Editing Bowling Green, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Bowling Green, Virginia
|settlement_type          = Town
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Bowling Green VA.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Main Street, Bowling Green
|image_flag               = Flag of Bowling Green, Virginia.png
|image_seal               = Seal of Bowling Green, Virginia.png

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = VAMap-doton-BowlingGreen.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Virginia
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_map              = Virginia#USA
|pushpin_map_alt          = 
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Virginia##Location in the contiguous United States
|pushpin_label            = Bowling Green
|pushpin_label_position   = left
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|3|12|N|77|20|51|W|type:city_region:US-VA_dim:5000|display=inline,title}}

<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Virginia}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Caroline County, Virginia|Caroline]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Jason Satterwhite 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1837

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.63
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.60
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.02

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1111
|population_density_sq_mi = 732.54

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_ft             = 226
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 22427-22428
|area_code                = [[Area code 804|804]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-08888<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1498454<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = [http://www.townofbowlinggreen.com/ Official website]
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2019
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|population_est = 1175
|area_total_km2 = 4.22
|area_land_km2 = 4.15
|area_water_km2 = 0.06
|population_density_km2 = 282.81
}}
'''Bowling Green''' is an [[incorporated town]] in [[Caroline County, Virginia|Caroline County]], Virginia, United States. The population was 1,111 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].

The [[county seat]] of [[Caroline County, Virginia|Caroline County]]<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> since 1803, Bowling Green is best known as the "cradle of American [[horse racing]]", the home of the second-oldest Virginia [[Masonic Lodge]], and the current location of the oldest continuously inhabited residence in [[Virginia]].

==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>

==Geography==
Bowling Green is located at {{coord|38|3|12|N|77|20|51|W|type:city}} (38.053428, &minus;77.347404).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 1.6&nbsp;square miles (4.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 1.6&nbsp;square miles (4.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.04&nbsp;square mile (0.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (1.24%) is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 377
|1860= 237
|1870= 395
|1880= 426
|1890= 511
|1900= 458
|1910= 433
|1920= 463
|1930= 422
|1940= 541
|1950= 616
|1960= 528
|1970= 528
|1980= 665
|1990= 727
|2000= 936
|2010= 1111
|estyear=2019
|estimate=1175
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</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" /> of 2000, there were 936 people, 387 households, and 212 families residing in the town. The population density was 587.1 people per square mile (227.3/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 425 housing units at an average density of 266.6 per square mile (103.2/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 80.13% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 18.38% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.53% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.32% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.64% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.92% of the population.

There were 387 households, out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.0% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 32.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 69.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,250, and the median income for a family was $49,792. Males had a median income of $30,750 versus $25,341 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,223. About 8.5% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 22.6% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bowling Green, Virginia}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050706233226/http://town.bowling-green.va.us/ Town of Bowling Green, VA official website]

{{Virginia towns}}
{{Caroline County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1837]]
[[Category:Towns in Caroline County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Towns in Virginia]]
[[Category:County seats in Virginia]]
[[Category:1837 establishments in Virginia]]