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

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS LANES: Located at 601 S. Sixth. Six lanes. Opened on February 1, 1925, John Gadert, manager. The first league bowling took place on September 10, 1925. During the following season, 1926-27, as league play about to begin, Springfield had a tremendous rainstorm, flooding the lanes. League activity transferred to other bowling lanes until the damage repaired. In the remodeling process, they reversed the lanes to throw the ball towards the south instead of the previous north direction. Also, alleged to be the first lanes in the city to have some sort of a foul light system. Closed on May 28, 1970, with the property demolished and replaced with a building for the Bell Telephone Company. NEW CAPITOL CITY ALLEYS: Located at 220 1/2 E. Monroe. Seven lanes. Opened on September 24, 1927. The lanes were certified by the ABC on October 20, 1927. Julius C. Becker was proprietor until his death in December, 1929. Ownership was taken over by John Flatt, Joe and Adolph "Dusty" Segin. Bernie Stankavich assumed ownership in 1948, and operated them until their closing, June 29, 1953. ORPHEUM RECREATION PALACE - ORPHEUM BOWLING & BILLIARDS: Located at 126 N. Fifth. Twelve lanes located in the basement. Opened for business on August 18, 1928, with T. C. Callahan, manager. The lanes certified by the ABC on October 5, 1928. Walt Bruns was the proprietor until May, 1949, when Fred Metz assumed ownership, changing the name to the Orpheum Bowling & Billiards. League play ceased in 1963, at which time Robert McClintock operated it as open play bowling and billiards. The building was torn down in 1965, the site now housing the First of America bank drive up windows. MASON CITY BOWL - MASON CITY BOWLING CENTER: Located at 120 W. Chestnut. Six lanes. The lanes opened in 1939, with the lanes certified by the ABC on January 15, 1941. Operated under the Mason City Bowling Association until the 1963-64 season, when joined the GSBA. Several changes of ownership, some unknown. In 1963 Joe Mounce was the proprietor, in 1965 it was Agnes and Jack Hoelscher, 1971 it was Allen Green, 1976 it was Bill Brickell, in 1982 Greg Bannister. The lanes were sold at auction May 28, 1991, and the site demolished. THE BOWL: Located at 125 E. Adams. Twenty-four lanes. Opened officially on Friday, August 1, 1941. The lanes were certified by the ABC on October 13, 1941. The pinsetting machines were operated by pin boys, pressing down the pinsetting machine manually. The machines were converted to semi-automatic type later, with the pinboy pulling a rope attached to a switch. Automatic pinsetter machines installed on November 15, 1958. The lanes closed and removed, at the conclusion of the 1967- 68 season. The building today houses offices for the State of Illinois.
SILVER LEAF BOWLING ALLEY: Located at 910 E. Washington. Number of lanes unknown. Opening date is unknown. However, the 1940 city directory listed this site as Silver Leaf Roller Rink, and in the 1940-41 directory it is listed as both a roller rink and bowling lanes. Not listed in the 1942 city directory. It was, or was to be a duckpin bowling alley. SPRINGFIELD DUCK BOWL: Located at 215 E. Capitol Avenue, and believe opened in 1942, as in the 1941 directory this site was listed as a Chevrolet car dealership. There were 14 lanes, and managed by Don M. Davison. Was in operation possibly through the 1944 period, or shortly thereafter. MOFFET’S LANES - SPUD LANES - VIRDEN RECREATION: Fred Moffet built the three lane Moffet Lanes in 1941, on the west side of the square. Today it is the site of Hendrick’s Home Furnishings. The lanes were purchased by Murv Sartoris in 1946. He operated them at this site from October, 1946 until April, 1947. He had the Virden Recreation constructed in 1947, on Springfield Street. There were five new lanes and one lane he brought over from the old Moffet’s Lanes. Murv operated the Virden Recreation until 1959, when they were sold to Lowell Wallace in October, 1959. He resumed ownership in late 1965, and then sold them to Webb Barrington, in 1966. The lanes burned to the ground in 1975. The Virden Recreation was the first site in the area (including Springfield) to have automatic pinsetters. AUBURN BOWLING ALLEYS: Located at 401 1/2 W. Jefferson. Six lanes. The first league, the eight team Auburn Merchants, started competition at 7:09 PM, just five minutes after the final installation by Grover Queen. The lanes owned by John Galloway. They were certified by the ABC on October 31, 1946. The lanes closed September 8, 1955. SPILLWAY LANES: Located at 1120 E. Sangamon Avenue. Eight lanes. Ground broken for the lanes on June 27, 1946, opening for business in October, 1946. The lanes certified by ABC on November 8, 1946. Charlie and Artie James were the original proprietors. Eight new lanes installed in August, 1966. The family business later was operated by Betty and Stewart James, until its destruction by fire, on Tuesday, April 24, 1984. JIM’S LANES - MENARD BOWL - NBP BOWL - J & N LANES: Located at 111 W. Sangamon, Petersburg. Six lanes. The lanes opened in 1950, as the Menard Bowl, by Dale Peterson. The final installation of the lanes completed on October 6, 1950, and the lanes certified by the ABC on October 6, 1950. The lanes purchased by the National Bank of Petersburg in 1984 and renamed as the NBP Bowl. The James Bauser family purchased the lanes in September, 1985, renaming them the J & N Lanes. James Bauser became the proprietor with the 1993-94 season, and changed the name of the establishment.
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