101 Things to do in South Central Kentucky - Historic Railpark

The following blog is re-posted with permission from Galen Smith, a Bowling Green resident who loves exploring the area and writing about his adventures.

101 Things To Do In Southcentral Kentucky: Visit The Historic Railpark
By Galen A. Smith Sr.Friday, June 27, 2008 5:04 PM CDT
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I remember as a young child growing up in East Memphis, Tenn., hearing the trains whistling as they traveled past our part of the city on quiet early Saturday mornings. Usually I was just waking up getting ready to go watch cartoons, bowl of cereal in hand. Nowadays as an adult and as a resident of Bowling Green, I can still hear trains whistle all hours of the day and night, as I just live right down the street from the CSX railroad tracks. The train whistles have become a part of my life so I hardly even notice them anymore. But on a recent Saturday afternoon, I decided to pay a visit to The Historic Railpark and Train Museum and L&N Depot located at 401 Kentucky Street.

You can't miss the museum because it is a large, beautiful white limestone building which sits off the street next to the CSX railroad tracks. There's a large parking lot where you can park at no charge. I have been to the L&N Depot many times in the past as this was once a branch of the Bowling Green Library before it moved out on Scottsville Road in the former Iron Skillet Restaurant building. But I knew that this trip would be special because I was going to a real museum to take a step back in time.

When I entered the building from the rear, I was greeted by Depot Coordinator Sharon Tabor. Ms. Tabor explained to me a little about the museum and then I took a tour of some real train passenger cars outside of the building led by a volunteer by the name of Mary Travelstead. I toured the Little Red Caboose, an authentic Pullman Sleeper car, the Famous Diner Car which is named "Duncan Hines" (I wonder why, huh?) and RR Presidential Office Car. Also, there's even a 1921 Railroad Post Office car that is currently being restored on the premise. The museum is also waiting for their streamlined EMD E8 Diesel 796 Engine to arrive.

After walking back inside the Depot, I noticed a gift shop which offered books and coffee mugs among other nice items. Then, Ms. Tabor showed an enormous working model railroad layout which replicates Bowling Green and other parts of Southcentral Kentucky. The little miniature buildings, trees and hills took hundreds of painstaking man hours to produce. Then, it was on to the interactive exhibits. I had the opportunity to see a short video of Alfred Owens, a Pullman Porter who went to work for the railroad in 1926. He talked about "hauling Mrs. Roosevelt." I was able to hear the sounds of different types of train engines and I heard the distinctive sound of the old Pan American speeding down the tracks as recorded by the WSM Radio station in 1934. These are just a few of the "Touch & Listen" exhibits.

My favorite part of the museum tour was was the wide screen L&N Theater located upstairs. Here I was able to take a few minutes and relax in plush, first class seats while watching an assortment of entertaining railroad films and classic news reels. When I arrived back downstairs, I entered the gift shop and purchased a Historic Railpark magnet for my wife, an avid magnet collector. She gladly added the magnet to her myriad collection which is displayed on the family refrigerator.

All in all, I was very impressed with The Historic Railpark, Train Museum and L&N Depot. It is a massive asset to Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky. We should be proud of this particular destination and of the people who have worked hard to get the railpark, museum and depot where it is today. I highly recommend a visit there as soon as possible and you won't be disappointed especially if you're a lover of trains.(Directions: If you are traveling from Interstate 65, you take Exit 26 west onto Cemetery Road and follow Cemetery Road three miles as it becomes 8th Avenue and turn right onto Kentucky Street. Then turn left into the museum parking lot. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Phone: (270) 745-7317 Web-site, http://www.historicrailpark.com/

Learn about author Galen Smith at www.myspace.com/galenasmithsr and http://www.galensmithjr.blogspot.com./

CVB note: The Railpark and Train Museum has a new exhibit, "Lincoln and the Railroads," which will be on display through February of 2010.

8th Annual Train Show and Sale

The sHOw Modular Model Railroad Club, Inc. presents its 8th Annual Train Show and Sale held at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum at the L&N Depot this Saturday from 10 am- 3 pm. The Club is a prize-winning HO scale modular club and its members' modules connect to form a working HO layout based around mid 20th century in Kentucky. The layout depicts a summer-fall transitional season featuring Louisville & Nashville Railroad engines and rolling stock.
The Show and Sale features over 40 dealers from many states selling new and used model railroad materials. Admission is FREE to view the fascinating displays inside the L&N Depot Lobby. Discounted Railpark and Museum tours will also be available. Follow the title link to learn more about the Historic Railpark or call 270-745-7317 for more information.

