Experience Historic Bowling Green and Warren County!

GOAL: Walk the most cumulative miles during the months of March and April while experiencing several different historical sites in and around Bowling Green.

Walk around any suggested historical site or area (in any order) listed for AT LEAST the required number of miles, but as many as you wish. Each site may be walked and counted only once.

Submit your miles walked with a GPS verified App (Strava, Garmin, Apple Fitness, etc) each day and which site you walked past by texting to Cindy Brandt at 270-303-3993. Winners determined April 30th by overall number of miles walked in the months of March and April and prizes awarded to top 3 walkers the first week of May! Additional prize drawn from all those walking at 20 or more historic sites

Text your name any time to Cindy at 270-303-3993 to enter and then start walking
(after March 1) at any of the historical sites as many miles desired but at least the required miles listed on the Google Sheet below.

Walk 3mi or more

1320 Park Street

This antebellum home owned by a Union sympathizer, was captured by the Confederate Army. A garrison of soldiers as stationed to protect this house, which served as Kentucky's Confederate Capitol Building. It was into the residence of the Confederate Governor, and provisional government mectings took place there aswell. This hill also contained a "lunette fort" and three mounted cannons.

Walk 3mi or more

2818 Nashville Rd

Lost River Cave and Valley served as a camp for both Union and Confederate troops in this area. Lost River offered a natural water suppl and the beauty of the cave provided providedaa diversion from the ugliness of war. On one of his "lightning raids" into Kentucky John Hunt Morgan allegedly hid in the cave when escaping from pursuing troops.

Walk 2mi or more

429 E 10th Street

The Warren County Courthouse in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has a rich history that dates back to its construction in 1867-1869. Designed by architect D.J. Williams, the courthouse incorporates elements from the Greek Revival and Italianate architectural styles. It was the third courthouse for Warren County, following the first log structure and the second brick building. The courthouse was noted for its landmark clock tower and massive Corinthian columns handcrafted from local oolitic limestone.
The courthouse served as the venue for various social activities, including midnight card games by prominent lawyers and election day gatherings to hear the latest results being announced. The courthouse's exterior has remained much as it did in 1869, with exterior alterations including replacement windows and the reconstruction of the cupola following fire damage in 1911 and 1930.

Walk 4mi or more

101 1st Street E Smiths Grove

Smiths Grove, an antique shoppers' paradise, welcomes you to its quiet, historic community in one of the richest agricultural sections of Warren County. An important railroad town in its earlier days (1859-1950s) when the famous L&N Line ran through the area and contributed greatly to its growth, it currently claims just under 1,000 residents, making it Warren County's second largest city. Many historic buildings, churches and homes remain with architecturally significant designs, several of which are on the National Register, including the former Farmers Bank, 108 1st street E. Dave and James R. Kirby hired an itinerant stone mason  to construct the Farmer’s Bank building in 1894. The limestone building is simple in form – a one-story, front gable structure – but the facade details are delightful. Two stone turrets bookend the stepped parapet on the facade, with a central entablature bearing the name “Farmer’s Bank” above the double entry doors and paired windows. The building was closed as a bank in 1931 but has been a Smiths Grove Post office, Attorney offices, and antique store and is now a cafe.

Walk 4mi or more

201 State Street

Shake Rag Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to African-American history in Bowling Green, and is home to various historic sites. The neighborhood was established by African-Americans in the 1800s. The historical marker placed at 201 State St in 2004 reads: "SHAKE RAG: This African American community was founded in the 1800s. Bordered by the river and High, KY., and 7th Sts, the area grew to include hundreds of residents, two schools, businesses, and churches. The architecture of Shake Rag shows a growing middle-class community." The reverse reads: "The lives of residents revolved around church, school, and family activities. The congregation that became State Street Baptist was organized in 1838. State Street School was founded in 1883; the Carver Center began in 1946. The Southern Queen Hotel served black travelers. Shake Rag is a reminder of progress residents made despite social and economic hardship."

Walk 3mi or more

1825 Three Springs Road

A memorial to all distinguished aviators who have called South Central Kentucky home, Aviation Heritage Park currently features restored military aircraft with very compelling ties to local aviators as well as their own interesting stories. The site features a UH-1 Huey Helicopter, and a F-4D Phantom II 550 with historic significance. Brigadier General Dan Cherry, a Bowling Green native, was at the controls on April 16, 1972 when he shot down a North Vietnamese Mig-21 during the Vietnam War. An amazing story of reconciliation regarding this fateful day is told by Cherry in the book, "My Enemy, My Friend". Other aircrafts include a F-111 flown in the 1986 USAF raid on Libya, a Blue Angels Navy F9F-5 Panther, a T-33 Shooting Star, a Piper Club, and a NASA T-38 Talon flown by 82 of 85 astronauts in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame!

