RESTROOM: We were a little surprised to hear how interested readers were in a public restroom that was once in Bradford.

We heard from a few people who remember where it was located when it was open.

Paul Smead of Bradford and Bonnie Slater of Bradford both contacted us to say the restrooms were located under where the Veterans Square gazebo is now located.

Fran Rovito agreed, though Fran wasn’t as enthused about the public restroom as those interviewed in the 1920 Era article.

“I wonder if they were talking about the one that use to be under the old ‘Bandstand’ that used to be in what was called ‘The public square’ at the time?” Fran writes. “As I remember it, it was nothing to brag about. It was always dark, damp, and creepy down there.”

Jim Aylward recalls there being both toilets and urinals in the underground bathrooms.

“The city kept it very clean,” said Jim, though he recalled it getting crowded during events like parades.

“It’s unbelievable that it was there at one time,” he said.

Jim brought up a column he remembers seeing quite a while ago that listed all the bowling alleys that have been in Bradford over the years.

We missed one, he said.

He tells us the YMCA used to have two bowling lanes, which were next to the swimming pool in the gymnasium.

We’ve mentioned a couple old hangouts that used to be in town (if you can call a restroom a hangout), but we bet there are many more old haunts that served as gathering spots.

We’d love to hear more about ways our readers used to entertain themselves downtown, or even just shops where you liked to stop.