Editing Bowling Green, Kentucky

{{Use American English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Bowling Green, Kentucky
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Kentucky|City]]
| image_skyline      = Fountain Square Park, Bowling Green, Kentucky.JPG
| image_caption      = Fountain Square Park, 2008
| image_flag         = <!--Flag of Bowling Green, Kentucky.svg-->
| image_seal         = Seal_of_Bowling_Green,_Kentucky.svg
| nickname           = 
| image_map          = File:Warren County Kentucky Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Bowling Green Highlighted 2108902.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Bowling Green in Warren County, Kentucky
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = Kentucky#USA
| pushpin_label      = Bowling Green
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|58|54|N|86|26|40|W|region:US-KY_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = [[Kentucky]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Kentucky|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Warren County, Kentucky|Warren]]
| established_date   = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Todd Alcott
| area_total_sq_mi   = 40.65
| area_land_sq_mi    = 40.39
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.26
| elevation_ft       = 547
| population_total   = 72294
| population_rank    = Kentucky: [[List of cities in Kentucky|3rd]]
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 1789.81
| population_metro   = 179639 (US: [[Metropolitan statistical area|245th]])
| population_note    = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 42101-42104
| area_code          = [[Area codes 270 and 364|270 & 364]]
| website            = {{URL|http://www.bgky.org/}}
| footnotes          = 
| timezone           = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = −6
| timezone_DST       = [[Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −5
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 21-08902
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank2_name        = Highways
| blank2_info        = <!-- [[File:I-165.svg|25px|link=Interstate 165 in Kentucky]]-->
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-21.xlsx |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date= May 26, 2023}}</ref>
| population_est     = 76212
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_21.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 18, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 105.28
| area_land_km2      = 104.61
| area_water_km2     = 0.67
| population_density_km2 = 691.05
| population_footnotes = 
}}
[[File:ReservoirHill.jpg|thumb|The B.G.M.U. Water Tower atop Reservoir Hill is a local landmark visible from many parts of Bowling Green.]]
[[File:Warren County Justice Center.jpg|thumb|The Warren County Justice Center is the center of the local court system.(also the unofficial town hall) ]]

'''Bowling Green''' is a city in [[Warren County, Kentucky]], United States, and its [[county seat]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Its population was 72,294 as of the  [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], making it the [[List of cities in Kentucky|third-most populous city]] in the state, after [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] and [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2108902|access-date=December 12, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> The [[Bowling Green metropolitan area]] is the fourth-largest in the state and had a population of 179,639 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/files/SUB-EST2014_21.csv |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629211535/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/files/SUB-EST2014_21.csv |archive-date=June 29, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/files/CBSA-EST2014-alldata.csv |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504201817/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/files/CBSA-EST2014-alldata.csv |archive-date=May 4, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/files/CSA-EST2014-alldata.csv |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504012138/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/files/CSA-EST2014-alldata.csv |archive-date=May 4, 2015 }}</ref>

Founded by pioneers in 1798, Bowling Green was the provisional capital of [[Confederate government of Kentucky|Confederate Kentucky]] during the [[American Civil War]]. In the 21st century, it is the location of numerous manufacturers, including [[General Motors]], [[Spalding (company)|Spalding]], and [[Fruit of the Loom]]. The [[Bowling Green Assembly Plant]] has been the source of all [[Chevrolet Corvette]]s built since 1981. Bowling Green is also home to [[Western Kentucky University]] (or WKU for short), and the [[National Corvette Museum]].

==History==
===Settlement and incorporation===
The first Europeans known to have reached the area carved their names on beech trees near the river {{Circa|1775}}. By 1778, settlers established McFadden's Station on the north bank of the [[Barren River]].<ref name=bgky>City of Bowling Green. "[https://www.bgky.org/history/early-history Early History of Bowling Green]". Accessed July 22, 2013.</ref>

Present-day Bowling Green developed from homesteads erected by Robert<ref name=bgky/> and George Moore and General Elijah Covington, not the namesake of [[Covington, Kentucky|the town near Cincinnati]].

Some controversy exists over the source of the town's name. The city refers to the first county commissioners' meeting (1798), which named the town "Bolin Green" after the [[Bowling Green (New York City)|Bowling Green]] in New York City, where patriots had pulled down a statue of [[list of kings of the United Kingdom|King]] [[George III]] and used the lead to make bullets during the [[American Revolution]].<ref name=bgky/> According to the ''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'', the name was derived from [[Bowling Green, Virginia]], whence early migrants had come, or the personal "ball alley game" of founder Robert Moore.<ref>{{cite book |title=''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'' |chapter=Dictionary of Places: Bowling Green |publisher=Somerset Publishers |location=New York City |year=1987 |isbn=0-403-09981-1}}</ref>

===19th century===
By 1810, Bowling Green had 154 residents. Growth in [[steamboat]] commerce and the proximity of the Barren River increased Bowling Green's prominence.  In 1821, the [[Kentucky Legislature]] built a toll road between the town and [[Cloverport, Kentucky|Cloverport]] on the [[Ohio River]].<ref>{{cite book | first=John E. | last=Kleber | title=The Kentucky Encyclopedia | publisher=The University Press of Kentucky | issue=v. 1 | year=1992 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eFSK4o--M0C&dq=joe+huston+cloverport&pg=PA122 | isbn=0-8131-1772-0 |access-date=July 5, 2023 | page=122}}</ref> [[Canal lock]]s and dams on the Barren River made it much more navigable. In 1832, the first [[portage railway]] connected the river to the location of the current county [[courthouse]]. 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:
{{cquote|[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 Civil War. Because of its prime location and resources, however, both the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] and [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] sought control of the city. The majority of its residents rejected both the Confederacy and the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln]] administration. On September 18, 1861, around 1,300 Confederate soldiers arrived from Tennessee to occupy the city, placed under command of Kentucky native [[Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr.|General Simon Bolivar Buckner]]. The city's pro-Union feelings surprised the Confederate occupiers.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Baird|first1=Nancy Disher|last2=Carraco|first2=Carol Crowe|title=Bowling Green and Warren County: A Bicentennial History|date=1999|publisher=Liberty Printing|location=Bowling Green, KY|isbn=978-0932017048|page=13}}</ref> The Confederates fortified surrounding hills 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.<ref name="kye-confgov">{{cite book |editor=Kleber, John E. |others=Associate editors: [[Thomas D. Clark]], Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter |title=''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=[[Lexington, Kentucky]] |isbn=0-8131-1772-0 |chapter=Confederate State Government}}</ref>