Walk 4mi or more

9191 Nashville Road

Chaney's Dairy Barn & Restaurant offers premium, homemade ice cream made with milk & cream from our Jersey cows! We have been recognized as #1 Ice Cream Parlor in Kentucky in USA Today's Top Parlors in 50 States and Best Ice Cream in Bowling Green. We also offer delicious homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers and more served daily for lunch & dinner. We have many fun, family events throughout the year including our popular Ice Cream & a Moovie outdoor summer series - named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, our Dairy Month celebration Miss Glimmer Day in June, Corn Maze in the fall & Breakfast with Santa in December! Chaney's Dairy Barn is located on the Chaney family farm... a family farm since 1888 and a dairy farm since 1940. We offer educational farm tours to school/civic groups from April-October.

Walk 2mi or more

350 Corvette Drive

The National Corvette Museum showcases the Chevrolet Corvette an American sports car that has been in production since 1953. It is located near the General Motors Assebly Plant where Corvettes are manufactured. It was constructed in 1994. It was opened to the public in September of that year. On February 12, 2014, a sinkhole opened under the floor of the Skydome area of the museum at around 5:44 AM local time, causing a portion of the floor to collapse. Kentucky is one of the many states that is notable for having karst topography. Karst topography is the landscape that is formed from the dissolving of rocks such as limestone. In the museum's case, the sinkhole was caused by the dissolving of the limestone in the ground which caused pockets to open underneath the surface. Eventually, the weight of the building caused the top layer of soil to collapse. Eight rare and one-of-a-kind Corvettes, portions of the display stands, rails, large concrete floor, slabs and dirt fell into the sinkhole, causing serious damage to some of the Corvettes. The Corvettes involved have an estimated value of a million dollars. The remaining 20 cars in the Skydome were immediately removed from that area. Between March 3, 2014, and March 6, 2014, 5 of the 8 Corvettes were recovered from the sinkhole. The spire area of the Skydome was reinforced before work started on removing the final three buried cars. Multiple multigravity tests were done to ensure that another sinkhole wasn't present or in the making. The results came back clear which allowed for the construction work to begin. For an added precaution, micropiles, or systems of steel rods, were inserted into the ground before the concrete was repoured to help give the building more support. The museum reopened the day after the sinkhole appeared.

Walk 4mi or more

1906 College Heights Blvd

Van Meter Hall was the first building constructed on the campus of Western Kentucky University. Constructed in 1911, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This historic building underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2008. The Auditorium seats nearly 1,100 people and hosts concerts, theater performances, and public events.
Van Meter was Louisville architect Brinton B. Davis' first project at WKU. When completedin 1911, it was one of the largest buildings between Nashville and Louisville. A student who first saw the campus in 1913 thought Van Meter "the biggest building in the world," a perception accentuated by its position atop a commanding hill. Resembling the Acropolis' Erectheion Temple, Davis lavished the "rotunda" of Van Meter with beautifully fluted pilasters, a stained glass skylight and French marble. Visitors and students enjoy the view from its steps and the nearby fountain.
Van Meter contains various administrative offices and a 1,000-seat auditorium for campus and community events.

Walk 2mi or more

416 E Main Street

The Capitol has been an important part of the cultural fabric of Bowling Green for over 100 years. It had long been said that it began its life as a vaudeville house in the late 1890s, but deeper research shows that the property at 416 E. Main was listed as a saloon and restaurant at that time. The first picture show business to operate at this address, the Columbia Theatre, opened in 1911. The Capitol Theatre, managed by the Nashville-based Crescent Amusement Company, replaced the Columbia in 1921. In 1938, the building went through an extensive renovation and expansion. For many years, in addition to its primary role as a movie house, the downtown theater also hosted community events and leased space to local businesses and organizations. Following a decline in use, the Capitol stopped showing movies in 1972. After remaining largely vacant for a number of years, the building was purchased in 1977 by a visionary group of citizens formerly known as the Bowling Green-Warren County Arts Commission. Following a $1.3 million renovation, the Capitol Arts Center reopened its doors to the community in September 1981 and was managed by the Capitol Arts Alliance for 30 years.

