Historic Railpark and Train Museum (Bowling Green, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bowling Green, KY
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| inter-city rail station | ||
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 | ||
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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 Historic Railpark and Train Museum, once known as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Station, is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This special building used to be a busy train station. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. The station you see today opened in 1925. It was the third train station built by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in Bowling Green.
Contents
History of the Bowling Green Station
The very first train station in Bowling Green was built in 1858. This was even before the L&N train tracks reached Bowling Green. The train line from Nashville arrived in Bowling Green on August 10, 1859. The full line between 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 Civil War, the young L&N railroad became very important. It was a key point for both the North and the South. Kentucky was a crucial state in the war. President Lincoln once said that losing Kentucky would be like losing the whole war. Bowling Green was important because it was close to the Confederate state of Tennessee.
The L&N railroad had branches just south of Bowling Green. These routes went 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 (North) and Confederate (South) lands.
When the Confederate soldiers had to leave Bowling Green in February 1862, they burned down parts of the city. They also burned the train station and any supplies they couldn't take with them. The Union soldiers then took over the city. They built a new train station. It was made of wood and served the railroad and people of Bowling Green for many years.
Challenges and Growth
In 1878, a serious sickness called malaria spread from New Orleans to Memphis, Tennessee. People from Memphis wanted to escape the sickness by train. But people in other towns would not let them get off the train. Bowling Green's station was the first place they could leave the train. Huge bonfires were lit to try and stop the sickness from spreading. The evacuation from Memphis lasted a few days until Memphis was put under quarantine.
By the 1880s, the wooden train station was getting too small. It also needed many repairs. However, the president of the L&N, Milton H. Smith, refused to build a new station. This was because citizens of Bowling Green had started a competing railroad. It was called the Bowling Green & Ohio.
As a result, Milton Smith moved the railroad's main operations to Paris, Tennessee. This caused economic problems for Bowling Green. Milton Smith died in 1921. The current, beautiful train station opened on October 2, 1925. It was built using limestone from a local quarry in Warren County, Kentucky.
In the early 1900s, many local farm goods were shipped from Bowling Green's station. These included strawberries and tobacco. Building stone and oil from local mines were also shipped. This made Bowling Green's L&N station the biggest employer in Warren County. In the 1930s and 1940s, over 30 passenger trains stopped at the Bowling Green station every day. Many freight trains also passed through.
Famous Trains that Stopped Here
Several well-known trains made stops at the Bowling Green station:
- Azalean: This train traveled from Cincinnati to New Orleans. It had a connection to New York City. One part of its route also went to Memphis.
- Humming Bird: This train also went from Cincinnati to New Orleans.
- Pan-American: This train connected Cincinnati to New Orleans. It also had a connection to New York City. Like the Azalean, one branch went to Memphis.
The End of Passenger Service
In 1957, the Transportation Act was signed. This led to the creation of a national highway system. Also, air travel became very popular. Because of this, fewer people rode trains in the 1960s. Amtrak took over intercity train service in 1971. They reduced service to just one train, the Floridian. This train went from Chicago to Miami or St. Petersburg. The very last passenger train left the Bowling Green depot on October 6, 1979.
Preserving the Station
The depot was left empty for many years. It was owned by different private owners. But a group of people who cared about the building saved it from being torn down. In 1997, they gave ownership to the local government. Money for repairs came from a federal program. The Depot Development Authority (DDA) was created to manage the twelve-year renovation project. Operation P.R.I.D.E., a local beautification group, helped with daily tasks.
In 1999, the Bowling Green Public Library opened Kentucky's first Digital Library in the old train platform area. In 2002, the new Historic Rail Committee placed its first railcar on display behind the depot. In 2007, the library moved its services. Operation P.R.I.D.E. joined the City offices. The Friends of L&N Depot (the new name for the Historic Rail Committee) opened its museum and gift shop.
The Friends of L&N Depot, Inc. is a non-profit group. They manage the building today. The DDA finished its work and was closed in 2008.
The Historic Railpark and Train Museum
The L&N depot is now home to The Historic Railpark and 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 docents (guides) give tours of the railcars. These tours include some very rare railroad equipment.
Here are some of the historic train cars you can see at the museum:
- L&N #796 locomotive: This is a replica of the powerful E8A locomotives ordered by the L&N from General Motors.
- L&N #1107 Railway Post Office car: This car was used to sort mail while the train was moving. It is one of only two L&N RPOs left and one of only four complete RPOs in the whole US.
- "Duncan Hines" Dining Car: This car was originally a Southern Pacific dining car. It was renamed after an original L&N dining car.
- L&N #3467 "Towering Pine" Pullman car: This is a sleeping car. It is one of only two L&N "Pine sleeper series" cars still existing.
- 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 is one of only four left from the 200 cars made for the US Army in 1942.
- L&N #109: This car is from before 1911. It is one of only five known 3-section Jim Crow segregation cars. It was used by the Glasgow Railway Company.
- L&N #6497: This was formerly a Chessie System caboose.
The museum also has an amazing permanent model railroad exhibit. It is built by the sHOw Modular Model Railroad Club. The museum also hosts the "Festival of Trains" every year in December.
