1 1080i
• WBKO Fox Channel 13.2 480i
• WBKO CW Channel 13.3 480i
• WNKY NBC Channel 40.1 1080i
• WNKY CBS Channel 40.2 480i
• WKYU PBS Channel 24.1 480i
• WKYU Create Channel 24.2 480i
• WKGB PBS Channel 53.1 KET1 480i
• WKGB PBS Channel 53.2 KET2 480i
• WKGB PBS Channel 53.3 KETKY The Kentucky Channel 480i

Radio

• AM 930 WKCT - News/Talk
• AM 1340 WBGN - The Ticket(Fox Sports Radio)
• AM 1450 WWKU - ESPN Radio
• FM 88.1 WAYFM - WAYFM
• FM 88.9 WKYU - Western Kentucky University Public Radio
• FM 90.7 WCVK - Christian Family Radio
• FM 91.7 WWHR - "Revolution" WKU's student radio station
• FM 93.3 WDNS - Bowling Green's Classic Rock Station
• FM 95.1 WGGC - Goober 95.1 - Country
• FM 96.7 WBVR - The Beaver - Country (licensed to Auburn, Kentucky)
• FM 100.7 WKLX - Sam 100.7 - Classic Hits (licensed to Brownsville, Kentucky)
• FM 103.7 WHHT - Howdy 103.7 - Country (licensed to Cave City, Kentucky)
• FM 105.3 WPTQ - The Point - Classic / Active Rock (licensed to Glasgow, Kentucky)
• FM 106.3 WOVO - Wovo106.3 - Adult Contemporary (licensed to Horse Cave, Kentucky)
• FM 107.1 WUHU - Woohoo - Top 40 (licensed to Smiths Grove, Kentucky)

Nearby cities and communities

County communities

Allen Springs	Alvaton	Blue Level	Browning
Cavehill	Drake
Oakland, Kentucky	Petros	Plano	Plum Springs
Richardsville	Rich Pond	Rockfield	Smiths Grove	Woodburn

Neighboring cities

Brownsville	Franklin	Glasgow
Morgantown	Russellville	Scottsville

Notable residents

• Cage the Elephant – indie-rock band.
• Cord of 3 – a Christian rock group
• Sleeper Agent – an indie-rock band
• Thomas Lilbourne Anderson – U.S. Representative from Missouri
• Ben Bailey – comedian and host of TV game show Cash Cab
• Sam Bush – musician
• Athena Cage – musician
• Chris Carmichael – musician
• John Carpenter – film director
• Rex Chapman – former professional basketball player, played for the Kentucky Wildcats in college, played professionally for the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Bullets, Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns. Vice president of player personnel with the Denver Nuggets.
• Jefferson Davis – President of the Confederate States of America
• David F. Duncan – epidemiologist and drug policy consultant in the Clinton Administration
• Cage the Elephant – a rock band, all graduates of Greenwood High School
• Frances Fowler – painter
• Foxhole – instrumental post-rock group
• Dorothy Grider – artist and illustrator of children's books
• Henry Grider – U.S. Representative
• Brett Guthrie – U.S. Representative
• Mordecai Ham – Christian evangelist and pastor of the Burton Memorial Baptist Church early in the 20th century
• Corey Hart – Milwaukee Brewers right fielder, 2008 and 2010 MLB All Star
• Duncan Hines – food critic and cookbook author
• Hillbilly Jim – professional wrestler
• Larry Jones – founder of Feed The Children
• Ben Keith – American pedal steel guitarist, solo musician and producer
• Paul Kilgus – former professional baseball player
• John D. Minton, Jr. – Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court
• Doug Moseley – former United Methodist clergyman and former state senator
• Thomas Nicholson – Professor at Western Kentucky University. Authority on drug abuse and drug policy who was on the shortlist of candidates to become President Obama's Director of National Drug Control Policy.
• Rand Paul – ophthalmologist and U.S. Senator; son of U.S. Representative Ron Paul from Texas
• Deborah Renshaw – NASCAR driver
• Robert Reynolds – former professional football player
• Jody Richards – former Speaker of the House in Kentucky and current Kentucky State Congressman
• Nappy Roots – a platinum album selling rap group
• Lisa Sparxxx – adult film star
• Zachary Stevens – vocals Savatage
• Morning Teleportation – a psychedelic rock band
• Ann-Blair Thornton – Miss Kentucky 2011
• Chris Turner – former professional baseball player

Sister city

Bowling Green has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan
• Erfurt, Germany

Legacy

The cities named Bowling Green in Ohio and Florida were named after Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Pop culture

- Many songs take their inspiration from Bowling Green, most famously 1967's "Bowling Green" by the Everly Brothers. This song was covered by Neko Case in 1997.

- Bowling Green was the site of a railroad station that gave rise to a famous court case, Black and White Taxicab Co. v. Brown and Yellow Taxicab Co. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. dissented and the case was mentioned and superseded by Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, a case famous for its doctrine and pervasiveness in Civil Procedure classes in law schools in the U.S.

Further reading

• Hall, Eliza Calvert (October 1937). "Bowling Green and the Civil War". Filson Club Historical Quarterly 11 (4). Retrieved 2011-11-29. 

External links

• City website
• Bowling Green Daily News
• Bowling Green City Schools
• Warren County Public Library
• Ivan Downs Neighborhood