Bowling Ball environment

Chris Barbee and Amy  |  Nowata, OK

After a late start out of town, and conflicting addresses as to the location of this bowling ball fence, er...environment, I wasn't sure I would find it before the sun went down.  I pulled up to the house, and as luck would have it, Chris Barbee just happened to be coming home.  He walked along his property in the windy, cold late afternoon and shared his weighty creations.

Chris began decorating his fence with bowling balls in May 2005, after retiring and his wife died.  She had planted roses along a fence line and placed bowling balls amongst them.  After completing 80 ft of fence, he began building the alphabet , a rosary, a cross that lights up at night and flowers out of bowling pins.  Now Chris is helped by his girlfriend Amy, they is always looking for more bowling balls, and gladly accepts donations. “If I'm not home, they can kick the balls out into my yard. I'll find 'em!”

From Coffeyville KS - South on Hwy 169 to 1 mile north of Nowata.  A veternarian is on the corner, turn east and go about a mile.  You will see a bright orange house and the balls. NE of Nowata, Country Road 21, (E021 or 21 as the locals call it) one mile east of Highway 169.