If you ever bowled in an old-fashioned bowling alley then you’ll remember the exposed resetting equipment and rustic wooden pins. You might think that these types of bowling alleys are all gone, but there are a few left here and there. One such place first opened in 1927 before the Great Depression hit and is open even today!

One of the interesting things about Highland Park Bowl in L.A. is, not only do they have the rustic equipment, the establishment also has a very interesting story. During Prohibition there a doctor upstairs would could provide you with a prescription for liquor and a pharmacist next door where you could fill the prescription and then folks would “take their medicine” at the bowling alley for a good time. There was also a speakeasy entrance around the back. What a story! Visitors to these lanes today say that the absence of black lights and arcade game noises make for a very peaceful atmosphere. Have a look in the video below at this relic from another time.

Subscribe to Dusty Old Thing