Ties That Bind

Bowling Green's identity and values grew from a long story that began 10,000 years ago when retreating glaciers left the expansive wetland known as the great black swamp. Beginning in 1833, determined settlers drained their fields, cut down virgin forests, and made a village. In 1870, Bowling Green became the seat of county government with almost 1,000 residents. The Bowling Green railroad company was organized in 1874 and became essential to the prosperity and expansion of the agricultural, industrial, and merchant sectors, eventually connecting the city to the rest of the state and nation. Faith communities were established as early as 1833, a subscription library was founded in 1875, and gas and oil were discovered in late 1886, with more than 5,000 derricks dotting the county's landscape. Bowling Green normal school was created in 1910 to train future teachers; in 1935 its educational purpose was expanded and it was newly identified as Bowling Green State University. These developments shaped Bowling Green's history, development, and place in Wood County.

Bowling Green, Ohio · United States