We’ve seen some interesting locations for bowling alleys, including the basement of an old tavern and even the White House, but we’ve never seen anything quite like this example from Mahopac, New York, a town about 50 miles north of New York City.
The students of Lakeview Elementary School recently confirmed what had been a long-time rumor: a bowling alley lay hidden in the basement!
An Alley That Dates Back Over 70 Years
Way back in 1937, town residents banded together to build a four-lane alley in the local schoolhouse. At the time this was huge news, as there was no alley in town and those wishing to bowl had to make a long trip to one of the surrounding towns.
Over the next couple of decades, the school bowling alley became very popular and served various functions, including league bowling for the town’s serious crowd, open bowling for the public and even gym class for the school.
Abandoned and Forgotten
Not long after, however, all of that was put to a halt as the area became a custodial closet and was soon completely buried under a mass of random supplies and other debris. And with the arrival of larger, flashier bowling alleys in town, it wasn’t immediately missed.
For a period of over 50 years, the alley existed only as a schoolyard legend, apart from the distant memories of the few old enough to remember it.
But finally, in January 2011, the school administration finally decided to unearth it, and went forward with a plan to clear out the space and restore the bowling alley to its former glory.
Now the schoolchildren of Lakeview Elementary can look forward to learning something about the history of their school, as well as roll a couple of frames in between classes.
Our Verdict:
Historical Significance: A+
Features/Price: N/A
Location:
What Do You Think About this Alley?
Lakeview Elementary School Bowling Alley – Mahopac, NY,