On February 14, 1862, after receiving reports that [[Battle of Fort Henry|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 began 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 toward the Union among Bowling Green residents and increased sympathies with the [[Confederate States of America|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. In 1889, the first [[mule]]-drawn streetcars appeared in the city. The first electric streetcars 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stjosephschoolbg.org/aboutus.htm |title=Saint Joseph School – Contact/Directions |publisher=Stjosephschoolbg.org |access-date=May 31, 2013 |archive-date=June 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626220509/http://stjosephschoolbg.org/aboutus.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1884, the Southern [[Normal school|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 was 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.

===20th 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, having recently surpassed the [[University of Louisville]].

In 1906, Doctors [[Lillian H. South]], J. N. McCormack, and A.T. McCormack opened St. Joseph Hospital to provide medical and nursing care to the residents and students in the area.<ref name="Warren County Medical Society">{{cite web|url=http://www.warrencountymedicalsociety.org/Lillian%20South.htm |title=Dr Lillian Herald South |work=Warren County Medical Society official website |publisher=Warren County Medical Society |access-date=April 1, 2010 |location=Bowling Green, Kentucky |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728170535/http://www.warrencountymedicalsociety.org/Lillian%20South.htm |archive-date=July 28, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="Kentucky Medical Journal">''Kentucky State Medical Association''. (1913). Kentucky Medical Journal. Louisville, Ky: The Kentucky State Medical Association. page 160. [https://books.google.com/books?id=o5AMAAAAYAAJ&q=Lillian&pg=RA1-PA151 Accessed on 31 March 2010].</ref>

In 1925, the third and last [[Louisville and Nashville Railroad Station (Bowling Green, Kentucky)|Louisville and Nashville Railroad Station]] was opened. About 27 trains arrived daily at the depot. Intercity bus lines were also a popular form of travel. By the 1960s, railroad travel had dramatically declined in the face of competition from airlines and automobiles. The station has been adapted for use as a museum.

In 1940, a [[Union Underwear]] factory built in Bowling Green bolstered the city's economy significantly. During the 1960s, the city's population began to surpass that of [[Ashland, Kentucky|Ashland]], [[Paducah, Kentucky|Paducah]], and [[Newport, Kentucky|Newport]].

Downtown streets became a bottleneck 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 retail 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 (Kentucky)|Greenwood Mall]] came online. The city's limits began to stretch toward [[Interstate 65 in Kentucky|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]] and renamed [[Interstate_165_(Kentucky)|I-165]] in April 2019), was completed in the 1970s to connect Bowling Green and [[Owensboro, Kentucky|Owensboro]]. These vital transportation arteries attracted many industries to Bowling Green.

In 1981, [[General Motors]] moved its [[Chevrolet Corvette]] [[Bowling Green Assembly Plant|assembly plant]] from [[St. Louis, Missouri]], to Bowling Green. In the same year, the [[National Corvette Homecoming]] event was created: it is a large, annual gathering of Corvette owners, car parades, and related activities in Bowling Green. 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]].

===21st century===
[[File:BGChamber.JPG|thumb|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 the downtown Bowling Green area. The Downtown Redevelopment Authority was formed to plan redevelopment. Plans for the project incorporated Bowling Green's waterfront assets, as well as its 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.downtownbg.org/accomplishments/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509181336/http://www.downtownbg.org/accomplishments/|url-status=dead|title=The District - Accomplishments<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-date=May 9, 2008|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>

As of spring 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]].<ref>[http://www.theskypac.com/event/opening-night-vince-gill] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315023044/http://www.theskypac.com/event/opening-night-vince-gill|date=March 15, 2012}}</ref>  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, the project was not funded.

In 2011, the Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation expanded its efforts to develop land on the opposite side of [[Barren River]] from [[Mitch McConnell]] Park (which is located alongside the U.S. 31-W Bypass and the riverbank, between Louisville Road and Old Louisville Road), upriver to Peete Park. The new plans include use of the adjacent river for white-water sports—the stretch of river includes rapids rated on the [[International Scale of River Difficulty]] between Class II and Class IV—as well as a [[mountain biking]] trail, a bicycle [[pump track]], and a [[rock climbing]] area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bgriverfront.org|title=Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation|access-date=June 25, 2016}}</ref> Some of this facility will be located on a reclaimed landfill, which had served as Bowling Green's garbage dump for many years.

