Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009 population of 120,595. Bowling Green was founded in 1798 after Robert and George Moore donated an additional 30 acre to 40 acre to the Warren County trustees. The land surrounded the 2 acre plot they had donated for the construction of public buildings. Bowling Green was the provisional capital of the Confederate government of Kentucky. In 2003, Bowling Green with its surrounding communities was designated as a "metropolitan area".

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.

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 around 1794. In 1798, only two years after Warren County had been formed, Robert Moore donated 2 acre of land to county trustees for the purpose of constructing public buildings. Soon after, he donated an additional 30 acre to 40 acre surrounding the original plot. The city of Bowling Green was officially incorporated by the state of Kentucky on March 6, 1798.

The origin 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 the American Civil War. Because of its prime location and resources, both the Union and Confederacy sought control of the city. The majority of residents took the side of the Confederacy. On September 18, 1861, to the delight of the Bowling Green residents, the Confederacy succeeded in occupying 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 provisional 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 treatment by federal authorities during the war led to bitterness among Bowling Green residents toward the Union and 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


In 2002, 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. Ground has not yet been broken for the Fountain Square Market.

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 ft above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92.1 km²), of which, 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.45%) is water.

Climate
Bowling Green has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,296 people, 19,277 households, and 10,698 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,392.3 people per square mile (537.5/km²). There were 21,290 housing units at an average density of 601.3 per square mile (232.1/km²). 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. Hispanics or Latinos 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 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 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.

Economy


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, 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 Fruit of the Loom/Russell Brands, Eagle Industries, Camping World, Trace Die Cast, andHouchens Industries, Inc. 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 is corporate headquarters in Eden Prairie, MN although the largest part of its day-to-day operations are in Bowling Green making it a very important part of the local economy.

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 has 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.

Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the city are:

Religious schools

 * Anchored Christian School - Preschool through 12th grade Baptist Christian school
 * Bowling Green Christian Academy - Preschool through 8th grade non-denominational Christian school
 * Foundation Christian Academy - Preschool through 8th grade Church of Christ Christian school
 * Holy Trinity Lutheran - Preschool through 6th grade Lutheran Christian school
 * Old Union School - Preschool through 12th grade Christian school
 * 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
 * Richardsville
 * Rockfield
 * T.C. Cherry
 * W.R. McNeill
 * Warren
 * 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



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
 * Bowling Green Technical College
 * Daymar College
 * Western Kentucky University

Public library


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. 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 ft 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.

Major highways

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

Other highways

 * Elongated circle 185.svgcky State Route 185
 * Elongated circle 234.svgcky State Route 234
 * Elongated circle 242.svgcky State Route 242
 * Elongated circle 880.svgcky State Route 880

Parks and recreation
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department administers 895 acre 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.

Parks

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


 * 'Basil Griffin - 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




 * 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


 * 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 opening on Lover's Lane behind Warren County Public School main office.  Approximate open date is December.

Museums

 * 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.


 * 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 hosted the first WWE event to be held in Bowling Green in over ten years.

Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers football won the Division 1-AA Championship in 2002. WKU's men's basketball team has a storied past and is one of the winningest teams, in both total victories and winning percentage, in the history of Division I college basketball.

Bowling Green has always been a place known for good high school athletics. Most recently the Bowling Green High School Purples Cheer Team won the state Championship known as KAPOS in the Large Co-Ed division. Along with a football team advancing to the 2007 Class AAAAA State Championship and the 2006 and 2005 AAA State Championship. 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.

The city and surrounding area could be considered an inline/roller hockey hotspot. It 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.

The Kentucky Bisons of the American Basketball Association were based in Bowling Green, although they played their home games in Owensboro. The Bisons won the 2008 ABA Championship. In 2010, they announced they would suspend operation.

Golf courses


Bowling Green has seven golf and eight disc golf courses.

Other attractions



 * 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)

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
 * Buy Local Bowling Green
 * College Heights Herald - WKU student newspaper
 * The Sporting Times - South-Central Kentucky's first area high school monthly pub.
 * 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
 * WKGB PBS Channel 53.1 KET1 480i
 * WKGB PBS Channel 53.2 KET2 480i
 * WKGB PBS Channel 53.3 KET3 480i
 * WKGB PBS Channel 53.4 KET4 480i/1080i PBS HD
 * WKGB PBS Channel 53.5 KET5 480i KY House
 * WKGB PBS Channel 54.6 KET6 480i KY Senate

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 - Country95 - Country
 * FM 96.7 WBVR - The Beaver - Country (licensed to Auburn)
 * FM 100.7 WKLX - Sam 100.7 - Classic Hits (licensed to Brownsville)
 * FM 103.7 WPTQ - The Point - Classic/Active Rock (licensed to Cave City)
 * FM 105.3 WOVO - My 1053 - Adult Contemporary (licensed to Glasgow)
 * FM 107.1 WUHU - Woohoo - Hot A/C (licensed to Smiths Grove)

Notable residents

 * Sleeper Agent
 * Thomas Lilbourne Anderson - (1808–1885), born in Bowling Green, United States Congressman from Missouri
 * Ben Bailey - comedian, host of TV game show Cash Cab
 * Sam Bush - musician
 * Athena Cage - musician
 * Cage the Elephant - an indie-rock band
 * Morning Teleportation - a psychedelic rock band
 * John Carpenter - film director
 * Rex Chapman - retired American 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 to President Clinton.
 * Frances Fowler - painter.
 * Foxhole - instrumental post-rock group
 * Dorothy Grider - artist and illustrator of children's books
 * Henry Grider a United States Representative from Kentucky.
 * 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 (born February 2, 1962 in Bowling Green, Kentucky), a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1987–1991 and 1993. Paul is now the coach for the Bowling Green Junior High baseball team.
 * Doug Moseley - retired United Methodist clergyman and member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1974–1987
 * Robert Reynolds - retired NFL Titans 2004-2008
 * Nappy Roots - a platinum album selling rap group
 * 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 current Junior U.S. Senator from Kentucky; son of Congressman and two-time Presidential candidate Ron Paul
 * Deborah Renshaw - NASCAR driver
 * Jody Richards - Former Speaker of the House in Kentucky and current Kentucky State Congressman
 * Zachary Stevens - vocals Savatage
 * Lisa Sparxxx - adult film star
 * Dr. Janey Thornton - Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture in the Obama admnistration; B.S., WKU
 * Chris Turner - former professional baseball player
 * Brett Guthrie - current United States Congressman for the 2nd District

Sister city
Bowling Green has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
 * 🇯🇵 Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan

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.