Title Old wheelways : traces of bicycle history on the land / Robert L. McCullough

Published Cambridge, Massachussets : The MIT Press, [2015] ©2015

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Description 1 online resource (xv, 367 pages) : illustrations, maps Contents Awheel -- Wheeling large -- Imagining place -- Straightaway -- Country riding -- Good roads and good sidepaths -- Sidepath -- Park privileges -- Park way -- Wheelways -- Afterword: Revival -- Appendix: New York State sidepaths Summary In the later part of the 19th century, American bicyclists were explorers, cycling through both charted and uncharted territory. These wheelmen and wheelwomen became keen observers of suburban and rural landscapes, and left copious records of their journeys -- in travel narratives, journalism, maps, photographs, illustrations. They were also instrumental in the construction of roads and paths ("wheelways") -- building them, funding them and lobbying legislators for them. Their explorations shaped the landscape and the way we look at it, yet with few exceptions their writings have been largely overlooked by landscape scholars, and many of the paths cyclists cleared have disappeared. In Old Wheelways, Robert McCullough restores the pioneering cyclists of the 19th century to the history of American landscapes.<br /><br />McCullough recounts marathon cycling trips around the Northeast undertaken by hardy cyclists, who then describe their journeys in such magazines as The Wheelman Illustrated and Bicycling World ; the work of illustrators (including Childe Hassam, before his fame as a painter); efforts by cyclists to build better rural roads and bicycle paths; and conflicts with park planners, including the famous Olmsted Firm, who often opposed separate paths for bicycles.<br /><br />Today's ubiquitous bicycle lanes owe their origins to nineteenth century versions, including New York City's "asphalt ribbons." Long before there were "rails to trails" there was a movement to adapt existing passageways -- including aqueduct corridors, trolley rights-of-way and canal towpaths -- for bicycling. The campaigns for wheelways, McCullough points out, offer a prologue to nearly every obstacle faced by those advocating bicycle paths and lanes today. McCullough's text is enriched by more than one hundred historic images of cyclists (often attired in skirts and bonnets, suits and ties), country lanes and city streets Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 319-354) and index Notes Online resource; title from e-book title screen (ebrary platform, viewed May 18, 2016) Subject Bicycle touring -- United States -- History -- 19th century Bicycle trails -- United States -- History -- 19th century Landscapes -- United States -- History -- 19th century GAMES -- Gambling -- Sports. SPORTS & RECREATION -- Business Aspects. SPORTS & RECREATION -- Essays. SPORTS & RECREATION -- History. SPORTS & RECREATION -- Reference. TRAVEL -- Special Interest -- Sports. Bicycle touring Bicycle trails Historical geography Landscapes Travel SUBJECT United States -- Historical geography. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140127 United States -- Description and travel. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85139993 Subject United States Genre/Form History Form Electronic book LC no. 2015009276 ISBN 9780262330862 0262330865 9780262330879 0262330873

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