White House Bowling Alley

That's a 7-10 Split, Mr. President The White House Bowling Alley is a one-lane bowling alley in the basement of the White House under the North Portico. Bowling lanes were first built in the ground floor of the West Wing as a birthday gift for President Truman in 1947 (in the location of the present-day Situation Room); Truman didn't care for bowling himself, but allowed staff to start a league. These were moved to the Old Executive Office Building in 1955 to make way for a mimeograph room. In 1969, President and Mrs. Nixon, both avid bowlers, had a new one-lane alley built (paid for by friends) in an underground workspace area below the driveway leading to the North Portico.

More Images

The Bowling Alley in 2008 (Christopher Morris)

President Bush (photo of White House photo)

The Bowling Alley in 2006 (Spificwoman13)

A visitor takes a turn in 2006 (Ejconkey)

A visitor takes a turn in 2005 (with the gutter bumpers deployed) (Abjanick)

The bowling alley in 2004, looking south (rita86)

The White House Basement Bowling Alley in the 1980s

Richard Nixon in the Old Executive Office Building Bowling Alley in 1970 (NARA)

Nixon in the Old Executive Office Building Bowling Alley in 1970

The old bowling alley in 1955, being installed in the Old Executive Office Building (Corbis)

Truman Bowling Alley in the West Wing, circa 1954 (Truman Library)

West Wing Bowling Alley in 1948 (Truman Library - U of U Marriott Library - Abbie Rowe)

West Wing Bowling Alley in 1948 (Truman Library - U of U Marriott Library - Abbie Rowe)

Harry Truman in the West Wing Bowling Alley, circa 1953 (Truman Library)