Report: 1895 Road For Bicyclists Began in Port Jeff

A New York Times article published in 1895 reported on some gossip around the town of Port Jefferson about some bicyclists (known as wheelmen back then) who cobbled together $150 to build 2 miles of road for the express purpose of riding bicycles. The proposed road was to be extended on a north-south pathway all the way into Patchogue when finished.

The report says, “wheelmen living along the line of the proposed cycle path from Patchogue to Port Jefferson, L.I., are just now engaged in the commendable work of soliciting subscriptions to carry out the original plans.” The writer called the plan “a most worthy one” since the road could not only be used by the cyclists but “by all classes.” The article went on to say that the “enthusiastic workers” sent out an appeal that the writer thought was good enough to “gain for the cause many friends.”

The appeal described a road that the wheelmen wanted to build from the village of Port Jefferson to Mooney Pond Road one mile south of Selden. They had already started building the road but wanted “more money if the work is to be done thoroughly.”

Among the men that the New York Times cites as involved in the process are J. E. Overton, R. B. Dayton, J. F. Newton, Charles A. Squires, E. M. Davis, A. T. Norton and A. G. Loper. (Apparently in the late 1800s the use of initials instead of first names were quite the fashion. One can only wonder why Charles A. Squires was the only one who merited a mention of both his first and last name.)

To read the full article in the New York Times click here and remember to click the button to download the free PDF of the full article.