Bowling Green station (Louisville and Nashville Railroad) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bowling Green, KY
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The historic Louisville and Nashville Railroad station in 2008
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| Location | 401 Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky USA |
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| Coordinates | 37°0′0″N 86°26′17″W / 37.00000°N 86.43806°W | |
| History | ||
| Opened | 1925 | |
| Closed | 1979 | |
| Former services | ||
| Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 236: Unknown line "Floridian (1971–1979)".
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Louisville and Nashville Railroad Station
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| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Colonial Revival | |
| MPS | Warren County MRA | |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003519 | |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1979 | |
The Bowling Green station was once a busy train station in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It opened in 1925. This building was actually the third train station built by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) in Bowling Green.
A Look Back: The Station's Story
Early Days: Trains Arrive in Bowling Green
The very first train station in Bowling Green was built in 1858. This was even before the L&N train tracks reached the city! The train line from Nashville arrived in Bowling Green on August 10, 1859. The full line connecting Louisville and Nashville was finished on October 18, 1859. About 10,000 people from Nashville celebrated this big event.
The Civil War and the Railroad
During the American Civil War, the L&N railroad became very important. Kentucky was a key state in the war. President Lincoln once said that losing Kentucky would be like losing the whole war. Bowling Green was important to both sides. It was close to the Confederate state of Tennessee. The L&N had branches south of Bowling Green. These led to Clarksville, Tennessee, and to Memphis, Tennessee. This opened up paths for war plans in the western part of the country.
By 1863, the L&N was the only railroad that crossed both Union and Confederate areas. The L&N's president, James Gutherie, had a difficult relationship with the U.S. War Department. After the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky sided with the Union. This helped secure the L&N's future.
A New Station After the War
When Confederate soldiers left Bowling Green in February 1862, they burned parts of downtown. They also burned the train station and any supplies they couldn't take. Union soldiers then took over the city. They built a new wooden train station. This building served the railroad and the people of Bowling Green for many years.
A Time of Sickness and Travel
In 1878, a sickness spread from New Orleans to Memphis, Tennessee. People in Memphis wanted to escape the outbreak. They boarded L&N trains. However, people in other towns would not let them get off the train. Bowling Green's station was the first place they could leave. Large campfires were built to try and stop the sickness from spreading. The evacuation of Memphis lasted a few days. Then, Memphis was put under a strict health watch.
Building the Third Station
By the 1880s, the wooden train station was too small. It also needed many repairs. However, the L&N president, Milton H. Smith, refused to build a new station. This was because citizens had started a competing railroad. This new railroad was called the Bowling Green & Ohio. It was planned to run east to Scottsville. It would connect with another railroad out of Gallatin, Tennessee.
In response, Milton Smith moved the L&N's main operations to Paris, Tennessee. This caused economic problems for Bowling Green. Milton Smith passed away in 1921. The current train station then opened with a big celebration on October 2, 1925. It was built using limestone from a local quarry in Warren County, Kentucky.
In 1928, the L&N Railroad made a special deal with one taxi company. This company was the only one allowed to pick up riders at the station. A rival taxi company sued, saying this was an unfair business practice. The case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In Black and White Taxicab and Transfer Company v. Brown and Yellow Taxicab and Transfer Company, the court decided that the contract was legal.
A Busy Hub for Goods and People
By the early 1900s, many local farm goods were shipped from Bowling Green's station. These included strawberries and tobacco. Building stone and oil mined nearby were also shipped. This made Bowling Green's L&N station the largest employer in Warren County.
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Bowling Green station was a stop for over 30 passenger trains every day. There were also many freight trains. The L&N and other railroads operated a famous train called the South Wind. This train also stopped in Bowling Green.
Major Trains That Stopped Here
- Azalean: Traveled from Cincinnati to New Orleans. It had a connection to New York City. One part of the line also went to Memphis.
- Humming Bird: Traveled from Cincinnati to New Orleans.
- Pan-American: Traveled from Cincinnati to New Orleans. It also had a connection to New York City. One part of the line also went to Memphis.
The End of Passenger Service
In 1957, the Transportation Act was signed. This law helped create the national interstate road system. Also, air travel became more popular. Because of these changes, fewer people rode trains in the 1960s.
Amtrak took over most long-distance train services in 1971. They reduced service to just one train, the Chicago-Miami/St. Petersburg Floridian. The very last passenger train left the Bowling Green station on October 6, 1979. The building was then added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.
Saving the Station
Bringing the Depot Back to Life
The train station was empty for many years. It was owned by different private groups. But a group of people who cared about the building saved it from being torn down. They gave ownership to the local government in 1997. Money for repairs came from a federal program.
A group called the Depot Development Authority (DDA) was formed. They oversaw the twelve-year repair project, which had five stages. A local beautification group, Operation P.R.I.D.E., helped manage the daily work.
In 1999, the Bowling Green Public Library opened Kentucky's first Digital Library. It was located in the old train platform area. In 2002, the Historic Rail Committee placed its first railcar on display tracks behind the station. In 2007, the library moved its services. Operation P.R.I.D.E. joined the City offices. The Friends of L&N Depot (formerly the Historic Rail Committee) opened its museum and gift shop.
Today, the Friends of L&N Depot, Inc., a non-profit group, manages the building. They work with the local government. The DDA finished its work and was closed in 2008.
The Historic RailPark & Train Museum
The L&N depot is now home to the Historic RailPark & Train Museum. It has a two-story museum in what used to be the waiting room for African American passengers. The original waiting room for white passengers is now used for special events.
Museum guides give tours of the train cars. These include some very rare railroad equipment.
Trains You Can See at the Museum
- L&N #796 locomotive: This is a replica of the powerful E8A locomotives that L&N ordered from General Motors.
- L&N #1107 Railway Post Office car: This car was used to sort mail while the train was moving. It's one of only two L&N RPOs left and one of only four complete RPOs in the entire U.S.
- "Duncan Hines" Dining Car: This car was originally a Southern Pacific dining car. It was renamed after the original L&N dining car.
- L&N #3467 "Towering Pine" Pullman: This is a sleeping car. It's one of only two remaining from the L&N's "Pine-series" sleeper cars.
- L&N #353 Office Car: Built in 1911, this is the oldest complete L&N equipment still around.
- Hospital Car #89456: This car was used to transport injured soldiers. It's one of only four left from the 200 cars ordered by the U.S. Army in 1942.
- L&N #109: This car is from before 1911. It's one of only five known 3-section Jim Crow segregation cars. It was used by the Glasgow Railway Company in Glasgow, KY.
- L&N #6497: This was once a Chessie System caboose.
The museum also has an amazing model railroad exhibit. It is run by the sHOw Modular Model Railroad Club. The museum also hosts the "Festival of Trains" every year on the first weekend in December.
