The Land of Corvettes and Caves

We decided the first major stop on our trip south would be the land of corvettes and caves. Appropriately named for the corvette museum/assemble plant and the numerous caves in the region. Cave Country Campground in Cave City KY is home for next 5 days while we explore the area. A beautifully laid out campground close to everything we want to see and do.



Cave Country Campground




Our Campsite #18
 



A trip to this area would not be complete without a visit to the National Corvette Museum(NCM) in Bowling Green, KY. The newly expanded NCM is over 115,000 sq ft with more than 80 different corvettes on display at any given time. The corvette was originally built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri and now across the road at the Bowling Green assembly plant. If you are a true corvette lover you can wonder across the street to watch a corvette being built. The first model corvette was a convertible and rolled off the assembly line in 1953.You would think that everyone in this town would be driving a vet but not so.








Faith Hill's 1960 Corvette on loan to NCM

What a great place to spend a cold rainy day. After 2 hours we were all corvetted out. While in Bowling Green we decided to explore the city. The next stop was The Historic Railpark & Train Depot, formerly known as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Station. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1979. The current depot, constructed of limestone was opened October 1925.

By the 1960s passenger train service began to decline due to the popularity of air travel. Amtrak replaced the L&N passenger service in 1971. The last passenger train departed the depot October 1979. Some of the rail cars are still present at the depot today.

L&N 796 E-8 Engine

L&N 1107 Railroad Post Office Car built in 1921
 is one of only two remaining mail cars from the first 18 commissioned in 1913

L&N 353 The Office Car built in 1911
was intended for the L&N Railroad President and high-ranking officials
 

Another stop while in Bowling Green was Riverview at Hobson Grove. This beautiful Italianate designed home with arched windows and ornamental brackets was built for Atwood Hobson and his wife Juliet van Meter Hobson. Construction was started in the 1850s, but halted due to the outbreak of the Civil War. Riverview was finally completed in 1872. The Hobson family and their descendants lived in the house until 1952.

Riverview at Hobson Grove

Property surrounding Riverview

Leaving Riverview behind we ventured into the downtowwn area where we came upon a really cool old gas station. This gas station was constructed in 1921 and was the first station in Kentucky.

Standard Oil Filling Station No. 1



Checkout the gas prices