Miller's Bowling Alley

[David Sechrest]

Please post any memories of Miller's Bowling Alley here!

Anyone know when Miller's opened?

[RER]

Miller's Bowling Lanes/Alley
U.S. Highway 31, Just East of Central

Comment: My memories of Miller Bowling Lanes runs from around 1956 to 1960 or so. Most of the time I would go to the lanes briefly on a Saturday during winter months. Sometimes it would be several guys together or at times dates meeting up with other dates. At times we might have 3 or 4 lanes of friends bowling. I wasn't the best bowler around for sure but it was fun during those days to "hit the strikes" and rack up the highest score you could roll out.

Additional Comment: I remember that Miller's Bowling Alley had automatic pin resets. However, in the early 1950s I remember a small bowling alley close to Horn's Fish Shop on 4th Street. Now, what is interesting is it was not an automatic pin reset, but a young guy in the back using manual means to clean the downed pins, and reset what remained for the second ball. I don't remember the name of that bowling alley. I also remember when Miller's Bowling opened, but can't remember what year. I believe it was in the early 1950 and the first automatic pin set alley in town.



During 1958 the above picture shows from left to right (taken at Miller's Alley):

Max Zeigler, John Miller, Jack Hinkle (John Miller is a guess)

[David Sechrest]

Thanks for getting the ball rolling Bob! (pun fully intended)

[David Sechrest]

There has been talk of the bowling alley on 4th Street on the Facebook page I mentioned in another post. I don't remember it. But I sure do remember Miller's. We bowled there a lot in high school. It was quite the hangout during the winter months.

[RER]

Jack Hinkle and I are emailing about the picture I posted and he seems to think John Miller is the middle person. I don't know if John was related to the owner of Miller's Lane.

Presently there is a bowling alley named Miller Lanes or Alley located on National Road. I don't know if they are related to the old ones on U.S. 31 that we have been discussing.

Also, Jack had memory of the manual reset bowling alley that was located near Horn's Fish Shop on 4th Street. I don't think it had over 3 lanes or so. The guy that did the reset and racking, plus manually rolling the ball down the path to the person had to take care of all the lanes. I recall seeing him working hard when more than one lane was in use. I never bowled at that alley, just peeked in going to the Columbus Roller Rink at times.

Comment: As David might say:"keep the ball rolling". I would like to know the name of the place that was on 4th Street.

Below Pictures 1959 & 1960:

1959
1960

[Ricky_Berkey]

There was a bowling alley in the block across across the alley from the Columbus Bar called Recreation Alleys at 308 4th Street. It was there from as early as 1936 to at least 1947. The block is now a parking garage, had been a surface parking lot for quite a while.

Miller Lanes has been closed for a long time. The only bowling open now is the Columbus Bowling Center out on State Street. Bulldog lanes on Indianapolis Rd (old 31A) was already closed prior to the 2008 flood and it was underwater during the flood.

[richard]

Dec 30, 2010 10:59:56 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

Please post any memories of Miller's Bowling Alley here!

Anyone know when Miller's opened?

An advertisement for Miller’s Bowling Lanes did NOT appear in the 1955 Columbus High School Log and DID appear in the 1956 Log.

[RER]

Dec 30, 2010 19:32:48 GMT -5 Ricky_Berkey said:

There was a bowling alley in the block across across the alley from the Columbus Bar called Recreation Alleys at 308 4th Street. It was there from as early as 1936 to at least 1947. The block is now a parking garage, had been a surface parking lot for quite a while.

Miller Lanes has been closed for a long time. The only bowling open now is the Columbus Bowling Center out on State Street. Bulldog lanes on Indianapolis Rd (old 31A) was already closed prior to the 2008 flood and it was underwater during the flood.

Good research Ricky. That was a very old bowling alley. I think it was still operating in the early 1950s for me to peek in walking to the Columbus Roller Rink. David may have tuned in close to the Miller's Bowling Lanes with his reference to the CHS Log ads. I have a few sports pages (1958-1960) from the Evening Republic paper that showed Miller's recaps of bowler's and their scores. The clips seem to be mostly league bowling results.

[richard]

The following is the listing for Fourth Street between Jackson and Washington Streets in the 1959 Columbus City Directory. It lists the Recreation Alleys Bowling.

304-06 - Schneider Implement Store
305 - Clarence A. Jenkins - Barber
307 - Charles R. Bryant - Shoe Repair
308 - Recreation Alleys - Bowling
311 - Thomas Electric Company
312 - Elliott Brothers Plumbing
313 - Emmert E. Hoeltke - Insurance
314 - Karl F. Voelz & Sons - Automobile Dealer
315 - Salkeld Tin Shop - Sheet Metal Works
317 - Mrs. Emily E. Fisher - Restaurant (had fish sandwiches also)
317 ½ - Mrs. Jessie E. Holden
319 - Fred J. Fisher - Bakery
319 ½ - Mrs. Goldie Graham
321 - Harold’s Café
322 - Columbus Bar - Tavern
324 - Horn’s Fish Sandwich Shop
324 ½ - Mrs. Mabel L. Higgins
326 - M & M Barber Shop
328 - Dalton & Payne - side entrance