Actually, the old Hyattsville Bowling Alley lasted into the early 1960s, before Fields Buick purchased the building, as me and a buddy would go there often to bowl and play arcade games. There were bowling lanes on the first floor and second floor, and a pool hall room in the basement. There was a snack bar/soda fountain on the first floor.

I know for a fact Fields owned it by 1965, because I remember one day going there to look at a new 1965 Buick Skylark GS. Oh, what a a car to die for! It was red with black interior with the 425 CI engine with 2x4 carberators!

I think Rinaldi Bowling Lanes, which opened up on Chillum Rd. , was responsible for the Hyattsville Bowling Alley's demise, because it was state of the art new at the time and had lots of free off-street parking.

I first went to the Hyattsville Bowling alley as a very young child, I'd say around 1952. At that time they still had manual (boys or men) pin spotters (not automatic pin spotters). Later in the mid 1950s they converted to automatic pin spotters. Like most bowling alleys at the time, they had duck pin lanes. 10-pin lanes were rare, as were the old candle stick pins.

Interesting recollections! I never made it to the Hyattsville Lanes but did bowl at Rinaldi's as a youth. The Rinaldi lanes may have contributed to the demise of Hyattsville's bowling facility but the location of Nick Rinaldi's pins palace was in Riverdale, not Chillum. It still operates on Kenilworth Avenue between East-West Hiway and River Road.
Interestingly, Duckpins, are particularly associated with Maryland (though some claim they started in New England). The Baltimore and DC areas have traditionally been the center of Duckpin Bowling culture.

That is some good information, Walter. I will defer to your knowledge of the Rinaldi's and local bowling establishments. I imagine you remember the Fair Lanes that was across from PG Plaza.
I do remember the old Edmonston Road though just barely.
St Bernard's Church started out in a little structure on the other side of the road before it moved up Riverdale Road. There was (briefly) a place that offered pony rides on the corner of Riverdale Road and Kenilworth where the International House of Pancakes is now located.

Yes, I seem to remember the Fair Lanes bowling alley across from PG Plaza (when it wasn't a covered mall); I think there was a Call Carl auto service close to it.

I went to St. Bernard's school in 1954-55, moving to Chillum Heights after that. I had almost forgotten about the pony ride place near the corner (where IHOP now stands), now that you mentioned it. I recall an old barn up behind the school, a remnant of earlier times (not associated with the ponies).

Also near the intersection, but on Edmonston Road, was a small diner called the Tea Cup (my mom and I had breakfast there for .55 cents each -- and she thought that was too expensive).

There was a beer joint at the corner of Riverdale Road and Edmonston Road (I think called Lesters ). My father used to go there at times. Also, there was a small drug store across the street (the building is vacant now and is on the north end of the strip mall there).

The Riverdale airport was still active. In the mid '60s my buddies and I would drag race our cars on the defunct strip (I still have a home 8mm movie of it we took).

remember the Fontanabowlarama, do you know where it was?

Walter was your dad a teacher at Northwestern?

Fontana's bowling lanes was @ University Blvd. & Piney Branch rd.

Donald might know what was there. Of course, He's A LOT older than I am.HAHAHA But I can't remember anything but the trans. shop.

@Patrice , No m'am I only remember,Al,s Transmiission all through my childhood. sorry