===2021 tornadoes===
During the early-morning hours of December 11, 2021, [[2021 Bowling Green tornadoes|two destructive tornadoes]] struck Bowling Green. The first was an [[Enhanced Fujita scale#Parameters|EF3]] tornado that heavily damaged or destroyed several buildings and homes and killed seventeen people.<ref name="bowlinggreenpns">{{cite report|author=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky|title=NWS Damage Survey for 12/11/2021 Tornado Event|url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSLMK&e=202112222005|publisher=Iowa Environmental Mesonet|date=December 22, 2021|accessdate=December 22, 2021}}</ref> The second tornado formed alongside the Main EF3 and caused additional damage on the southern and eastern parts of the city and was rated&nbsp;EF2.<ref>{{cite web|agency=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Louisville, Kentucky|title=NWS Damage Survey for 12/11/21 Tornado Event|url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSLMK&e=202112230117|publisher=Iowa Environmental Mesonet|date=December 22, 2021|accessdate=December 22, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography==
The [[Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport]] is {{convert|547|ft|m}} above sea level. Located in the [[Upland South]], according to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|35.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|35.4|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}}, or 0.45%, is covered by water.

===Neighboring cities===
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|-
| [[Brownsville, Kentucky|Brownsville]]
| [[Franklin, Kentucky|Franklin]]
| [[Glasgow, Kentucky|Glasgow]]
|-
| [[Morgantown, Kentucky|Morgantown]]
| [[Russellville, Kentucky|Russellville]]
| [[Scottsville, Kentucky|Scottsville]]
| [[Auburn, Kentucky|Auburn]]
|}

===Climate===
Bowling Green has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''Cfa''). The monthly daily average temperature ranges from {{convert|35.7|°F|1}} in January to {{convert|78.7|°F|1}} in July. On average, 41 days of {{convert|90|°F|0}}+ highs occur annually, and 11 days occur each winter when the high fails to rise above freezing. Annual precipitation is 47.51 in, with spring being slightly wetter; snowfall averages {{convert|8.4|in|cm|1}} per year. Extreme temperatures range from {{convert|−21|°F|0}} on January 23 and 24, 1963, up to {{convert|108|°F|0}} on July 28, 1930.

{{Weather box 
|location = Bowling Green, Kentucky (Warren County Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 92
|Apr record high F = 96
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 110
|Jul record high F = 113
|Aug record high F = 110
|Sep record high F = 105
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 88
|Dec record high F = 78
|year record high F = 113
| Jan avg record high F  = 66.9
| Feb avg record high F  = 71.5
| Mar avg record high F  = 79.0
| Apr avg record high F  = 84.3
| May avg record high F  = 89.2
| Jun avg record high F  = 94.7
| Jul avg record high F  = 96.2
| Aug avg record high F  = 97.0
| Sep avg record high F  = 93.2
| Oct avg record high F  = 85.9
| Nov avg record high F  = 76.6
| Dec avg record high F  = 68.3
| year avg record high F = 98.6
|Jan high F = 46.2
|Feb high F = 51.0
|Mar high F = 60.1
|Apr high F = 70.7
|May high F = 78.7
|Jun high F = 86.6
|Jul high F = 89.7
|Aug high F = 89.3
|Sep high F = 83.0
|Oct high F = 72.0
|Nov high F = 59.2
|Dec high F = 49.4
|year high F = 69.7
|Jan mean F = 37.2
|Feb mean F = 41.1
|Mar mean F = 49.2
|Apr mean F = 59.0
|May mean F = 68.0
|Jun mean F = 76.1
|Jul mean F = 79.7
|Aug mean F = 78.5
|Sep mean F = 71.4
|Oct mean F = 60.0
|Nov mean F = 48.4
|Dec mean F = 40.5
|year mean F = 59.1
|Jan low F = 28.3
|Feb low F = 31.1
|Mar low F = 38.3
|Apr low F = 47.3
|May low F = 57.2
|Jun low F = 65.6
|Jul low F = 69.7
|Aug low F = 67.7
|Sep low F = 59.9
|Oct low F = 48.0
|Nov low F = 37.6
|Dec low F = 31.6
|year low F = 48.5
| Jan avg record low F  = 7.5
| Feb avg record low F  = 12.9
| Mar avg record low F  = 20.2
| Apr avg record low F  = 30.3
| May avg record low F  = 40.7
| Jun avg record low F  = 52.1
| Jul avg record low F  = 59.2
| Aug avg record low F  = 56.6
| Sep avg record low F  = 44.3
| Oct avg record low F  = 31.3
| Nov avg record low F  = 21.2
| Dec avg record low F  = 14.2
| year avg record low F = 5.5
|Jan record low F = -21
|Feb record low F = −20
|Mar record low F = -6
|Apr record low F = 19
|May record low F = 30
|Jun record low F = 39
|Jul record low F = 46
|Aug record low F = 42
|Sep record low F = 33
|Oct record low F = 19
|Nov record low F = -7
|Dec record low F = −14
|year record low F = -21
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.64
|Feb precipitation inch = 4.07
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.54
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.81
|May precipitation inch = 5.03
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.51
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.28
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.89
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.64
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.63
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.73
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.35
|year precipitation inch = 50.12
|Jan snow inch = 3.3
|Feb snow inch = 3.3
|Mar snow inch = 1.1
|Apr snow inch = 0.2
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 1.2
|year snow inch = 9.1
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.3
|Feb precipitation days = 10.7
|Mar precipitation days = 11.9
|Apr precipitation days = 11.6
|May precipitation days = 11.8
|Jun precipitation days = 11.1
|Jul precipitation days = 11.0
|Aug precipitation days = 8.8
|Sep precipitation days = 8.0
|Oct precipitation days = 8.8
|Nov precipitation days = 9.5
|Dec precipitation days = 11.5
|year precipitation days = 126.0
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.1
|Feb snow days = 2.2
|Mar snow days = 0.7
|Apr snow days = 0.1
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 1.4
|year snow days = 6.5
|source 1 = [[NOAA]] (snow 1981–2010)<ref name=NOAA>
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lmk
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00093808&format=pdf
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
| title = Station: Bowling Green Warren CO AP, KY
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| access-date = June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00093808&format=pdf
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
| title = Station: Bowling Green Warren CO Airport, KY
| work = U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1981-2010)
| access-date = June 4, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1800 = 41
| 1810 = 154
| 1830 = 821
| 1870 = 4574
| 1880 = 5114
| 1890 = 7803
| 1900 = 8226
| 1910 = 9173
| 1920 = 9638
| 1930 = 12348
| 1940 = 14585
| 1950 = 18347
| 1960 = 28338
| 1970 = 36705
| 1980 = 40450
| 1990 = 40641
| 2000 = 49296
| 2010 = 58067
| 2020 = 72294
| estyear = 2022
| estimate = 74926
| estref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2022/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2022-POP-21.xlsx|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Kentucky: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date= May 26, 2023}}</ref>
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bowling Green city, Kentucky |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/bowlinggreencitykentucky |access-date=March 7, 2023 |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |publication-date=July 1, 2021}}</ref> of 2020, 72,294 people resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1808.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|racial makeup]] of the city was 64.3% White, 13.8% African American, 0.4% Native American, 8.0% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, and 7.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.6% of the population. The town also has the ninth largest Bosnian population in the United States.

