April 25, 1947: President Truman inaugurated the White House bowling alley. Truman, who said he hadn't bowled since he was 19, rarely used it (preferring to play poker, often with reporters), but White House staffers formed a bowling league. The two-lane alley (paid for by friends from Truman's home state of Missouri) was in the West Wing. Dwight Eisenhower replaced it with a mimeograph room in 1955. Another alley was built next door in the Old Executive Office Building. President Nixon had an additional one-lane bowling alley installed directly under the North Portico of the White House.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Trump declares 'golden age' at indoor inaugurationIn the Spotlight Donald Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States
-
Where in the world to hop on a hot air balloonThe Week Recommends Float above California vineyards, Swiss Alps and the plains of the Serengeti
-
'The death and destruction happening in Gaza still dominate our lives'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
