1895 Bike Race, Maquoketa Iowa
#1
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1895 Bike Race, Maquoketa Iowa
This is a family item from my great grandfather, who was a physician in Maquoketa Iowa. Its a prize for "One Mile Open" it says on the front. The reverse side says "First Prize. Boys under 16 years old. Time, 3.M.8S August 15, 1895. Maquoketa Iowa." Its a cool heirloom, and funny how slow the speed was!



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That is very cool! Maybe they had to ride through the caves. That would explain the slow speeds.

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So a 15-year-old managed nearly 20 mph (from a dead stop I assume) on some janky dirt road and you think that's slow?
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Better than 19mph average. Assume from dead stop on 1895 roads on whatever kind a bike a 15 year old could get his hands on back then. Not bad!.
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I have a just-turned 16 year-old who's no slouch by 21st century standards (he won the Sacramento CX U19 series last fall), and I'm not sure he could do just under 20mph on a 1895 fixed gear on a dirt road.
Your great granddad was a Scorcher.
Your great granddad was a Scorcher.
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as someone who grew up a stone's throw from Maquoketa, I find this quite interesting!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
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Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for posting.
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Maybe we should arrange a virtual 1895 1-mile challenge.
- Fixed gear would be ideal, but you could just pick 1 gear, no shifting
- Flat road. Elevation gain is OK, no elevation decrease
- Start from a dead stop
- I want to say dirt road, but I don't have a mile of dirt road anywhere near me, so how about dirt if you got it
- Post your time here
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as someone who grew up a stone's throw from Maquoketa, I find this quite interesting!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
Mah-wah-kee-tah is my guess. Emphasis on the wah.
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Ma-Coke-It-Uh
My mother was born there; that's how she said it.
Either way, fun to say.
Wednesday I'll be in Loogootee.
Luh-go-tee. Go figure. Or is that goo figure?
My mother was born there; that's how she said it.
Either way, fun to say.
Wednesday I'll be in Loogootee.
Luh-go-tee. Go figure. Or is that goo figure?
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Confession - I've been wondering about that pronunciation ever since I moved into the region.
WI has no shortage of such gems. Shaw-no, Trivers, Muh-waukee, and yes, Che-wam-egon.
WI has no shortage of such gems. Shaw-no, Trivers, Muh-waukee, and yes, Che-wam-egon.
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The wiki page has a fairly good guide to how the vowels sound... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maquoketa,_Iowa
No mention of where the bike races are held.
another trick word.. Wapsipinicon, as in the Wapsipinicon river, a bit south of Maquoketa. Not really a trick, but it helps to have heard the word before you see it.
Steve in Peoria
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Steve in Peoria
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Yeah, that's how most of us pronounce it , "muh - ko- kuh- tuh" and very quickly as far as the Wapsipinicon most folks here about just call it the "Wapsi", much easier LOL.
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It used to flood and block highway 61 frequently when I was a kid and the new 4 lane version of 61 wasn't even a concept yet.
just to get back to the original theme of the thread.. I've got a pic of my great-grandfather and paternal grandfather that is circa 1897. I'm guessing it was taken around Bellevue, Iowa, which is a bit east of Maquoketa and part of Jackson country. It provides a little context for the bike race in Maquoketa. Honestly, a bike was a luxury back then, and it's not like there were many wealthy folks in the area. I'm surprised that there were two bikes to race!

Steve in Peoria
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yep... and to use it correctly in a sentence, you would say "the Wapsi is flooded again".
It used to flood and block highway 61 frequently when I was a kid and the new 4 lane version of 61 wasn't even a concept yet.
just to get back to the original theme of the thread.. I've got a pic of my great-grandfather and paternal grandfather that is circa 1897. I'm guessing it was taken around Bellevue, Iowa, which is a bit east of Maquoketa and part of Jackson country. It provides a little context for the bike race in Maquoketa. Honestly, a bike was a luxury back then, and it's not like there were many wealthy folks in the area. I'm surprised that there were two bikes to race!

Steve in Peoria
It used to flood and block highway 61 frequently when I was a kid and the new 4 lane version of 61 wasn't even a concept yet.
just to get back to the original theme of the thread.. I've got a pic of my great-grandfather and paternal grandfather that is circa 1897. I'm guessing it was taken around Bellevue, Iowa, which is a bit east of Maquoketa and part of Jackson country. It provides a little context for the bike race in Maquoketa. Honestly, a bike was a luxury back then, and it's not like there were many wealthy folks in the area. I'm surprised that there were two bikes to race!

Steve in Peoria

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Limestone is a readily available building material in the area, so I'll guess that this is what these buildings are made of. Clearly, the quality and uniformity of the blocks has improved over the years!
St. Joseph's Catholic church in Bellevue uses similar materials......
a somewhat recent photo....

and a shot of my aunt and uncle's wedding at this church, probably in the early to mid 50's?

Limestone quarries are common in the area, but I'm not ruling out the possibility that it might be some other local material... or maybe they brought some nicer stone in via barges on the Mississippi?
Steve in Peoria
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I have a couple of those type medals from 1949-1950. I was 55 years late compared to the man above..
{ Sorry I removed most of this as I got crossed with another thread that mentioned Ice skating.}
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{ Sorry I removed most of this as I got crossed with another thread that mentioned Ice skating.}
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the level of formality in photos has taken a nosedive in the intervening century or so. 
Limestone is a readily available building material in the area, so I'll guess that this is what these buildings are made of. Clearly, the quality and uniformity of the blocks has improved over the years!
St. Joseph's Catholic church in Bellevue uses similar materials......
a somewhat recent photo....

and a shot of my aunt and uncle's wedding at this church, probably in the early to mid 50's?

Limestone quarries are common in the area, but I'm not ruling out the possibility that it might be some other local material... or maybe they brought some nicer stone in via barges on the Mississippi?
Steve in Peoria

Limestone is a readily available building material in the area, so I'll guess that this is what these buildings are made of. Clearly, the quality and uniformity of the blocks has improved over the years!
St. Joseph's Catholic church in Bellevue uses similar materials......
a somewhat recent photo....

and a shot of my aunt and uncle's wedding at this church, probably in the early to mid 50's?

Limestone quarries are common in the area, but I'm not ruling out the possibility that it might be some other local material... or maybe they brought some nicer stone in via barges on the Mississippi?
Steve in Peoria
Perry Lutheran in Daleyvile

#22
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as someone who grew up a stone's throw from Maquoketa, I find this quite interesting!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
I wonder if the race was held at the county fairgrounds?
Steve, currently in Peoria
quick quiz: how many here know how to pronounce "Maquoketa"?
Since Murray knows about the caves, I'm going to guess he can do it!
#23
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I had a different metric in my head, I was thinking of runners and the 4 minute mile. So yes, on a bike that was good number based on the old safety bikes of the day
#24
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"You See Them Everywhere. Columbia Bicycles" Another one from same area. Promo pin:

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Campaign poster for state election, not sure which year.
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