Yesterday in La Crosse
How long has bowling been a popular sport in La Crosse?
The city of La Crosse may be named after the game of lacrosse, but it seems bowling was played here before lacrosse was. The La Crosse Tribune wrote in 1922 that city founder Nathan Myrick built La Crosse’s first bowling alley in 1846, near the corner of Vine and Front Streets. Only about 50 white settlers lived in La Crosse at the time, and the newspaper said settlers and natives patronized the bowling hall, with some Indians wagering furs against money or whiskey bet by the white bowlers.
The bowling pins at Myrick’s place were made of soft wood, and the balls were made from any material hard enough to resist damage…sometimes, just harder wood.
Many other bowling alleys have come and gone in the area since 1846. The Company Store building just off the pike was built as a bowling place in the 60’s. La Crescent used to have Shamrock Lanes, and Charlotte’s Bridal in La Crosse is inside a converted bowling alley. But the first bowling lanes in town were on Front St. in 1846, yesterday in La Crosse.
