The shorter ground floor, meanwhile, was occupied by six bowling alleys. In 1875, one of the bowling alleys was removed and replaced with four billiards tables, donated by Percy Pyne. The basement of gym contained the College's first bathtubs and outside stood a sculpture of a gladiator.

When it was completed, Bonner-Marquand Gymnasium (Architecture Catalog Entry) was considered the most sophisticated college gymnasium in the U.S. But the College grew rapidly and students began to complain about the limited space and facilities in the building. In 1895, the Daily Princetonian even described the gym as a "disgrace to the institution." A new gymnasium, paid by general alumni subscriptions, was built in 1903. Bonner-Marquand Gymnasium was razed in 1907 to make way for Campbell Hall.