Lady of the Garden-The Ruth Rabold Story

nick and ruth
Lady of the Garden-The Ruth Rabold Story

The RailPark is home to Bowling Green Trolley Tours & Rentals. While this new attraction is only five months old, we’ve hit the pavement rolling. You will hear more about the trolley in time as you read our blog. But we wanted to jump right in and share the newest tour in town.

The Bowling Green Trolley is kicking off its first specialty tour on May 12, 2023. Lady of the Garden-The Ruth Rabold Story shares Ruth’s history in Bowling Green and truly shows the vibrant culture of our town! We are excited for the opportunity to showcase her secret garden and share how she impacted the beauty and landscape of our community! 

This tour will start at the Historic RailPark & Train Museum. The BG Trolley will take guests on a guided tour through downtown Bowling Green to highlight points of interest showing; Ruth’s significant impact on our community. The tour will be capped with a personal tour of Ruth’s private garden led by her great-grandson, Nick Rabold. Guests will be treated to light refreshments while experiencing a character portraying Ruth. During the garden tour, you’ll hear from Nick himself on the history of the Rabold Garden and former Lehman (Rabold) Gardens estate. The tour is approximately 90 minutes. This is a limited tour and will only be available on select dates in May and June. Our opening tour date is Friday, May 12th.

Tickets are on sale now through our website www.BGTrolleyTours.com and www.UnSeenBGKY.com. Individual tickets can be purchased online. For private group bookings, you can email BGTrolleyTours@historicrailpark.com or call us at 270-745-7317. Keep an eye on our social media platforms for more updates.

Click here to get tickets for Lady of the Garden

This tour is sponsored by the Bowling Green-Warren County Landmark Association in partnership with UnSeen BG Tours and the BG Trolley. Lady of the Garden- The Ruth Rabold Story is part of our popular UnSeen BG Tour Series, presented by Dr. John & Sheryl Downing.

More About Ruth Rabold:

Ruth Rabold was a talented landscape gardener and designer. She moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1918. Her knowledge of landscape gardening, history, and design put her ahead of what was at the time a male-dominated field. She founded the Garden Club of Kentucky in 1931, the Bowling Green Garden Club in 1935, and the Bowling Green Beautification Commission (the precursor to today’s Operation PRIDE) in the 1970s. Ruth gave new life to many Bowling Green landmarks, including Bowling Green’s Fountain Square Park, Bowling Green Country Club, and the Hobson House, Riverview at Hobson Grove. In collaboration with the Collet branch of the Rabold family, Ruth also developed the former Lehman (Rabold) Gardens estate, which extended from her home on Parkway Street to the Nutwood-Magnolia neighborhood. Ruth Rabold’s death in 1986 ended a career that lasted more than six decades. Her impact on Bowling Green, however, remains alive today.

About Bowling Green Trolley Tours & Rentals:​​​​​​​

Operated by the Historic RailPark & Train Museum, the BG Trolley is the newest addition to Bowling Green’s burgeoning tourism industry. Blending modern amenities with rustic charm and sensibility, our 34-passenger trolley is perfectly suited for a variety of public and private events. A combination of forward and center-facing seating accommodates flowing gowns for wedding events, while our built-in sound system allows you to choose the soundtrack for your evening. Our wireless PA system also allows for live narration, making the Bowling Green Trolley the ideal venue for your next tour of our beautiful city. The Bowling Green Trolley is fully accessible to passengers with physical limitations, and seating for up to two wheelchairs is available upon request. Visit our website at www.BGTrolleyTours.com

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