A History of the White House Bowling Alley
Recent talk about the plan to have the White House bowling alley renovated has brought to attention one of the original in home bowling alleys in the U. S. Until now, many people were unaware of the bowling alley that President Harry S. Truman opened in 1947. The bowling lanes are reserved for employees of the white house and their guests. Like most bowling alleys located in residences, this one consists of two lanes and the necessary bowling equipment for bowling in both lanes. Although the renovation has been put on hold, for now, the plan for updating the lanes originally came as a desire to make the 1940s era lanes into a more modern version of a bowling alley.
In 1955 , the bowling lanes were moved from the West Wing where the Situation Room is now located, to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where it could be put to use by White House staffers. Reports of chipped lanes and worn out bowling equipment have brought attention to the fact that they have been absent of any professional or industry standard care or repairs in 15 years. It is now believed that the only option to create a useable, updated bowling alley is to replace the wood lanes with those made of modern synthetic materials.
The continuing interest in updating the White House bowling alley is evident of two things:
- Bowling has been and continues to be a popular sport and pastime for people of all levels of expertise and all ages. During his term in 1969, President Richard Nixon added an additional single lane bowling alley beneath the North Portico of the White House for the use of his family and their guests.
- Quality construction of bowling lanes and good quality bowling alley equipment are a good investment that will be enjoyed over time. Taking the time and care to create a professional quality bowling alley will result in a form of entertainment that will last longer and continue to serve bowling enthusiasts for many years to come.
At Murrey Bowling, we design, manufacture, and install world-class bowling alley equipment that will stand the test of time. We can modernize your bowling alley, build a new structure, or add needed repairs to an existing bowling alley to improve both its looks and functionality. Call us at 310-532-6091 to learn more about our services.
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