All-Star Triangle Bowl

All Star Bowling Lane
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
All-Star Triangle Bowl in 2015
Show map of South Carolina Show map of the United States
Location	559 E. Russell St., Orangeburg, South Carolina
Coordinates	33°29′34″N80°51′34″W / 33.4929°N 80.859515°W / 33.4929; -80.859515
Built	1962 [1]
NRHP reference No.	96000837 [2]
Added to NRHP	August 7, 1996 Civil Rights Movement in Orangeburg County MPS

All-Star Triangle Bowl (formerly All-Star Bowling Lane) is a former bowling alley located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. ^{[1] [3]} The 16 lanes in total are a historic fixture of the community. For its role in the civil rights movement, the All-Star Triangle Bowl was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Opening

The bowling alley opened on March 3, 1962. The original owner was Harry K. Floyd, and it originally housed both AMF's Magic Triangle systems and 82-30 pinsetters. ^[1]

Orangeburg Massacre

Map showing State College, the bowling alley, and surroundings

Main article: Orangeburg Massacre

All-Star Triangle Bowl is known for its fundamental role in the Orangeburg Massacre at South Carolina State University, which was sparked as a result of Floyd refusing to allow people of color to bowl at the privately owned bowling alley, which was then called All Star Bowling Lane.

Closing

Floyd owned and operated the alley until his death on July 12, 2002, following which his son, Harry K. Floyd, Jr., took over. Due to financial difficulties, the Floyd family closed the bowling alley in August 2007. ^[4]

Restoration

In September 2020 an Orangeburg-based nonprofit, the Center for Creative Partnerships, purchased the property with the plan of turning it into a memorial for the civil rights movement in the city. ^[5]

All Star Bowling Lane became part of the National Park Service African American Civil Rights Network in June 2021 ^[6] and the National Park Service has highlighted the restoration efforts ^[7] and provided a $500,000 grant in 2022. Work began on restoration in February 2022, with an event held to mark the 54th anniversary of the massacre. ^[8] Construction work has taken place in phases. ^[9]

In April 2024, the National Park Service provided an additional $750,000 in grant funds. ^{[10] [11]}

References

1. Davis, Steven A.; Andrew W. Chandler (April 7, 1995). "All Star Bowling Lanes" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
3. "All Star Bowling Lanes, Orangeburg County (559 E. Russell St., Orangeburg)". National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
4. "Historic All-Star Triangle Bowl closes doors". Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, SC). Archived from the original on 2011-05-17.
5. Gleaton, Dionne (September 29, 2020). "'We're going to make it a place of healing'; All-Star Triangle Bowl to become center for justice". The Orangeburg Times and Democrat. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
6. "South Carolina: All Star Bowling Lane". National Park Service .
7. "AACRN Highlight: Ellen Zisholtz and the All Star Bowling Lane". National Park Service.
8. Liu, Michelle (February 8, 2022). "Group to restore bowling alley, crux of Orangeburg Massacre". Associated Press.
9. Samuels, Victoria (January 29, 2024). "Preservation of All-Star Bowling Alley continues". WLTX.
10. Parker, Adam (May 28, 2024). "All-Star Bowling Lanes rehab project in Orangeburg gets another big NPS grant". The Post and Courier.
11. "National Park Service Awards $23.4 Million to Preserve African American Civil Rights History". National Park Service.