Maryland Traditions and the New Media Studio at UMBC teamed up to make this short documentary on Patterson Bowling Center Duckpin Lanes in East Baltimore.
When we think of cultural traditions, the communities, groups and individuals who embody and practice them certainly come to mind. However, it is also important to remember the contribution of place to bringing people together to express, practice and learn living traditions. Places such as those used for worship, dance halls, neighborhood pubs, markets and cultural landscapes are integral to the sustainability of diverse social practices.
Patterson Bowling Center Duckpin Lanes is a particular place that has helped to sustain a very distinct living tradition, duckpin bowling, and strengthen – for almost a century – its ties to the ever-changing communities who learn, play and compete in it. While its origins have been traced to late 1800’s Massachusetts, it’s predominantly played in Maryland and has a special relationship to Baltimore, especially through its continued practice at Patterson Lanes. Opened in 1927, it is the oldest duckpin bowling alley in the world and the sole remaining duckpin-only alley in the city of Baltimore. Enjoy!