This photo of the Franklin Bowling Lanes was shot in 1943, a few months after the business opened at 1801 West Franklin Street. Soldiers who passed through Evansville during World War II, as well as throngs of people seeking work in local wartime factories, probably created a demand for more recreational venues.
The building has undergone few exterior changes over the decades; the style is Art Moderne, popular from about 1930 to 1945, and distinctive for its rounded edges and lines, corner windows, and glass block walls. In the background of this photo, the spires of St. Boniface Church are visible, and the manufacturing company at left is now home to the Hoosier Stamp and Manufacturing Corporation.
