Massachusetts Bicycle Club
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts Bicycle Club (est.1879) was a cycling club
in Boston
, Massachusetts
.
Architect George Meacham
designed a new headquarters building for the club in 1884, located at 152 Newbury Street
in Boston. By 1885, the club had "established a small repair-shop in its wheel-room, with a small assortment of parts and sundries of prominent makes, for the convenience of members."
In May 1883, the club took part in a League of American Wheelman
parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Members wore uniforms of "dark-blue and white cap." The club organized a "Midwinter Carnival" at the Mechanics Fair Building
in December 1885. "The affair attracted some 3,000 enthusiasts. At 8 in the morning, as a band played, 100 cyclists paraded into the building dressed as devils, counts, revolutionary soldiers. ...A 'bicycle drill squad' and a trick rider wowed the assembly. At 9, Pierre Lallement
himself ...appeared on his original 1865 velocipede
."
Cycling club
A cycling club is a society for cyclists. It can be local or national, general or specialised. The Cyclists' Touring Club, CTC) in the United Kingdom is a national association; i-Team and are internet clubs; the Tricycle Association, Tandem Club and the Veterans Time Trial Association, for those...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Brief history
The club was founded on January 10, 1879. "We, the undersigned, hereby agree to organize ourselves into a bicycle club, to be called The Massachusetts Bicycle Club." Founders included Albert A. Pope, Edward W. Pope, William G. Fish, Arthur W. Pope, Frank W. Freeborn, George G. Hall, H.E. Parkhurst, C.H. Corken, William H. Ames, Augustus F. Webster, H. Winslow Warren, Winfield S. Slocum, William F. Brownell, Joseph P. Livermore, and Albert S. Parsons. Membership rose to 70 in 1883; and to 225 members in 1885.Architect George Meacham
George Meacham
George Frederick Meacham was an architect in the Boston, Massachusetts area active in the 19th century. He is notable for designing Boston's Public Garden; the Massachusetts Bicycle Club; and churches, homes, and monuments in greater Boston and elsewhere in New England.- Biography :Meacham was...
designed a new headquarters building for the club in 1884, located at 152 Newbury Street
Newbury Street (Boston)
Newbury Street is located in the Back Bay area of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. It runs roughly east-to-west, from the Boston Public Garden to Massachusetts Ave. The road crosses many major arteries along its path, with an entrance to the Mass Pike westbound at Mass Ave...
in Boston. By 1885, the club had "established a small repair-shop in its wheel-room, with a small assortment of parts and sundries of prominent makes, for the convenience of members."
In May 1883, the club took part in a League of American Wheelman
League of American Bicyclists
The League of American Bicyclists is a non-profit membership organization which promotes cycling for fun, fitness and transportation through advocacy and education....
parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Members wore uniforms of "dark-blue and white cap." The club organized a "Midwinter Carnival" at the Mechanics Fair Building
New England Manufacturers and Mechanics Institute
The New England Manufacturers and Mechanics Institute flourished in the 1880s in Boston, Massachusetts. It existed as a rival to the long-established Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. Individuals affiliated with the NEM and M Institute included businessman John F. Wood, James L....
in December 1885. "The affair attracted some 3,000 enthusiasts. At 8 in the morning, as a band played, 100 cyclists paraded into the building dressed as devils, counts, revolutionary soldiers. ...A 'bicycle drill squad' and a trick rider wowed the assembly. At 9, Pierre Lallement
Pierre Lallement
Pierre Lallement is considered by some to be the inventor of the bicycle.-Early years:Lallement was born on October 25, 1843 in Pont-à-Mousson near Nancy, France....
himself ...appeared on his original 1865 velocipede
Velocipede
Velocipede is an umbrella term for any human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels. The most common type of velocipede today is the bicycle....
."
Further reading
- The Massachusetts Bicycle Club. The Wheelman, v.2, no.3, June 1883.
- Invaded by bicyclists; Asbury Park Wheelmen Give the Visitors a Cordial Welcome... Wheelmen and Wheelwomen Throng the Beautiful City by the Sea to Attend the National Meet of the American League. New York Times, July 9, 1895; p.2.