Book sheds light on unique history of bicycling in Illinois
Christopher Sweet (left) is the author of "A History of Bicycling in Illinois: 160 Years of Booms and Busts". Courtesy of Christopher Sweet and University of Illinois Press
Before Schwinn was a household name, before Chicago had a single protected bike lane, and before cars became one of the dominant forces in American life, the 21st state was arguably the center of American bicycling.
One trade directory from the turn of the 19th century put the Chicago region's share of U.S. bicycle production at roughly two-thirds. And by the end of the boom, Illinois led the country in factory employment and output. That boom reshaped everything from courtship to city streets to women's fashion — before it went bust, and then boomed again. And busted again, more than once, over the century that followed.
Christopher Sweet spent nearly a decade digging through archives, scrapbooks, and old cycling magazines to tell that story in a "A History of Bicycling in Illinois: 160 Years of Booms and Busts.” He joins the program today.
GUEST
Christopher Sweet
Author, “A History of Bicycling in Illinois: 160 Years of Booms and Busts”
Professor and Information Literacy and Scholarly Communications Librarian, Illinois Wesleyan University