Of the 27,504 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.3% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46% were not families. About 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 26.7% from 15 to 24, 27% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.6 years. Females made up 51.5% of the population and males made up 48.5%.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,044, and for families was $50,853. Males had a median income of $35,986 versus $28,271 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,302. About 20.9% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.7% of those under age 18.

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Bowling Green, Kentucky}}

==Economy==
[[File:Medical Center at Bowling Green, KY.JPG|thumb|The Medical Center, an ever-expanding part of Commonwealth Health Corporation, is one of the top employers in Bowling Green.]]

[[Western Kentucky University]] is the largest employer in Bowling Green; according to a 2022 report, WKU employed 3,274 people.<ref name=2022CAFR>{{cite report|url=https://www.bgky.org/files/29RB8pqY.pdf|chapter=Schedule 21: City of Bowling Green, Kentucky Principal Employers, Current Year and Nine Years Ago|title=Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2022|publisher=City of Bowling Green Department of Finance|access-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref> A 2011 study estimated that WKU salaries account for approximately 10% of all income earned in Warren County, which includes the city.<ref>[https://www.weku.org/education/2011-08-02/wku-impacts-bowling-green-at-672-million WKU Impacts Bowling Green at $672 Million], WEKU (August 2, 2011).</ref>

<!--Automotive sector-->
[[General Motors]]' [[Bowling Green Assembly Plant]], which opened in 1981, is located in the city; by 2023, the plant had produced approximately 1.1 million [[Chevrolet Corvette]]s.<ref>Jim Smart, [https://www.motortrend.com/features/1907-corvette-assembly-plant-bowling-green/ Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green], ''Motortrend'' (July 25, 2019).</ref><ref>Jake Foster, [https://www.wkyufm.org/news/2023-08-25/national-corvette-museum-celebrates-29th-anniversary-highlighting-corvette-legacy National Corvette Museum Celebrates 29th Anniversary, highlighting Corvette legacy], WKU Public Radio (August 25, 2023).</ref> As of 2022, GM employed approximately 1,100 people in Bowling Green.<ref name=2022CAFR/> The plant's workers are [[Labor unions in the United States|unionized]], belonging to [[United Auto Workers]] Local 2164.<ref>Jake Moore, [https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/uaw-local-2164-rallies-in-solidarity-with-fellow-auto-workers/article_65547b5e-d9de-5838-a9ba-8ffe3ef9254e.html UAW Local 2164 rallies in solidarity with fellow auto workers], ''Bowling Green Daily News'' (October 6, 2023).</ref><ref>Tucker Covey, [https://www.wnky.com/local-uaw-chapter-president-discusses-historic-strike/ Local UAW chapter president discusses historic strike], WNKY (September 15, 2023).</ref>

Auto supplier [[Holley Performance Products]] has manufactured products in Bowling Green since 1952, and has been headquartered in the city since 1994.<ref>[https://www.wbko.com/content/news/Holley-Performance-Products-to-invest-13-million-in-BG-creating-80-new-jobs-513458351.html Holley Performance Products to invest $13 million in BG, creating 80 new jobs], WBKO (July 1, 2019).</ref>  The Japan-based [[Kobe Steel|Kobe Steel Ltd.]] operates a large assembly plant in Bowling Green, manufacturing aluminum products used in [[car bumper]]s and [[Car frame|frames]] for the North American auto sector; construction of the plant began in 2016,<ref>[https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/kobe-aluminum-kentucky-new-facility-kpex/ Kobelco Aluminum breaks ground on extrusion plant], ''Recycling Today'' (August 10, 2016).</ref> and began operation in 2018.<ref>[https://www.lightmetalage.com/news/industry-news/extrusion/kpex-opening-ceremony-extrusion-facility/ KPEX Holds Opening Ceremony for Its Extrusion Facility in Kentucky], ''Light Metal Age'' (September 20, 2019).</ref> [[Camping World|Camping World Holdings Inc.]], an RV company, was founded in Bowling Green in 1966 by David Garvin, the owner of the [[Beech Bend Park|Beech Bend amusement park]]; the company maintains Bowling Green as one of three headquarters (the others being [[Lincolnshire, England]] and [[Denver, Colorado]]).<ref>Gary Gerard, [https://rvbusiness.com/camping-world-will-retain-links-with-bowling-green/ Camping World Will Retain Links With Bowling Green], ''RV Business'' (January 2, 2020).</ref> In 2022, [[Automotive Energy Supply Corporation|AESC]], a Japanese [[electric vehicle battery]] firm, announced plans to establish the Envision AESC plant at Bowling Green, creating an estimated 2,000 jobs in a $2 billion "[[gigafactory]]" investment.<ref>Bruce Schreiner, [https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-kentucky-bowling-green-89f5d275e3a8a02e4790bb049bda8053 Japanese e-vehicle battery company to build Kentucky plant], Associated Press (April 13, 2022).</ref>

