Past & Present Bowling Alleys - Greater Springfield Bowling ...

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ARION ALLEYS: Located at 325 E. Jefferson. Three lanes. The official opening date is unknown, but they had bowling leagues in October, 1902 and at least through March 26, 1911. In 1908 it was listed as a pool hall and bowling alley, with the proprietor Richard T. Wandell. Mr. George Wiedlocher was the owner of the Arion Hall, 205 N. Fourth Street, and it is unclear as to whether he had business interests in the Arion Alleys. BRUNSWICK BOWLING ALLEYS: Located at 311-315 S. Sixth. Four lanes. Opened on January 21, 1903. F.S. Dodd and Baldwin Starr, owners. GRAND ALLEYS: Located at 322 S. Sixth. Eight lanes, four upstairs and four downstairs. John and Charles J. Maldener, owners. The first bowling matches were held on December 10, 1902, with bowling continuing until at least January, 1904. The directory of 1905 lists the site as the Gaiety Theater, then as Franke the Furrier, in 1908. TOM ALLENS: Located at 409-411 E. Jefferson. Six lanes. The lanes were located in the Freeman Building, the proprietor was Thomas W. Allen. Opened for business on Wednesday, April 1, 1903. The first big event was the Central Illinois bowlers tournament on April 20, 1903, which resulted in the city tournament being cancelled because of this larger event. Unknown how long it was open as a bowling alley, but a later directory lists the site as the Big O theater, and that this theater was destroyed by fire in 1908. GORDY’S: Located at 123 N. Fourth. Number of lanes unknown. W. C. Gordy listed in the 1906 city directory as having a saloon, with no bowling alley. However, it is possible, like a number of other saloons, they had one or two lanes for enjoyment, similar to today’s arcades. No mention of this establishment in the 1906 directory. NEW LELAND ALLEYS - LELAND ALLEYS: Located at 322 S. Sixth. Eight lanes. Opened in October,1910, under the guidance of Julius C. Becker. They remained as the New Leland Alleys through the 1913-1914 season. With the 1914 season, George Kern took over ownership and changed the name to the Leland Alleys. He operated one season here, apparently, as the 1915 city directory shows this location as vacant. H. N. MARTIN’S: Located at 325 E. Jefferson. Three lanes. The 1914 city directory lists H. N. Martin opening up these alleys, and may have been the old Arion Alleys, though the listing was as a Billiard Hall & Bowling Alley. This site was next door to Gaston L. Rousseau’s saloon, located at 327 E. Jefferson. Listed as a saloon & bowling alley in 1915-16. AU-TO-BOWL: 110 N. 6th. Listed in 1931 city directory, but not in the 1932 edition.
ARION CLUB ALLEYS: Located at 325-327 E. Jefferson. Three lanes. The 1915 city directory lists the Arion Club Alleys and the owner was Gaston L. Rousseau. He charged five cents a line to bowl. Mr. Peter Gaa succeeded Mr. Rousseau, probably in 1916, and charged ten cents a line to bowl, but he issued a five cent beer check with each game of bowling. The 1917 city directory shows the address as vacant. YMCA: A newspaper article of 1904 speaks of a new YMCA building to be built, with bowling lanes. It was scheduled to open around October 1, 1905, but have no knowledge if it ever materialized. CAPITOL CITY BOWLING & BILLIARDS: Located at 325 1/2 E. Adams. Six lanes. George Kern moved from the Leland Alleys to this location, starting with the 1915 bowling season. In the 1916 directory it shows an address of 321 1/2 E. Adams and listed as the Edwin Ferris Capitol City Bowling & Billiards Hall. The lanes remained in operation until the end of the 1926-27 season. Once, during a bowling exhibition by Jimmy Blouin (one of the top bowlers in the country), he bowled rather poorly and called the lanes the "sidewalks", with the nickname sticking for a period of time. BOX BALL ALLEY & SHOOTING GALLERY: Located at 512 E. Jefferson. One lane. Ambrose T. Hurt opened for business in 1917. This was basically an outdoor bowling alley and shooting gallery, like a carnival type operation. Listed in the 1918 city directory, but not in 1918. BOX BALL ALLEY: The 1920 city directory lists Jack Williams having these lanes at 320 E. Washington. OGLESBY ALLEYS: Located in Mt. Pulaski. Not much known, except that they did have bowling matches in February, 1923. ELKS CLUB ALLEYS: Located at 509 S. Sixth. Four lanes originally, then six lanes in 1946. Opened for business on March 13, 1924, with John Helmberger, manager. The original lanes were in the basement. In 1946 the basement lanes removed and six new lanes installed upstairs. These lanes were certified by the ABC on September 25, 1946. The bowling alley went out of business in May, 1979.
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