History

The Turpin Building, constructed in 1872 for Mary Turpin, features one of Bowling Green's finest facades. Italianate in style, it is faced with stone trademarked by the Warren County White Stone Quarry as "Bowling Green Stone". The "Bowling Green Stone", used in many public and private buildings nationwide, such as the Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, Kentucky and the Customs House in Nashville, Tennessee, won awards at both the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The intricately carved stone on the Turpin Building features floral patterns in the decorative hood molds above the windows, little faces peering at the square from the pilaster capitals and gargoyles.

The building has provided office space for insurance agents, realtors, engineers and a finance company as well as doctors, dentists, a plumbing company and a beauty salon. Pianos, jewelry, sewing machines, shoes and clothes were sold at various time in its history from stores such as the Bazaar Department Store in the 1920s and the Hartig & Benzel Jewelers shop before it moved over to Main Street in the 1930s. A popular restaurant known as the Lantern Glow Eat Shoppe served meals in the 1940s. It was also the first base for the Commercial Club, the forerunner of Bowling Green's Chamber of Commerce.



The Turpin Family Insurance and Real Estate businesses were located in the building from 1935 to 1958 and one of the founders of the Landmark Association of Bowling Green and Warren County, John C. Perkins, had his real estate office here for many years.

Hearsay
The stone on the façade of the Turpin Building was ordered and delivered for the T. D. Calvert home (later the home of Ogden College) located on the corner of Chestnut Street and Fourteenth Avenue. The building was owned by Mr. Calvert for his residence. Due to financial reverses he was unable to apply the finishing touches and had to sell the stone that had been designed, carved, shipped and was ready to install. If the stone had not been resold for the Turpin Building, it would not be here for us to admire today as the Calvert House / Ogden College was demolished ca. 1950.

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