MOUNT VERNON — Numerous readers chimed in a Facebook with memories of Sunset Lanes and Sunset Pool, which we featured in last week’s History Knox column. All the memories were fond, with many lamenting the modern shortage of such venues.
“I remember going there as a kid to the Pittsburg Plate [Glass] Company picnics,” Jim Hoey said, “And going swimming there also; plus, I bowled there for quite a few years, too. I had one of my best series out there on 7 and 8.”
He added that they weren’t machine treated, but oiled by hand by proprietor Jerry Graham.
One wonders if those lanes are now at Chuck Payne’s place:
“I have a 12′ bar at my saloon and 5 booth tables made from that maple wood lane from Sunset Club.”
It wasn’t always smooth rolling on the lanes, according to Steve Robinson.
“My wife and I loved to go there in the mid 80s when dating in high school,” Robinson said. “If you were there when it started raining, you might have to change lanes due to roof leaks.”
Vicki Midkiff Fitzgerald shared a vivid memory of the pool:
“The slide at the pool was awesome, but you had to watch your bathing suit …. Hitting the water could cause you to lose your bathing suit top or bottom (or both!).”
Many people remarked that good music was often played there by bands, too, a legacy that goes back to an earlier existence.
“It was a nightclub in the 40s,” Kimberly Dohn said. “My parents, Jack and Jane (Clark) Parker met there at a dance! I remember going there to swim and then in the 70s when it was a dance club, weird now to think about, but I met my husband there too!”
Reader James Wagner had the best direct response to our headline, “Remember rolling a strike at Mount Vernon’s Sunset Lanes?”
“No, but I remember passing it on my way to the bar or dance floor!” Wagner said.
Was a nice pool in the 70’s-early80’s when I went there. The pool building you went thru was going down hill though. Too bad they couldn’t keep it up!! Also went to dances on weekends there, had good times there!!