Holler House facts for kids
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| Sport | Ten-pin bowling |
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| Founded | 1908 |
| Location | 2042 W. Lincoln Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States |
| Chairman | Marcy Skowronski |
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Holler House is a famous tavern in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is home to the oldest officially recognized tenpin bowling alley in the United States. This special place has the two oldest bowling lanes in the country. What makes them unique is that real people, called pinsetters, still set up the pins by hand!
Holler House first opened in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee in 1908. It celebrated its 100th birthday party on September 14, 2008. Many people consider it one of the best bars in America.
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The History of Holler House
Holler House began on September 13, 1908. It was started by "Iron Mike" Skoronski and was first called Skowronski's. Later, Mike's son, Gene, married Marcy in 1952. They decided to rename the place Gene and Marcy's.
After Gene passed away in 1990, Marcy Skowronski continued to run the tavern. She managed it until she passed away in December 2019. Today, her family still operates the business, keeping its long history alive.
Celebrating 100 Years
Before its 100th anniversary, Holler House got its first big cleaning in 40 years! During this cleaning, workers found some really old bowling balls. They discovered five wooden bowling balls, each weighing 15 pounds, that had two finger holes. These balls were made from a very hard wood called lignum vitae.
Looking Like the Past
Holler House still looks very much like it did over a century ago. The bowling lanes are made of real wood. This is different from many modern bowling alleys that use fake wood materials.
The alley also uses an old-fashioned system for setting pins. It has a manual pin-spotting mechanism on each lane. This means pin boys physically reset the pins after each turn. They also roll the bowling balls back to the bowlers using a traditional "overlane" return-track. This track runs between the two lanes. Scores are not kept on a computer screen. Instead, they are written down on paper hanging on the wall.
Old Items and Drinks
You can see many old items displayed at Holler House. Some of these items date back to as early as 1912. In the early days, a hot beef sandwich cost 25 cents. A half-gallon of beer also cost 25 cents, plus a deposit. During a time called Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal, people found clever ways to store drinks.
The bowling alley area itself does not have any chairs. Above the bowling lanes, you can see Polish eagle crests. These show the cultural background of the neighborhood where Holler House is located.
Holler House mainly sells bottled beer. The only canned beer they offer is Schlitz. They do not have any beer on tap.
Famous Visitors
Many well-known people have visited Holler House over the years. Some of these famous bowlers and visitors include:
- Earl Anthony, a professional bowler who won many titles.
- Joe Walsh, a famous American guitarist.
- Traci Lords, an American film actress.
- Frank Deford, an author for Sports Illustrated.
- Larry the Cable Guy, a popular comedian.
- Jack White, a musician.
- Parker Bohn III, another professional bowler.
- Pee-wee Herman, an American comedian.
Images for kids
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Pin boys at Holler House bowling alley
