The oldest of its kind in the city, this group of cyclists pioneered biking in 1890's PHL. Who were they?

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The oldest of its kind in the city, this group of cyclists pioneered biking in 1890's PHL. Who were they?

2015-05-18 10:07

Answer: The Philadelphia Bicycle Club. 

By the 1890s, there were a number of cycling clubs in and around Philadelphia, one of which was the Philadelphia Bicycle Club, the city's oldest. According to its charter, this club promoted "the proper use of the bicycle and similar machines [as] a benefit to good health" and fellowship among cycling enthusiasts. Its membership consisted of amateur cyclists, including women and younger individuals ("junior" members).

The club, which was founded in 1879 and incorporated in 1885, had a meeting house at Twenty-sixth and Perot streets. The Philadelphia Cycle and Field Club, located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, was a country house built in 1889, and it was strictly for Philadelphia Bicycle Club members.

The records of the Philadelphia Bicycle Club (#1357) at HSP, which date from 1882 to 1902,  consist of minutes; treasurer's accounts; dues books; charter, bylaws and amendments; and papers on the construction and repair of the clubhouse and on the running expenses of the Club. Other collections that include material on cycling are the Marriot C. Morris collection (#3712) and the William Robinson Tucker correspondence (#1836).

An expanded version of this article appeared in the 5/17 Currents section of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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