Local artist, Historic Railpark team up for “Save the Depot” campaign, third poster reveal

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A new month only means one thing at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum – a new poster unveiling.

“The March poster is about keeping tradition alive and how it takes everyone to come together to do that,” said Jamie Johnson, Executive Director of the L&N Depot.

The tradition that Johnson mentioned is honoring the women in the workforce who served in a variety of roles during the early 1940s.

“The poster is really neat because it encompasses a variety of different jobs women would have had back in the time of World War II,” she added. “They’re all wearing a different uniform. It’s just really cool to see the growth that has happened from that time for women and the way things have changed.”

Not only did the Depot unveil the March poster – the third in a series of 12 – Johnson announced a partnership with local Bowling Green artist Nick Mantlo-Coots. Coots produced Railpark-specific, watercolor prints to help raise extra funds for the Save the Depot campaign.

“I just thought it was important to help a community landmark like this,” said Mantlo-Coots. “The Depot’s been around for such a long time. It really is up to us to make sure our history stays here, and we should help any way we can.”

Mantlo-Coots handmade three original prints. Copies have subsequently been made for purchase, with each print depicting the beauty of the L&N Depot.

“The building’s already gorgeous to begin with,” he said. “The Depot is a nice, special place. It wasn’t that difficult to create something good.”

And Johnson is happy to have him on board.

“It was really very heartwarming when he brought the idea to us that he wanted to donate his time and his talent to create the watercolors for us,” she said. “We have had an outpouring of a lot of different things.”

That outpouring of “different things” has been a key theme throughout this campaign – member of this community rallying together to preserve a monument that represents so much more than just a museum.

“There’s a lot of ways that people can help,” said Johnson. “Whatever it is that you do, whatever your talent is, there’ probably a way that you can offer that to the Railpark. We can utilize that and turn it into something great.”