Bowling Green's Civil War Experience Offers Opportunities to Learn and Be Entertained

Most known for its fast cars (Bowling Green is home to the National Corvette Museum), roller coasters and college sports, Bowling Green, Kentucky also has many entertaining stories to tell that include some little-known facts about the Civil War. Local attractions have interpreted those facts in "Bowling Green's Civil War Experience," which includes opportunities to hop aboard a train, dress in period clothing, ride a boat through an underground cave, travel by car along the Civil War Discovery Trail and much more.

The South Central Kentucky city's convenient location (less than an hour from Nashville) and unique geography appeal to many travelers both presently and in the past. The Bowling Green area's productive farms and its ample quantities of fresh water promised plentiful supplies for an army during the Civil War. Access to the Louisville-Nashville Railroad, a system of roadways and the Barren River allowed for quick and efficient movement of men and supplies. Rolling hills and underground shelters offered effective opportunities to defend those transportation routes, making the area a strategic post that both camps wanted to control. Visitors today still recognize those valuable geographic traits, and now they can be entertained while they learn about how Kentucky played an important role in the war and why the Bowling Green area was viewed as such a strategic post.

Bowling Green's Civil War Experience includes:
"A Star in Each Flag: Conflict in Kentucky"The Kentucky Library & Museum on Western Kentucky University’s campus has introduced a new exhibit that encourages guests to walk through a simulated campsite, view a slave cabin, and step into a community post office. Examine period artifacts including John Hunt Morgan’s saddle, an original copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe, actual letters between Kentucky residents written during the war, various medical instruments, Civil War flags, weapons and more. "A Star in Each Flag: Conflict in Kentucky" also includes a Victorian photo studio where visitors can dress in period clothing and have a picture taken. The exhibit is the first in the region to interpret South Central Kentucky's Civil War story, with emphasis on the divided loyalties of regional families and the lives of slaves in Kentucky.

"Lincoln and the Railroad"The Historic Railpark & Train Museum will debut a "Lincoln and the Railroad" exhibit in mid-to-late March featuring rare Matthew Brady Civil War railroad photos from the National Archives and accompanying text from Smithsonian research assistant Peter Hansen. The exhibit will highlight Lincoln’s little-known 20-year career as a railroad attorney in Illinois and the expansion of the railroad during his administration. Also of interest are permanent exhibits 'Segregation and the North American Railroad' and 'The Great Locomotive Chase,' displaying a Civil War Medal of Honor.

Civil War Discovery Trail By car, visitors can listen to the newly developed audio tour for the Civil War Discovery Trail. Bowling Green was the Capitol of the Confederate State of Kentucky for approximately five months in 1861-62. Noted on the tour is the private residence that served as the capitol building. Historical markers interpret interesting facts throughout the city and Riverview at Hobson Grove Historic House & Museum offers a wonderful stopping place to learn more about how the house was used as a fort and an ammunition depot during the war. A free download of the interpretive audio is available online at http://www.visitbgky.com/. A CD version is also available for purchase at the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau located on Three Springs Road, just off Scottsville Rd. from exit number 22 of I-65.

Lost River Cave & Valley Explore more Civil War secrets underground at another stop on the Discovery Trail, Lost River Cave & Valley, and hear stories about both camps hiding out and the mysterious deaths of soldiers there. Lost River offered a natural water supply and the beauty of the cave provided a diversion from the ugliness of war. It is believed that on one of his “lightning raids” into Kentucky, John Hunt Morgan hid in the cave when escaping from pursuing troops. Visitors can learn more by taking a boat ride through the cave. In the fall, Lost River's Civil War Days recreates history and includes period re-enactors, demonstrations and interactive exhibits and activities.

President Abraham Lincoln emphasized the value of Kentucky's strategic importance in an 1861 letter, “I think to lose Kentucky is nearly the same as to lose the whole game.” Through "Bowling Green's Civil War Experience," visitors can step back in time and learn more about the legacy of a war that bitterly divided our nation, our state and our families. Area hotels and one-of-a-kind dining establishments, in addition to creative shopping venues and attractions, contribute to Bowling Green's unique charm. To learn more about Bowling Green's Civil War Experience and area tourism destinations, visit http://www.visitbgky.com/ or contact the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 326-7465.