<!--Non-automotive-->
Apparel manufacturer Union Underwear Co. LLC, [[doing business as]] [[Fruit of the Loom]], is headquartered in Bowling Green,<ref name=FOTL>[https://www.apnews.com/6cdc746e0c3f4e6ab1a029add29c407d Fruit of the Loom losing about 100 jobs, most in Kentucky], Associated Press (May 23, 2019).</ref> employing about 930 people in the city as of 2022.<ref name=2022CAFR/> The company shuttered its plant in nearby [[Jamestown, Kentucky|Jamestown]] in 2014.<ref name=FOTL/> Conglomerate [[Houchens Industries]], one of the U.S.'s largest 100% [[Employee stock ownership|employee-owned enterprises]], is based in Bowling Green.<ref>[https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/former-houchens-ceo-gipson-passes-away/article_ca3c3a62-3a97-5c9a-af2e-010542580673.html Former Houchens CEO Gipson passes away], ''Bowling Green Daily News'' (January 29, 2023).</ref><ref>Don Sergent, [https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/after-55-years-with-company-gipson-to-retire-as-houchens-ceo/article_5f15f202-9889-5841-ac2d-6af3175d0bb3.html After 55 years with company, Gipson to retire as Houchens CEO], ''Bowling Green Daily News'' (January 28, 2020).</ref> The Swedish company [[SCA (company)|SCA]] opened a manufacturing facility in Bowling Green in 1988; as of 2016, the company employed about 160 employees in Bowling Green and 500 employees at a paper mill in [[Harrodsburg, Kentucky]], acquired from [[Wausau Paper]].<ref>Kim Phelps, [https://www.bgchamber.com/news/2016/09/29/main/sca-personal-care-announces-expansion-of-bowling-green-facility/ SCA Personal Care Announces Expansion of Bowling Green Facility] (press release), Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce (September 29, 2016).</ref>

===Top employers===
According to the city's 2022 [[Comprehensive Annual Financial Report]],<ref name=2022CAFR/> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employe
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[Western Kentucky University]]
|3,274
|-
|2
|Commonwealth Health Corporation
|2,842
|-
|3
|[[Magna International|BG Metalforming LLC]]
|1,258
|-
|4
|[[Warren County Public Schools (Kentucky)|Warren County Board of Education]]
|1,185
|-
|5
|[[General Motors]] Corporation
|1,100
|-
|6
|Graves-Gilbert Clinic PSC
|1,079
|-
|7
|[[Fruit of the Loom|Union Underwear Co. LLC]]
|930
|-
|8
|[[Sun Products|Henkel Corporation]]
|930
|-
|9
|[[Houchens Industries|Houchens Food Group]]
|899
|-
|10
|[[Kentucky State Treasurer]]
|717
|}

==Arts and culture==

===Museums===
[[File:KYMuseum.JPG|thumb|right|The Kentucky Museum is located on the campus of [[Western Kentucky University]].]]
* 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.
* [[The Historic Railpark and Train Museum|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.

===Other attractions===
[[File:HobsonGrove.JPG|thumb|[[Riverview at Hobson Grove|Riverview Mansion at Hobson Grove Park]]]]
[[File:Natcherfederalbldg.jpg|thumb|[[William H. Natcher Federal Building and United States Courthouse]]]]

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* Bowling Green Ballpark 
* [[Beech Bend]] Park
* [[Bowling Green Assembly Plant|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]]
* Great American Donut Shop (GADS)
* [[William H. Natcher Federal Building and United States Courthouse]]
* Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center (SkyPac)
* Low Hollow Bike Trail at Weldon Peete Park
* [[Civil War Discovery Trail]]
* Duncan Hines Scenic Byway
* Shake Rag Historic District
* Warren County Quilt Trail
* St. Joseph Historic District
{{div col end}}

===Public library===
[[File:WCPL RiceLibrary.jpg|thumb|Lisa Rice Library]]
[[File:LNTrain.JPG|thumb|[[Historic Railpark at the L&N Depot|L&N Train Depot]]]]

Bowling Green is served by the Warren County Public Library. The main library is the Lisa Rice Library. Its website is warrenpl.org.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/retired-but-never-forgotten-rice-honored-with-library-renaming/article_6badb4e6-7604-5e4a-86fa-3563825b9c0e.html | title=Retired but never forgotten: Rice honored with library renaming | date=July 13, 2023 }}</ref>

==Sports==
[[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. It also hosted the [[Kentucky High School Athletic Association|KHSAA]] [[Sweet Sixteen (KHSAA State Basketball Championship)|Girls' Sweet Sixteen]] state championship event in high school basketball from 2001 to 2015, after which it moved to [[BB&T Arena]] at [[Northern Kentucky University]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://khsaa.org/051214-board-of-control-approves-future-championship-sites-football-alignment/ |title=Board of Control Approves Future Championship Sites, Football Alignment |publisher=Kentucky High School Athletic Association |date=May 12, 2014 |access-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> 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.
[[File:BGBallparkJune2012.jpg|thumbnail|right|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 [[NCAA]], and are part of conference USA

[[Bowling Green Ballpark]] is a baseball stadium currently in use in Bowling Green. It is primarily used for baseball, for the High-A [[Bowling Green Hot Rods]] organization of the [[High-A East]]. The Hot Rods began play in the spring of 2009 in the [[South Atlantic League]], transferring to the [[Midwest League]] for 2010. In 2021 as part of [[Minor League Baseball]]'s realignment they began play in the newly formed High-A East. They are a farm team for Major League Baseball's [[Tampa Bay Rays]].

