Back in the day, Lansing loved to bowl...sure, we enjoy bowling nowadays, but back in the 1800's thru the 1960's, there was bowling fever in the area.

Records indicate the first known bowling alley was in existence around by 1847, somewhere on E. Main Street's south side.

That was all fine and dandy for awhile until bowling alleys started popping up all over downtown Lansing in the late 1800's - early 1900's. Some of these locations only included two to four lanes.

Bowling sites included:
206 E. MICHIGAN in the basement of Montgomery Ward (1890's).
222. N. WASHINGTON in the Arlington Building (1900).
116 W. MICHIGAN at the old YMCA building (1900)
420 N. CAPITOL AVENUE, in the Knights of Columbus Hall (1934)
1109 S. WASHINGTON, at the Lansing Recreation Center (1940's & 1950's)
3507 S. CEDAR, Cedarway Recreation Center (1949)
and more lanes popped up in various other buildings for recreation purposes.
(SEE THE PHOTO GALLERY BELOW TO SEE WHAT THESE SITES ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR.)

Other bowling alleys no longer in use include:
STRAND LANES (basement of the Strand Arcade)
THE ELKS CLUB
SPARTAN BOWLING ALLEYS (site of the future Silver Dollar Saloon)
TIMBERLANES
EMPIRE
WESTLAWN
KIWANIS CLUB
HOLIDAY LANES (Grand River & Clippert)
METRO BOWL, S. Logan
PRO BOWL east & west

Nowadays we have:
CITY LIMITS, Haslett & Mason
SPARE TIME
SPARTAN LANES at the MSU Union
ROYAL SCOT
CHAR-LANES in Charlotte
LESLIE LANES in Leslie

So you can see the number of bowling alley choices has dwindled quite a bit.  If you still enjoy bowling, what are ya waitin' for? Get out there and bowl. if you haven't been in a while, you'll surprise yourself at how much fun you'll have. Get together with a group of people and you'll have a surprisingly good time.

If any info I have listed needs correction, please let me know!

MORE LANSING STUFF!

Lansing Civic Center Memories

Lansing Restaurant Memorabilia

The Empty Halls of Lansing Mall

 

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