Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
Professional cyclist Cole House was born on February 5, 1988, and grew up on the Oneida Indian Reservation in Wisconsin. House is a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Wolf Clan. His mother is a full-blooded Oneida and his father is of Oneida, Ojibwa, and Belgian descent. Since his birth, Cole House’s Native American... Continue Reading →
October 19, 2006 The Celtic Gateway Bridge in Wales was opened for use. This stainless steel pedestrian and cycle bridge is located in Holyhead, the largest town and community within the Isle of Anglesey (a county off the northwestern coast of Wales). The Celtic Gateway Bridge was officially inaugurated by Andrew Davies (born in 1952),... Continue Reading →
October 3, 1906 In southwestern England, a road-rail swing bridge crossing the River Avon in Bristol -- a city, ceremonial county, and unitary authority -- first went into service. The Ashton Avenue Bridge was built as a key part of the Bristol Harbour Railway, a longtime transportation link for Bristol’s docks and wharves. Alfred John... Continue Reading →
September 8, 1966 A dedication ceremony was held for a suspension bridge spanning the River Severn between England and Wales. The Severn Bridge, which connects the unitary authority area (local government seat) of South Gloucestershire in England with the County of Monmouthsire in Wales, was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. Measuring about a mile... Continue Reading →
July 10, 1899 Heinrich “Heiri” Suter, who achieved widespread renown as a champion road racing cyclist, was born in the municipality of Gränichen in north-central Switzerland. During the course of his career, he won a total of 58 professional cycling races and in the process established some noteworthy records. On March 18, 1923, for example,... Continue Reading →
May 11, 2021 The final segment of a rail trail in Montgomery County in the Philadelphia metropolitan area was officially completed. This route -- known as the Pennypack Trail -- is located along the former alignment of the Fox Chase Line, a regional rail service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The trail owes... Continue Reading →
April 28, 1946 The start of the first six-day bicycle race to be held in the United States following the end of World War II took place inside the Chicago Coliseum. Those six-day races had become hugely popular nationwide in the years leading up to the war. A six-day race involved having teams of bicyclists compete against... Continue Reading →
During the 1880s, Elsa von Blumen firmly established herself as a formidable contender in both walking and cycling competitions throughout the United States. Von Blumen, who was originally known as Caroline “Carrie” Kiner, was born to Prussian immigrants on October 6, 1859, and grew up in Oswego County, New York. As a child, Carrie was... Continue Reading →
January 4, 2017 Robert Marchand, a 105-year-old French cyclist, established a world record in one-hour track cycling for people in his age group. At the Paris-area indoor track known as the Velodrome National, he completed 92 laps and in the process covered a total of 14 miles (22.6 kilometers). Marchand achieved this record while wearing... Continue Reading →
December 2, 2020 In the western section of New Zealand’s North Island, a bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians was officially opened in the vicinity of the settlement of Upokongaro. The Upokongaro Cycle Bridge spans the Whanganui River. This 430-foot (130-meter) structure connects Upokongaro on the Whanganui River’s left bank with the community of Papaiti on... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 