Excerpts from an interesting story in Messy Nessy:
There are thought to be fewer than 200 churches with bowling lanes left in America today, but as early as the 1860s, they were quite common across the Midwest and parts of the Northeast...
In working-class neighbourhoods, it wasn’t unusual at all for churches to have bowling alleys. Recreational facilities served as social gathering spots. If husbands were going to drink, better it be at his local church bowling alley than in a gambling establishment. It kept the youngsters out of trouble too, especially when bowling became so fashionable the 40s and 50s...
All types of churches built bowling alleys– Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Unitarian; and membership wasn’t necessarily a prerequisite to bowl. It was the German immigrants of the 1860s who first started building them as moral refuges for their community. In Milwaukee alone, the city once had at least 13 church bowling alleys.
More photos at the link, plus a list of some churches that currently have bowling alleys.
I'm adding Messy Nessy to my list of recommended blogs, because the range of content is quite TYWKIWDBI-like.
St. Louis had many churches with bowling alleys. I was in a few leagues.
ReplyDeleteFrom personal experience I know bowling, at least league bowling, promotes bad language.
ReplyDeleteI bought an ally from a building being renovated. Just the wood floor of the ally none of the mechanical bits. I was surprised only about the first and last 4 feet were hardwood, the rest was softwoods.
xoxoxoBruce