Comments on: In the Archives: Bloomers and Bicycles

By: susan wineberg

susan wineberg — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:16:59 +0000

Local newspaper publisher Junius Beal was a prime mover in The Ann Arbor Bicycle Club, high wheel daredevils of the latter 19th century. There is a photograph of the Wheelmen posing in front of the old County Courthouse in many of the historic books about Ann Arbor. In an 1880s photograph in front of Beal’s home, that is now the site of the downtown library, Beal is shown balancing on a big wheeler. Beal was such an enthusiast that he spent his honeymoon riding his tandem bicycle–which is now the property of the Washtenaw County Historical Society and was recently on display when weddings was the theme. I believe he and his wife spent their honeymoon in Bermuda.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:00:41 +0000

Oh, I can never remember that name correctly, thank you. :)

By: Mary Matthews

Mary Matthews — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:05:23 +0000

To Laura Bien: Search Google for Godey’s Lady’s Book rather than Lady Godey’s Book and you’ll find what you’re looking for, I believe. I remember some framed illustrations from Godey’s (a fashion magazine, perhaps) on the bedroom wall of a friend’s mother.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:53:08 +0000

Christopher: Thank you for your nice comment. Much as I would like to take credit for this topic, it was my excellent editor's idea to cover this subject. Just for fun, I have posted a number of bloomer pictures (including one cartoon) for you to examine right over here: [Link] I hope you enjoy them!

By: Christopher

Christopher — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:27:52 +0000

It was a brilliant idea, Laura, to write about bicycle ordinance history right now.

I wish there had been a picture of these bloomer things, for those of us who don’t remember ‘em.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:57:28 +0000

Two L’s; Phillip; excuse me. Long day.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:56:39 +0000

Philip: That is a great link; thank you!

You are spot-on…those hardy L.A.W. folks battled down gravel, mud, washboard roads…spiffily.

I personally am a lackadaisical winter biker but am nowhere near the mileage, style, or panache of the erstwhile L.A.W. members.

By: Phillip Farber

Phillip Farber — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:19:35 +0000

Readers may also find interesting the reference to the Michigan L.A.W. guidebook: "It also inspired the creation of a nationwide organization of cyclists, the League of American Wheelmen. Its Michigan chapter s 1897 edition of their Road Book recommended one 271.5-mile jaunt from Detroit to Chicago. Another route circled Lake Erie. The guidebook gave instructions for rides from Ann Arbor to Chelsea, Saline, Whitmore Lake, Pontiac, South Lyon and Dundee." Here's the book online, turned to a page of Ann Arbor local routes. It makes fascinating reading. [link] And we think our roads are bad. And yet there were cyclists back in 1897 who were riding 10-20,000 miles a year: [link] All while being better dressed.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:16:52 +0000

Wystan: The National Superintendent of Purity? Thank you for your informative and interesting comment; I did not know that. It looks as though from your description that her house was just about here: [link]

By: Wystan

Wystan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:29:45 +0000

Mary Wood-Allen of Ann Arbor, a pioneering sex educator, was the National Superintendent of Purity of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), and editor of a magazine called “American Motherhood”. In the 1890s, she lived in a comfortable house on the north side of Washtenaw Avenue, which unfortunately had to be removed when Observatory Street was extended to Washtenaw, about 45 years ago.