As the 1890s took New York State toward a new century, the use of the bicycle for recreation by both the young and old was sweeping the country. One reason for this growth was the development of a safer, easier-to-ride machine with a smaller front wheel than the earlier high-wheeled bicycles.
Other advances in the development of the bicycle at this time were pneumatic tires and a chain drive that further eliminated the need for the large front tire. [Read more…] about Side Paths: New York State’s 1890s Bike Trail Network
In the 1870s social reform movements swept across the nation. Law and Order Leagues, and other similar organizations, sprang up to campaign against issues as varied as baseball on Sundays, drinking, gambling, and sex trafficking.