It seems as of late, bowling industries want to develop alleys that look more like nightclubs, with martini glasses instead of pitchers, where woman use stilettos instead of bowling shoes, where fancy high def TV's replace moniters, etc... rather than focus on the necessities and the basics of bowling. The nation's oldest bowling alley, the Holler House in Milwaukee, is iconic to me because somehow it has been able to maintain the "old school" aspect of bowling. There's no arcade or snack bar at the Holler House, but there is a small bar filled with bowling memorabilia above the lanes that Esquire rated one of the best bars in America. Just don't expect to be able to order a martini. The Holler House, which celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2008, still uses human pinsetters. Pin boys, as the locals call them, work for $30 per day, plus tips, reloading pins after each throw on the alley's two lanes. I honestly would not mind having that job.

Nothing defines iconic bowling alley like the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley in the White House. The history of bowling in the White House dates back to 1947, when a two-lane alley was installed in the West Wing as a birthday gift to President Truman. While Truman wasn't much of a bowler, a league of White House staffers soon formed. The two-lane alley was moved to the Old Executive Office Building to clear space for a mimeograph room in 1955, but Nixon had a single-lane alley built below the driveway leading to the North Portico shortly after he came into office in 1969. The nation's leading bowling organizations reached across the gutter to submit a joint proposal to renovate the existing alley (see image below). The proposal described an ultra-modern lane with "electronic bumpers." Honestly I've never had the privilege to visit the White House bowling alley, so i'm not sure if this renovation has happened or if the picture below is just a plan they have for the White House. ,

These bowling alleys are iconic in their own way. Amazing bowling alleys on their own but they have a deep sentimental value that helps remember the past and how this sport came to be. I love bowling and everything about it. Keep updated with the blog to read more about bowling alleys across this country and throughout the world! Have a great day and bowl on everyone!