Bicycles were a big part of life in early Carson

In the early days of Carson City, the only real transportation you could count on was walking. Not everyone had a horse, a horse and buggy, or wagon. A brisk walk up to Lake Tahoe or Virginia City wasn't unheard of.

The roads that Carson travelers used were discussed in the Morning Appeal of Dec. 21, 1869: "Did you ever see better roads than at present? Go where you will in or out of Carson, and you find a thoroughfare that would make a horse laugh to travel upon ..."

The motor car didn't come into place until 1908, and then it scared the horses and was expensive. The first mention of the velocipede is in Feb. 27, 1869, printed in the Morning Appeal: "The speed attained by the swifter kind of French velocipedes averages from 12 to 13 miles an hour; adepts find no difficulty whatever in accomplishing fully fifty miles within five hours without alighting from their vehicles."

If you are wondering what a velocipede is, according to the dictionary it is, "a tricycle, or any of several early bicycles having pedals attached to the front wheel, or an early bicycle propelled by pushing the feet along the ground while straddling the vehicle." Mid-1800 bicycles were made of wood and steel, and were so rough on the riders that they were called "boneshakers."

Advertisements for the velocipede didn't arrive in the Carson Morning Appeal until May 11, 1884. "Renowned Columbia Bicycles 'Standard' and 'Expert,' Osborn & Alexander, Sole agents, 626 Market St., San Francisco ..." The ad is pictured in the Morning Appeal showing what a velocipede might have looked like.

Mark Twain did an essay in 1917 called, "Taming the Bicycle," and he said, "We got up a handsome speed, and presently traversed a brick, and I went out over the top of the tiller and landed, head down, on the instructor's back, and saw the machine fluttering in the air between me and the sun. It was well it came down on us, for that broke the fall, and it was not injured." Twain liked to experiment with all things in life and later commented, "Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live." (from the Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain)

By 1888, the two-wheel bicycle had come into vogue. People used bicycles to get around, even ladies had appropriate bicycle riding bloomer outfits.

On July 24, 1888, bicycle clubs had been formed and the Morning Appeal said: "... A number of Carson Wheelmen went down to Steamboat on the train and were there met by an escort of Reno Wheelmen who accompanied them to the Riverside town. ... The Carson contingent consisted of Harry and Homer Thaxter, Dwight Edwards, Hal Mighels and Will Davis. In going down Geiger grade Harry Thaxter wore his brake down almost thin as a postage stamp. ... The Carson Club proposes to invite the Reno Wheelmen up here and give them a wine supper in the near future." And on Aug. 21, 1888, Harry Lewers, Captain of Carson Wheelman, requested a special meeting "to make arrangements for the entertainment of the Reno Bicycle Club."

On Aug. 28, 1888, the Reno Wheelmen were entertained in Carson, met at the train, taken to Shaw's Springs (hot springs) then to the Ormsby House, and later a wine dinner at the Arlington. "The State Prison tracks were visited ... they also climbed to the dome of the Capitol, and had their photographs taken."

In 1908 the motor car was invented, but it took a while to get to Carson City.

The bicycle has always been a mainstay for people, especially children.

Today we are faced with high gas costs, and many folks have gone back to the early days of transportation - the bicycle. Carson may not have the same group of Wheelmen that they did in the early days, but we have an organization in Carson that promotes walking and cycling, called, "Muscle Powered."

This organization began in 1997 with a mission to make, "Nevada's capital city a better community for walking and bicycling."

You can visit their Web site at http://musclepowered.org for many featured events.

To see a big wheel bicycle (velocipede) visit the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St. in Carson City. There are two big wheel bicycles and numerous two wheel bicycles on display. Their hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

If you want to become a docent at the State Museum and teach others about Carson City and Nevada in the early days, contact Deborah Stevenson, Curator of Education at the Nevada State Museum. Her phone number is (775) 687-4810.

Meanwhile, happy cycling!



• Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote the Past Pages column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006. She is past president of the Carson City Historical Society.