Modern bowling can trace its roots to Germany and a sport called kegeling, so it’s easy to understand how the sport became so popular in Wisconsin. In 1905, the American Bowling Congress held a tournament in Milwaukee and were so impressed, they moved their headquarters there, where they remained until 2008.

On Milwaukee’s near south side stands the country’s oldest sanctioned bowling alley. Holler House was opened in 1908 as Skowronski’s with a two-lane bowling alley in the basement. Those lanes are still operational today. The owner is 91-year-old Marcy Skowronski and all the employees are related to her. Holler House is a family business in the most literal way and they say they’d rather burn the place down before selling. Marcy is there most nights, sharing drinks and stories and generally holding court.

Holler House is a Milwaukee icon and a place everyone needs to visit.

The unassuming building stands in one of Milwaukee's former Polish neighborhoods.
WikiMedia/Dori
Just as much a bar as it is a bowling alley, Holler House is a blast from the past in every way. They have no beer taps and sell only bottled beer - with the exception of cans of Schlitz. It's a dive bar in the best possible way. And Marcy presides over it all.
There are red walls and Polish falcon crests to remind you of the area's roots.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey
Bowling culture met tavern culture in Milwaukee and bowling alleys were meeting places for the working class folks that lived in the area.
Old trophies line the walls, reminding you of the history held within.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey
Regulars leave their bowling bags on site.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey
The Holler House only stocks about 10 pairs of bowling shoes, but it's standard practice to borrow from the regulars, as well.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey

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These lanes are simple and no frills.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey
You keep score using paper on the wall. There are just two lanes. But standing at the approach is standing in the footsteps of so many others that it's difficult not to get nostalgic.
They estimate these lanes have seen millions of frames of action.
Flickr/Ryan Dickey
The wood is original, bearing all the marks and wear of more than 100 years of play.
Almost 50 years ago, Marcy was drinking with friends and that naturally led to them hanging their bras from some skis on the ceiling.
Yelp/Erika G
Now the tradition is for first-time visitors to sign and then leave their bra. When they cleaned the bar for the centennial celebration, many of the bras were removed, but the tradition just began anew afterwards.

A few years ago, the fire inspector tried to get the bras removed, but Marcy called her Alderman and he fixed the problem. For that, a sign to elect him is on the wall.
They employ teenagers who work as manual pinsetters.
Flickr/Aaron
The pin boys set up the pins and send the bowl back on the return.
The pin setting mechanism is filled and then a string is pulled to lower them back to the lane.
Yelp/Mike P
It's a combination of machine and manpower. Bowlers roll money into the finger holes of the bowling balls before they send them down the lane to tip the pin boys. A really good tip might earn them some help and less pins being set up.

Though bowling is nowhere near as popular in the city that used to be the Bowling Capitol of the country, Holler House remains as a reminder of a different time, an icon of the city and a neighborhood bar.

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