I received a very unexpected email last week:
We recently purchased a building in Queens, and while clearing out the basement we discovered a two lane manual bowling alley in very good condition. We did some research and this basement was most probably a club during the Prohibition era. Would you or someone you know be interested [in the space]?
A hidden Prohibition-era bowling alley? Yes, definitely interested. I took a trip to see it today - Just incredible:
According tothe owner, the bowling lanes were hidden under boxes and boxes of junk.After researching the property, the owner now believes the basement wasa speak-easy club during the Prohibition Era, with two bowling lanes toentertain customers.
The buildingitself was once a small garment factory in the early 1900s, employinglocal women to work the sewing machines and men to keep the equipmentrunning smoothly (often husbands and wives). This is the main room,where as many as 50 ladies would be operating sewing machines (though Iwas told it was not the sweat shop conditions one would assume):
What was going on in the basement, however, is a different story...
Each lane features two shallow gutters...
...with wood panels set at the ends to keep pins from bouncing out of the lanes (the pins were set-up by hand, of course):
Incredibly, the right lane still has a hanging cushion to stop the balls:
You can see it better below. Also note the screen on the right:
Incredibly, the cushion still hangs to this day by a pair of rusty iron hooks:
Lining the outer lane are several decorative poles:
Each is a dark-stained wood and features several ornamental rings:
A close-up (one can only imagine the parties these have been around for):
The wood on the lanes is in great shape. There are a few holes toward the starts...
But this is pretty much the only damage for the entire run:
Numerous entrances and exits throughout the property would have facilitated discreet access.
The owner isinterested in any offers for film, television, commercial, orphotographic use. He suggested it as very appropriate for a show like Cold Case,and I totally agree. Pretty much any production looking for anauthentic relic of a Prohibition-era club could do wonders with thisspace, a very rare find. The upstairs is also available.
If you are interested, send me an e-mail and I will forward it on to the owner.
And please, if you have something like this in your basement or attic or rooftop or whatever, drop me a line!
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