The Bowling Green Hornets of the [[Central Basketball League]] are based in Bowling Green, although they play their home games in [[Russellville, Kentucky|Russellville]]. The Hornets are coached by Russellville native Nathan Thompson.

==Parks and recreation==
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department administers {{convert|895|acre|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===
{{main|Parks in Bowling Green, Kentucky}}

===Swimming centers===
Swim centers include Russell Sims Aquatic Center, and Warren County Aquatics Facility.

[[File:Disc golf course Bowling Green Kentucky May 2006.jpg|thumb|Lovers Lane Park [[disc golf]] course, one of eight such courses in Bowling Green]]

==Education==
===Primary and secondary education===
Public education is provided by the [[Bowling Green Independent School District]] in inner sections of Bowling Green and by [[Warren County Public Schools (Kentucky)|Warren County Public Schools]] in outlying sections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st21_ky/schooldistrict_maps/c21227_warren/DC20SD_C21227.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Warren County, KY|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 14, 2021}}</ref> Several private schools also serve Bowling Green students.
[[File:WKUMidCampus.JPG|thumb|right|A view of the campus of [[Western Kentucky University]]]]
[[File:Pearce Ford Tower (Bowling Green, Kentucky).jpg|thumbnail|right|Pearce Ford Tower at Western Kentucky University]]

====Elementary schools====
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.warrencountyschools.org/schools|title=List - Warren County Public Schools|website=www.warrencountyschools.org|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>

=====Warren County Public Schools=====
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Alvaton Elementary
* Briarwood Elementary
* Bristow Elementary
* Cumberland Trace Elementary
* Jennings Creek Elementary
* Jody Richards Elementary
* Lost River Elementary
* North Warren Elementary
* Oakland Elementary
* Plano Elementary
* Rich Pond Elementary
* Richardsville Elementary
* Rockfield Elementary
* Warren Elementary
* William H. Natcher Elementary 
{{div col end}}

=====[[Bowling Green Independent School District]]=====
* Dishman-McGinnis
* Parker Bennett Curry
* Potter Gray
* T.C. Cherry
* W.R. McNeill

====Middle and junior high schools====
All of these schools are operated by the Warren County district except Bowling Green Junior High.
* Bowling Green Junior High 
* Drakes Creek Middle School 
* Henry F. Moss Middle School
* Warren East Middle School
* South Warren Middle School

====High schools====
All schools are operated by the Warren County district except Bowling Green High and Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science.
* Bowling Green High
* [[Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky]]
* [[Greenwood High School (Kentucky)|Greenwood High]]
* [[Warren Central High School (Kentucky)|Warren Central High]]
* [[Warren East High School|Warren East High]]
* [[South Warren High School]]
* [[Lighthouse Academy High School]]

====Religious schools====
* Legacy Christian Academy - Preschool through 12th grade <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://legacychristianacademybg.com/|title=Legacy Christian Academy of Bowling Green|website=legacychristianacademybg.com|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
* Foundation Christian Academy – Preschool through 12th grade [[Churches of Christ|Church of Christ]] Christian school
* Holy Trinity Lutheran – Preschool through 6th grade [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] Christian school<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.htlsbg.com|title=Home – Holy Trinity Lutheran School|author=Kenton Glass}}</ref>
* Old Union School – Preschool through 12th grade Christian school<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oldunionschool.com/|title=Welcome to Old Union School - Old Union School|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
* Saint Joseph Interparochial School– Preschool through 8th grade [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] school<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stjosephschoolbg.org/|title=Home |website=St. Joseph Interparochial School| access-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref>

===Postsecondary education===
* Bowling Green Adult Learning Center
* [[Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College]]
* [[Western Kentucky University]]

==Media==
{{main|Media in Bowling Green, Kentucky}}

===Print media===
* The Amplifier – Arts & Entertainment monthly<ref>{{cite web|title=The Amplifier Homepage|url=http://www.bgamplifier.com/|website=bgamplifier.com|access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref>
* Bowling Green Daily News<ref>{{cite web|title=Bowling Green Daily News Homepage|url=http://www.bgdailynews.com|website=bgdailynews.com|access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref>
* College Heights Herald – WKU student newspaper<ref>{{cite web|title=College Heights Herald Homepage|url=http://www.wkuherald.com|website=wkuherald.com|access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref>
* Soky Happenings<ref>{{cite web|title=SOKY Happenings Homepage|url=http://www.sokyhappenings.com/|website=sokyhappenings.com|access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref>

===Television===
* [[WDNZ-LD|WDNZ]] [[Antenna TV]] Channel 11
* [[WBKO]] [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] Channel 13
* [[WKYU-TV|WKYU]] [[PBS]] Channel 24
* [[WCZU-LD|WCZU]] [[Court TV]] Channel 39
* [[WNKY]] [[NBC]] Channel 40
* [[WKGB-TV|WKGB]] [[PBS]]/[[Kentucky Educational Television|KET]] Channel 53

