Editing Bowling Green, Virginia (section)

==History==
The town of Bowling Green was earlier known as New Hope. One of the earliest stage roads in the colony ran through the area from Richmond to the [[Potomac River]], where a ferry crossing was operated to [[Charles County, Maryland]]. One of the first stage lines in the United States to maintain a regular schedule operated along this road. New Hope Tavern was built along the road in the 18th century and the area around it became known as New Hope.<ref name="History">[http://town.bowling-green.va.us/history.htm History<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818042520/http://town.bowling-green.va.us/history.htm |date=August 18, 2007 }}</ref>

The town was renamed for "[[Old Mansion|The Bowling Green]]" which was the plantation of town founder, Dache Carmine, who donated the land and funds for a new courthouse when the community became the [[county seat]] in 1803. The origin of the plantation's name is not definitive but may be based on the {{convert|2|acre|m2|adj=on}} green sward in front of the plantation house itself. The Bowling Green Estate was the site of one of the first tracks built to race horses in America.<ref name="Acknowledgment For Codification">[http://town.bowling-green.va.us/code%20book/historical%20sketch.htm Acknowledgment For Codification<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051112231621/http://town.bowling-green.va.us/code%20book/historical%20sketch.htm |date=November 12, 2005 }}</ref>  The plantation house, pre-Georgian tidewater colonial in style, was built circa 1741. A prominent colonial landmark, it is one of the oldest houses in original condition in Virginia<ref name="History"/> and is listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="Acknowledgment For Codification"/>

The present Caroline County Court House was built in 1835 and Bowling Green was incorporated as a town about 2 years later, in 1837. The town is best known as the "cradle of American [[horse racing]]" and as the home of the second-oldest [[Masonic Lodge]] in Virginia, [[Kilwinning Crosse, No. 2-237]] .

The [[Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad]] (chartered in 1834) was built through nearby [[Milford, Virginia|Milford]] (just west of town) and reached [[Fredericksburg, Virginia|Fredericksburg]] by 1837. This important rail link between several major northern railroads at Washington, DC and other major [[American South|southern]] railroads at [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] was long partially owned by the [[Commonwealth of Virginia]], and became part of [[CSX Transportation]] in the 1990s. It is a major freight railroad line for north–south traffic and the corridor also hosts many [[Amtrak]] trains. Although the closest [[Virginia Railway Express]] (VRE) commuter passenger rail service to [[Northern Virginia]] is currently accessed at Fredericksburg, future VRE extensions southward may include service at Milford which would be very convenient for Bowling Green and the surrounding area.

In 1855, a gazetteer described the town as having "2 churches, 3 stores, 2 mills, and about 300 inhabitants".<ref name="1855 Gazetteer">{{cite book|last=Edwards|first=Richard|title=Statistical Gazetteer of the State of Virginia|date=1855|publisher=Richard Edwards|location=Richmond, Virginia|page=[https://archive.org/details/statisticalgazet00edwa/page/183 183]|url=https://archive.org/details/statisticalgazet00edwa}}</ref>

Today, Bowling Green is located along [[Route 2 (Virginia)|Virginia State Route 2]], one of the two earlier highways between [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] and [[Fredericksburg, Virginia|Fredericksburg]]. In later years, [[U.S. Route 301 in Virginia|U.S. Route 301]] was built through the area, connecting Richmond with [[Baltimore]], Maryland with what was effectively an eastern bypass of the Washington, DC area for north–south traffic along the U.S. east coast. A new road, [[Route 207 (Virginia)|Virginia State Route 207]] was established from Bowling Green west to [[Carmel Church, Virginia|Carmel Church]], where it intersects Interstate 95 and [[U.S. Route 1 in Virginia|U.S. Route 1]], major north–south highways. 

In 1941, the United States government acquired {{convert|77000|acre|km2}} of Caroline County to the north and east of Bowling Green and established the A.P. Hill Military Reservation.  Now known as [[Fort Walker]], it was originally  named for a Virginia military hero, [[U.S. Army]] and later [[Confederate Army|Confederate]] General [[A.P. Hill|Ambrose Powell Hill]], who was killed just prior to the end of the War in 1865. The installation's name was changed in 2023 to honor [[Mary Edwards Walker]], an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war, and surgeon. She is the only woman to receive the [[Medal of Honor]]. At the massive complex, thousands of regular military and reserve troops undergo training each year. It has also been the site of national Jamboree gatherings of the [[Boy Scouts of America]].<ref>[http://www.aphill.army.mil/sites/about/history.asp Fort AP Hill, Va • History<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409024054/http://www.aphill.army.mil/sites/about/history.asp |date=April 9, 2007 }}</ref>

In addition to "The Bowling Green," [[Auburn (Bowling Green, Virginia)|Auburn]], the [[Bowling Green Historic District]], [[Caroline County Courthouse (Virginia)|Caroline County Courthouse]], and [[Green Falls]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>