Walk 3mi or more

445 E Main Street

Fountain Square - prohibitionists have marched around it, trolleys have encircled it, parades of all types-circus, military, historical, homecoming, Irish, political and patriotic- have taken place around it, scrap drives headquartered here, Civil War soldiers knew this place, hundreds of farm animals have been sold here as well as fine horses, pageants have been held here, veterans were welcomed home here, people have sold and traded every kind of item imaginable here, and buildings here have come and gone. No one familiar with local history can deny that Fountain Square is Bowling Green's touchstone to its past; it is certainly the community's most endearing and enduring landmark. Robert Moore, one of the area's earliest citizens, donated two acres to Warren County for public buildings in 1797. On this site a log courthouse was erected, and shortly thereafter the county added a log jail, a stock and pillory, a log clerk's office and a log market house. Around 1813 a new red brick courthouse was erected and crowned with a white cupola. After the Civil war, county citizens made demands for a new courthouse. It is unclear why it was not erected on this site, but the city purchased a lot on the corner of Plain and Bridge Streets (10th and College) and traded that property for the old square. A consensus was reached to create a park out of the old square. However work had to await the completion of the new courthouse. The sale of $6,000 in bonds financed the park project. John Cox Underwood, an architect/engineer and the second mayor of Bowling Green, drew up a plan for the park in 1870. Underwood had planned to have the park extend from Main Street to the new courthouse (occupying all of present Frozen Row or Park Row), but limited funds reduced the grandiose scheme to the present park site. Charles Ott, a local stone mason who carved one of the Corinthian columns on the new courthouse, was given the contract to build a two-tiered limestone fountain and reflection pool. A portion of the original fountain is now on display on the back lawn of Historic Riverview at Hobson Grove. In March 1872, the sexton from Fairview Cemetery was employed to plant trees and shrubs in the park. In April the new fountain and four statues representing the four seasons were placed in the park, and on April 23 the water was turned on. In early May 1872 the city's trustees officially christen the area "Fountain Park. At the park's dedication, Henry Watterson, the editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, applauded the City's new common, calling it an "enchanting green gem." He further lauded Bowling Green's new courthouse, new waterworks, new cemetery and new roads and bridges. Watterson praised the beauty of the new park and toasted: "May its grass never be stained or blighted. May the music of its fountain...be always the music of peace and love. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Within less than ten years, the fountain had deteriorated to the point that it had to be replace. In 1881 the city trustees, in consultation with Mayor H.C. Hines, purchased a 6,000 pound precast fountain from the J.L. Mott Ironworks of New York City for $1,500. The new piece was crowned by Antonio Canova's (the original sculptor) Hebe, the goddess of youth. The old fountain was disassembled and portions sold at auction, and the new one was installed in May 1881. Near identical fountains are located in Memphis, Tennessee's Court Square and in Montgomery, Alabama. The statues surrounding the fountain represent the mythological figures of Ceres (goddess of grain), Pomona (goddess of fruit), Melpomene (goddess of tragedy) and Flora (goddess of flowers.) The Fiske Company of New York cast the four statues as well as the two urns at the east and west ends of the park. They are mounted on locally quarried limestone. At the north and south entrances to the park are two arched memorial entries also of Bowling Green limestone.

Walk 3mi or more

900 High Street

Fort C. F. Smith was a bastion fort constructed in Warren County between 1861 and 1865, as part of the American Civil War defenses of Bowling Green. It was named in honor of General Charles Ferguson Smith who died from a leg infection that was aggravated by dysentery on April 25, 1862. Part of a series of fortifications built to defend the city of Bowling Green, Fort C.F. Smith initially began construction under the supervision of the Confederate States of America, who occupied the city between September 1861 and February 1862. Construction was completed under the supervision of the Union Army after the city was captured by Union forces on February 15, 1862. The city of Bowling Green served as an important military stronghold for both Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The city's position between Louisville, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad made it a strategic defensive position midway along the Confederate line between Kentucky and Tennessee. Fort C.F. Smith was completed in 1862 under the supervision of General Ormsby M. Mitchel and Colonel Benjamin Harrison, future 23rd President of the United States. Now, only about 10% of Fort C.F. Smith remains intact.  
Known by the locals as Hospital Hill, Reservoir Hill Park can be quickly located by looking for the patriotic painted water tower. The park is comprised of a hilly terrain overlooking miles of Bowling Green and is described as a bastion fort designed to withstand attack from any location.