===Digital broadcast===
{{div col}}

* WDNZ [[Antenna TV]] Channel 11.1 720i
* WDNZ [[Stadium (sports network)|Stadium]] Channel 11.2 1080i
* WDNZ [[The Country Network]] Channel 11.3 480i
* WBKO [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] Channel 13.1 720p
* WBKO [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] Channel 13.2 480i
* WBKO [[The CW Television Network|CW]]  Channel 13.3 480i
* WKYU [[PBS]] Channel 24.1 1080i
* WKYU Create Channel 24.2 480i
* WCZU [[Court TV]] Channel 39.1 480i
* WCZU [[Buzzr]] Channel 39.2 480i
* WCZU [[Bounce TV]] Channel 39.3 480i
* WCZU [[Sonlife Broadcasting Network|SBN]] Channel 39.4 480i
* WCZU [[Grit (TV network)|GRIT]] Channel 39.5 480i
* WCZU [[Court TV Mystery]] Channel 39.6 480i
* WCZU [[Cozi TV]] Channel 39.7 480i
* WNKY [[NBC]] Channel 40.1 1080i
* WNKY [[CBS]] Channel 40.2 480i
* WNKY [[MeTV]] Channel 40.3 480i
* WKGB PBS Channel 53.1 KET1 720p
* WKGB PBS Channel 53.2 KET2 480i
* WKGB PBS Channel 53.3 KETKY The Kentucky Channel 480i
* WKGB [[PBS Kids]] Channel 53.4 480i
{{div col end}}

===Radio===
{{div col}}
* 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]])
{{div col end}}

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
====Major highways====
* [[File:I-65.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 65 in Kentucky|Interstate 65]] north to [[Louisville, Kentucky]] south to [[Nashville, Tennessee]] 
* [[File:I-165.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 165 (Kentucky)|Interstate 165]] north to [[Owensboro, Kentucky]]
* [[File:US 231.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 231 in Kentucky|U.S. Route 231]] north to [[Morgantown, Kentucky]] south to [[Scottsville, Kentucky]]
* [[File:US 31W.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 31W]] north to Park City, south to [[Franklin, Kentucky]]
* [[File:US 68.svg|20px]] [[File:Elongated circle 80.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 68]] / [[Kentucky Route 80|Kentucky State Route 80]] west to [[Hopkinsville, Kentucky]], east to [[Lexington, Kentucky]] / [[Somerset, Kentucky]]

====Other highways====
* [[File:Elongated circle 185.svg|25px]] [[Kentucky Route 185|Kentucky State Route 185]]
* [[File:Elongated circle 234.svg|25px]] [[Kentucky Route 234|Kentucky State Route 234]]
* [[File:Elongated circle 242.svg|25px]] [[Kentucky Route 242|Kentucky State Route 242]]
* [[File:Elongated circle 880.svg|25px]] [[Kentucky Route 880|Kentucky State Route 880]]

====Former highways====
*[[File:Elongated circle 67.svg|25px]] [[Kentucky Route 67 (1929-1969)|Kentucky State Route 67 (1929–1969)]]
*William H. Natcher Green River Parkway-KY-9007(Replaced by I-165, North to Owensboro, Morgantown, Beaver Dam, South to Bowling Green)

===Air transport===
The city is served by [[Bowling Green–Warren County Regional Airport]].

===Buses===
[[Community Action of Southern Kentucky]] operates [[GO bg Transit]], which provides public transportation within Bowling Green. [[Western Kentucky University]] operates transit around campus, branded as [[Topper Transit]].

Bowling Green was served for many years by intercity bus carriers, primarily [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]. But with the onset of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Greyhound downgraded their existing station to an unstaffed stop, and then eliminated the stop entirely in May 2020. The end of Greyhound service marked the first time the city has been without some form of public intercity transportation since 1858, when the [[Louisville and Nashville Railroad]] first reached the city.

Greyhound now serves a stop in [[Franklin, Kentucky]], about {{Convert|20|mi}} south of Bowling Green.

Tornado Bus Company, based in Mexico to primarily serve the Hispanic market, lists Bowling Green as a destination, but the stop is actually located in [[Smiths Grove, Kentucky]], about {{Convert|12|mi}} northeast of downtown Bowling Green.

===Rail===
Bowling Green receives rail freight service from [[CSX]] through the former [[Louisville and Nashville Railroad]] (L&N) namesake line. The [[R.J. Corman Railroad Group]] operates freight service on the former L&N line to Memphis from Bowling Green to [[Clarksville, Tennessee]]; the line joins with CSX at Memphis Junction on Bowling Green's southern side.

