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email: roadarch@outlook.com |
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| Bowling Signs (page 3) |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Plaza Bowling Lanes Connersville, IN |
Rainbo Lanes Elkhart, IN |
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The Plaza Bowling Lanes opened around 1960. [map]
The Rainbo Lanes opened in 1963. The circles were once animated neon bowling balls which sequenced towards the pin. The bowling alley closed in 2011 just after this photo was taken. It reopened in 2013. In 2014, it was renamed The Arena. The neon was removed and the sign was painted black. [map] |
| Westwood Lanes [gone] Fort Wayne, IN |
Dunes Bowl [gone] Gary, IN |
Cressmoor Lanes Hobart, IN |
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The Westwood Lanes' bowling pin sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. The business had closed but the sign was moved to the back of the lot. It was gone by 2024. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
The Dunes Bowl was obviously inspired by the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The bowling alley had been closed since at least 2008. This photo is from 2009. The bowling alley was demolished around 2012. By 2014, the sign was removed. The Dunes Bowl bulb letters were saved and incorporated into a new sign which is displayed inside a bar in Ottawa, ON. The Cressmoor Lanes was built in 1955 and this sign was built then by Federal Sign. The sign is owned by the Gary Sign Company of Merrillville, Indiana. The bowling alley pays a leasing fee for the sign, ensuring that it is maintained. The tacked-on "Billiards" piece on the pin is vintage but might conceal different text underneath. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Victory Lanes Merrillville, IN |
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| This Victory Lanes sign is located inside the Portillo's Hot Dogs in Merrillville. I have no idea where it was installed originally. |
| Scottsburg Lanes Scottsburg, IN |
River City Recreation Evansville, IN |
Creole Lanes [gone] Vincennes, IN |
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The Scottsburg Lanes opened in 1955 at a different location downtown. It moved to this location in the 1960s and the sign appears to be from then. For more, see this website. [map]
River City Recreation opened in 1959 as the Colonial Lanes. The original sign featured a giant pin with an AMF logo on top of the current sign base with neon letters. In the 1960s, the pin was replaced with the smaller pin and bowling ball. Around 1988 when River City Recreation opened, the new vacuum form plastic sign was added. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] The Creole Lanes sign was probably from the 1960s. The bowling alley closed in 2018 and the sign is gone. |
| The Bowling Center Bluffton, IN |
Bowl-Away Lanes Knox, IN |
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The Bowling Center had opened by 1947 and this sign is probably from then. In 2018, the business was renamed the EZ Bowl. Around 2024, "The" at the top and "Center" at the bottom of the sign were painted over. For more, see this website. [map]
Bowl-Away Lanes was built in 1961. If there was an interesting sign at some point, it's been replaced with a backlit plastic box sign. However, the breeze block at the entrance was painted with this pin by 2018. [map] |
| Best's Bowling Center Monticello, IN |
Suburban Lanes Tipton, IN |
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The Best's Bowling Center opened as the Monticello Bowling Lanes in 1960. The name was changed to Best's in 2012. [map]
The Suburban Lanes was built in 1960 and this pole sign is probably from then. By 2023, LED rope had been added around the pins. [map] |
| Wawasee Bowl Syracuse, IN |
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| The Wawasee Bowl was built in 1960 and this sign appears to be from then. [map] |
| Fountain Square Recreation Indianapolis, IN |
Action Duckpin Indianapolis, IN |
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Fountain Square Recreation housed a bowling alley and billiard hall on the fourth floor of this building from 1928-1957. The bowling sign which appears to be from the 1940s or 1950s was originally installed in Springfield, OH. It was probably adapted with "Food & Spirits" and installed on this building around 1994 when the Fountain Square Theatre building was redeveloped and Action Duckpin opened. [map]
This Action Duckpin sign was built in the late 1970s or early 1980s and advertised for a local restaurant. It was adapted for Action Duckpin which opened in 1994. The duckpin bowling lanes are in the same building where Fountain Square Recreation once was. The 1930s bowling equipment came from Columbia City, IN. For more see this website. [map] |
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More Indiana:
Norwood Bowl (Alexandria) Eastern Lanes (Clarksville) [gone] Western Bowl & Expo Bowl (Indianapolis) Silver Creek Lanes (Sellersburg) [gone] |
| Duffy's Green Acres Bowl Abilene, KS |
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| Duffy's Green Acres Bowl had opened by 1962. By 2007, the neon was long gone and the Duffy's name had been painted. In 2016, the sign was repainted for the Tornado Alley Lanes. [map] |
| Holiday Bowl Augusta, KS |
Zuckey's Bowl Manhattan, KS |
Ayr Lanes Liberal, KS |
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The Holiday Bowl opened in 1958. The sign's lettering was definitely inspired by Holiday Inn signs. The bowling alley closed in 2010. In 2022, work began to reopen the business. [map]
The Zuckey's Bowl sign appears to be from the 1950s. The business is now known as Little Apple Lanes. This sign remains. [map] Ayr Lanes has been there since at least 1963. It became Billy's Ayr Lanes in 2014. [map] |
| Tuxie's Ten Pin & Grill Belleville, KS |
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| Tuxie's Ten Pin & Grill was built as the Belleville Bowl. In 2021, it became Tuxie's and this sign was built. [map] |
| Starlite Lanes McPherson, KS |
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| The Starlite Lanes opened in 1961 and this sign is from then. Around 2017, the original readerboard had been replaced with a digital display board. [map] |
| Gage Center Bowl Topeka, KS |
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| Gage Bowl North [gone] Topeka, KS |
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Gage Center Bowl opened in 1960. The signs were refurbished in 2014. The pole sign is animated. For more, see this website. [map]
Gage Bowl North opened in 1961 and had the same signs as Gage Center Bowl. It closed in 2011. By 2014, the sign on the building had been removed and the pole sign was painted over. The building was remodeled for a storage center. |
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Bowling Signs page 1 |
Bowling Signs page 2 |
Bowling Signs page 4 |
Bowling Signs page 5 |
Bowling Signs page 6 |
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Bowling Signs page 7 |
Bowling Signs page 8 |
Bowling Signs page 9 |
Bowling Signs page 10 |
Bowling Signs page 11 |
Bowling Signs page 12 |
California Bowling Signs |
Illinois Bowling Signs |
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Main SCA Article Companion Page |
Main Signs Page |
| RoadsideArchitecture.com |
Copyright. All photos at this website are copyrighted and may only be used with my consent. This includes posting them at Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, other websites, personal use, etc. Tips & Updates. If you have suggestions about places that I haven't covered, historical info, or updates about places/things that have been remodeled or removed, I'd love to hear from you: roadarch@outlook.com. |