BICYCLE RACE TRACK OPENS (100 YEARS AGO)

At the turn of the century, Cape Girardeau became well known as having one of the best bicycle racing tracks in the Midwest. The wooden, quarter-mile track attracted some of the greatest bicycle racers of the day, who trained in Cape Girardeau for major races.

Reprinted from The Cape Girardeau Weekly Democrat.

Saturday, July 30, 1898; page 1

Cape Girardeau is to have a fine quarter-mile bicycle track. Homer A. Canfield, chairman of the L.A.W. state racing board, writes that he has succeeded in securing a location there which is second to none in the country. The track will be called "The Riverview," as it will be located on the bank of the Mississippi River, and spectators in the grand stand will be able to see for miles up or down the river. According to terms of the lease on the ground the track, grand stand and training quarters must be completed by September 15.

It is the intention of the promoters to make this an ideal training camp for the best riders in the country, and as Cape Girardeau is nearly 100 miles farther south than Louisville, Ky., the climate is suitable for early spring training. The hotel accommodations are equal to those offered at any track in America.

If possible, the promoters will secure a date on the national circuit immediately following the St. Louis meet, August 20, to open the track and will also give a twenty-mile road race (from Cape Girardeau to Jackson) and return the day following the opening of the track. A special excursion will be run from St. Louis, leaving there by boat Friday evening at 6 p.m., arriving in Cape Girardeau at 7 a.m. the following morning. There will be a ride over the excellent roads of Cape Girardeau County, track races in the afternoon, followed by a ball at the hotel in the evening.

The road race will take place Sunday morning, and the return trip to St. Louis will be made by rail.

The total expense of the trip will be so small that an attendance of 250 wheelmen and wheelwomen from St. Louis is expected. Special efforts will be made to make the trip attractive to ladies.

Saturday, July 30, 1898; page 5

Monday: Frank H. Dunlop (proprietor of the Riverview Sanitarium) was the prime mover in getting a bicycle track in this city. He got Mr. Canfield to come here and Mr. Canfield has leased ground and will establish a permanent bicycle park and track. Both Mr. Dunlop and Mr. Canfield are well known to the wheelmen throughout the country and through their influence some of the big bugs of the country will take a hand in making Cape Girardeau one of the places of attraction for the wheelmen of the country.

Saturday, July 30, 1898; page 5

Wednesday: Frank H. Dunlop informs us that the bicycle race from Cape Girardeau to Jackson has been postponed from the 30th of July till the 21st day of August in order to give the managers time to complete the Riverview bicycle race track.

Saturday, July 30, 1898; page 5

Thursday: Henry Ossenkop is putting up a plank fence around the bicycle ground.

The Riverview Bicycle Park will be completed and ready for wheelmen in a short time.

Saturday, Aug. 6, 1898; page 1

The St. Louis Republic yesterday published the following about our bicycle race track:

Unless the sounding trumpet of the arch-angel prevents, there will be built at Cape Girardeau, Mo., within 30 days, a first-class quarter-mile board bicycle track. Frank H. Dunlop, quite will known among racing cyclists and wheelmen generally when he was agent of the old Fowler company, is the promoter. Mr. Dunlop quit the seductive bicycle business and the racing game some years ago, married richly and settled down to a life of bucolic bliss with the girl of his heart at the Cape. The quaint old French town is a rich place, lots of money, good people, a delightful climate, especially in the spring. It has been a bit slow, if we must speak truthfully. Mr. Dunlop and his partners in this track scheme of his intend to put it on the map.

Mr. Dunlop wants to make the Cape what Louisville has always been to racing men, a spring training ground. His location is much better than that of the Falls City, being 100 miles farther south, better climate, good riding roads, hills, rivers, ... swell people, and the prettiest girls in Missouri. Next year these attractions, combined with a first-class track, will draw to him all the great riders for the spring training. Then he will also have a ball ground and may get some of the great ball teams to train with him. Very soon Cape Girardeau will be to St. Louis what West Baden is to Chicago and Saratoga to New York...

Saturday, Aug. 6, 1898; page 5

Monday: Henry Ossenkop has the contract to fence in, build the track and grand stand in the Riverview Cycle Track. He is now at work on the grounds.

Saturday, Aug. 13, 1898; page 1

H.A. Canfield, chairman of the state racing board, has leased a picturesque piece of property in Cape Girardeau, Mo., known for years past as the "Albert meadow," and is actively pushing the construction of a quarter-mile board track.

The property will be fenced on three sides only, the Mississippi River forming the eastern boundary, and as the river makes a long curve at the Cape a magnificent view can be had.... -- St. Louis Globe-Democrat

Saturday, Aug. 13, 1898; page 5

Tuesday: The Riverview Cycle Park is going to be a big advertisement for Cape Girardeau. Every citizen in the city should do something to help it along.

Saturday, Aug. 13, 1898; page 5

Thursday: The Riverview Cycle Park will be completed by the 27th of August. it will be opened on that day to the public and prominent wheelmen from all parts of the county will be here to attend the opening.

Saturday, Aug. 20, 1898; page 1

The opening meet of the Riverview cycle track at Cape Girardeau has been postponed until Labor Day, Monday, September 5. The original plan of taking a large excursion party down by boat, and return by train, will be carried out, with, of course, the necessary change in dates caused by postponement.

Saturday, Aug. 20, 1898; page 5

Friday: Work on the Riverview bicycle track is progressing, though it has been somewhat delayed this week on account of a break in Leming's sawmill, causing some delaying in furnishing lumber. Eighty thousand feet of lumber is required in the construction of the track, exclusive of the grand stand and fence.

Saturday, Aug. 27, 1898; page 5

Thursday: When completed the Riverview Cycle Park will cost about three thousand dollars. This money all comes from abroad -- that is, it comes from people outside of the city. The park will be a drawing card and a big advertisement for the city for it will bring people here from all parts of the country.

Saturday, Sept. 3, 1898; page 5

Wednesday: Henry Ossenkop has surely done a job of work on the Riverview Cycle Track that will commend him as a rapid workman. No other contractor in the city would have undertaken to do the work in the time specified that he should have it completed. He took the contract and he did the work.

Saturday, Sept. 10, 1898; page 5

Wednesday: It was too bad that the rain prevented the bicycle races from taking place Monday and Tuesday.

The bicycle races will come off Saturday. There will be a large number of riders of national reputation in the race.