==Notable people==
{{div col}}
* [[Thomas Lilbourne Anderson]] – U.S. Representative from [[Missouri]]<ref name="Marquis 1607–1896">{{cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location = Chicago | year = 1963}}</ref>
* [[Ben Bailey]] – comedian and host of TV game show ''[[Cash Cab (American game show)|Cash Cab]]''
* [[Gary Barnidge]] – professional football tight end for the [[Cleveland Browns]]
* [[David Bell (author)|David Bell]] - author
* [[Danny Julian Boggs]] – [[United States circuit judge]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit]]
* [[Sam Bush]] – musician
* [[Athena Cage]] – musician
* [[Cage the Elephant]] – rock band
* [[Chris Carmichael (musician)|Chris Carmichael]] – musician
* [[John Carpenter]] – film director, producer, actor, screenwriter, and composer
* [[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]] 
* [[David F. Duncan]] – epidemiologist and drug policy consultant in the [[Clinton Administration]]
* [[Robert Duvall (politician)|Robert Duvall]] - Kentucky state representative
* [[George Fant (American football)|George Fant]] - Professional football offensive tackle for the [[Houston Texans]], former offensive tackle for the [[Seattle Seahawks]], played college basketball for the [[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers]] before pursuing football career 
* [[Frances Fowler]] – painter
* [[Foxhole (band)|Foxhole]] – instrumental post-rock group
* [[Dorothy Grider]] – artist and illustrator of children's books
* [[Henry Grider]] – U.S. Representative
* [[Brett Guthrie]] – U.S. Representative
* [[Eliza Calvert Hall]] - author and women's rights advocate
* [[Mordecai Ham]] – Christian [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and pastor of the Burton Memorial Baptist Church early in the 20th century
* [[Corey Hart (baseball)|Corey Hart]] – [[Milwaukee Brewers]] right fielder, 2008 and 2010 MLB All Star
* [[Duncan Hines]] – food critic and cookbook author
* [[Hillbilly Jim]] – professional wrestler
* [[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 [[Kentucky State Senate|state senator]]
* [[Louise Murphy]] – poet
* [[William Natcher]] - U.S. Representative from 1953 to 1994
* [[Thomas Nicholson (educator)|Thomas Nicholson]] – Professor at Western Kentucky University, drug abuse and drug policy expert
* [[Rand Paul]] – ophthalmologist and U.S. Senator; son of U.S. Representative [[Ron Paul]] from [[Texas]]
* [[Deborah Renshaw]] – former [[NASCAR]] driver
* [[Robert Reynolds (American football)|Robert Reynolds]] – former professional football player
* [[Jody Richards]] – former Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives
* [[Nappy Roots]] – platinum album selling rap group
* [[B. Chance Saltzman]] - General and 2nd [[Chief of Space Operations]] for the [[United States Space Force]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=BG Native Saltzman Among Leaders of New Space Force |url=https://bgdailynews.com/news/bg-native-saltzman-among-leaders-of-new-space-force/article_05011ba9-5a10-5f75-8ca4-ffa0cd1fa8ae.html |access-date=November 20, 2024 |website=Bowling Green Daily News}}</ref>
* [[Sleeper Agent (band)|Sleeper Agent]] – rock band
* [[Zachary Stevens]] – vocalist of the band Savatage
* [[Mary Hall Surface]] - American playwright
* [[Chris Turner (baseball)|Chris Turner]] – former professional baseball player
{{div col end}}
* [[Terry Taylor (basketball)|Terry Taylor]] - Professional Basketball player for the [[Indiana Pacers]]

==Sister cities==
Bowling Green has one [[sister city]], as designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:
*{{flagdeco|JPN}} [[Kawanishi, Hyōgo|Kawanishi]], Japan

==See also==
*[[Bowling Green massacre]]
*[[Kentucky Valkyries]]
*[[List of cities in Kentucky]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |editor-last=Davis |editor-first=William C. |editor-link=William C. Davis (historian) |date=1990 |title=Diary of a Confederate Soldier: John S. Jackman of the Orphan Brigade |url=https://archive.org/details/diaryofconfedera00jack |url-access=registration |series=American Military History |location=Columbia, South Carolina |publisher=[[University of South Carolina Press]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/diaryofconfedera00jack/page/18 18–24] |isbn=0-87249-695-3 |lccn=90012431 |oclc=906557161}}
*{{cite journal |last=Hall |first=Eliza Calvert |title=Bowling Green and the Civil War |journal=Filson Club History Quarterly |volume=11 |issue=4 |date=October 1937 |url=http://connect1.ajaxdocumentviewer.com/viewerajax.php?A5njoJo%2BGbPr%2F%2BxgSMngRRq4YlheEkikM2%2BOOVcgBhDm2T%2Fy%2Fm%2B8vPFsvE95SEweP1K4IHD0FvhA82tKQK7%2B5YnUavW3FrXpwLuly3IXmastJ93n0JqHNBaOQaGrRWb2nscp35CKuhYscAsCRg8R7TbXsDJUl%2F63eKjeI%2BGDAnT8ueqxizM5QM%2FUj7k3hNfZVlHM2vngEzMC8oLeP4zMn7x4wu1IJ3RLagGUBHeIF8C927flCnFV7Uj7Qd2mqThnl8Bjv%2F2fZBunr6fsZNq2pg%2BtRUoItvr6MTxpoOKz8wwG7a%2FcEv1pqLBnOl%2FGQPbDKX4N03iZc97odKSyQn%2FdteSeBjwZRKsCyOEMkNmh04iYrqlha5m2mSYjuLbKZl0Ybrm2X46pXgyJJpL6QBZHsxMDqw1YPRWijcBkvKzbQsU%3D |access-date=November 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502210350/http://connect1.ajaxdocumentviewer.com/viewerajax.php?A5njoJo+GbPr%2F+xgSMngRRq4YlheEkikM2+OOVcgBhDm2T%2Fy%2Fm+8vPFsvE95SEweP1K4IHD0FvhA82tKQK7+5YnUavW3FrXpwLuly3IXmastJ93n0JqHNBaOQaGrRWb2nscp35CKuhYscAsCRg8R7TbXsDJUl%2F63eKjeI+GDAnT8ueqxizM5QM%2FUj7k3hNfZVlHM2vngEzMC8oLeP4zMn7x4wu1IJ3RLagGUBHeIF8C927flCnFV7Uj7Qd2mqThnl8Bjv%2F2fZBunr6fsZNq2pg+tRUoItvr6MTxpoOKz8wwG7a%2FcEv1pqLBnOl%2FGQPbDKX4N03iZc97odKSyQn%2FdteSeBjwZRKsCyOEMkNmh04iYrqlha5m2mSYjuLbKZl0Ybrm2X46pXgyJJpL6QBZHsxMDqw1YPRWijcBkvKzbQsU= |archive-date=May 2, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bowling Green, Kentucky}}
{{wikivoyage|Bowling Green (Kentucky)|Bowling Green, Kentucky}}
*{{Official website|http://www.bgky.org|Official website}}
*{{osmrelation-inline|130719}}
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[[Category:Bowling Green, Kentucky| ]]
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