- The O.C. Ewart Bowling Alley has been a beloved community fixture since 1896.
- It recently received official recognition from the National Society Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century.
- Watch the video to learn how you can visit the O.C. Ewart Bowling Alley and old-time bowling for yourself.
BROADCAST SCRIPT
128 years. That's how long the O.C. Ewart Bowling Alley has been bringing folks together in Thomasville.
I'm striking you with facts about this historical alley and how it just scored the title of the oldest extant single-lane bowling alley in the country.
And telling you what's next for this local treasure.
Oliver C. Ewart was an Ohio Banker who wintered in Thomasville. In 1896, he built the single-lane bowling alley on Dawson Street as his personal getaway.
Along with a shooting gallery and billiards room, the alley became part of his Victorian-era estate.
But this alley didn't just serve as a place for fun.
In the early 1900s, fire claimed the home of the family that owned Flowers Food.
The bowling alley served as their temporary home while they rebuilt.
Now, the alley's history is being honored.
On Tuesday, the National Society Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century stopped by to give it an official title.
"It's an 1896 bowling alley, so when you bowl the ball, it's not coming back to you immediately," said Ephraim Rotter. He's the curator at the Thomasville History Center.
Rotter tells me this is not your typical bowling alley. "You either have to have someone back there acting as a pin setter and a ball return person, or you have to go and do it yourself," he says.
The alley is still fully functional, unlike other historic bowling alleys in North Carolina and Connecticut that are now closed. Here, you can bowl like it's 1896.
I stopped downtown, where I met Jerry Varns and his wife. They are visiting Thomasville just for the history.
"People are always craving these little villages and towns because they're so tired of big malls that have clearly died off."
He says the bowling alley is next on his list.
"I think it's awesome. I think it adds to the historical significance and charm of the town."
Neighbors can experience the O.C. Ewart Bowling Alley for themselves. It's included with the Thomasville History Center's $10 admission fee.
