Motorcycles
Motorcycles have evolved in countless ways since their emergence near the beginning of the 20th century. As early as 1912, Lewis and his brother Edgar traveled all around the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. area on their motorcycles, along with friends who shared a common love of riding and adventure. In the early days of motorcycling, propriety dictated that a gentleman be presentable when he went out for a spin. Full-length boots derived from horseback riding and a sporty cap with goggles were adapted to the new pursuit of motorcycle riding. These photographs span a period from roughly the early 1900s up until about the late 1920s.
Lewis Reed on the far right, with unidentified companions. The banner across the fence advertises The Great Frederick Fair (October 20-24, 1914), the largest and greatest county fair in the State of Maryland.
Edgar Reed on the motorcycle, with unidentified companions.
Above, Lewis Reed stands with his camera at far left. The photo was taken 1914 in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. The wooden frame Victorian-style train station dating from 1889 can be seen in the background.
In the early years of the 20th century, motorcycles and automobiles were competing for the same audience. Most people traveled either on or behind a horse, while the more adventurous were fascinated by those new-fangled "bicycles." Anything with a motor represented a giant step forward, and motorcycles were initially the more economical choice. Motorcycle repair shops were nearly nonexistent in the early 1900s, so many motorcyclists had to learn to fix their own machines wherever they broke down. Early motorcycles carried a tool box mounted on the rear luggage carrier, or on the top of the fuel tank. Hand air pumps were also carried in case the rider had a flat tire along the way. If you look closely, you can see these motorcycles were equipped with bicycle-style pedals so that an unlucky rider with a failed engine could still get home. They were also handy for getting a little extra uphill push, and for starting the machine.
Sidecars have had a significant place in motorized history for almost a century. Factories produced the first sidecars in the early 20th century, and they quickly became popular. Another milestone in sidecar history occurred when the US government enlisted sidecars in its military operations, first during the Mexican Revolution and then during the First World War.
Edgar Reed in sidecar, c. 1914.
Edgar Reed (rider second from left) and Lewis Reed standing behind him (others unidentified). On Park Street in Rockville, c. 1912
While women have been enthusiastic bikers ever since motorcycles were invented, they have had to push back against deeply ingrained attitudes. Women in the first half of the 20th century were expected to dress fashionably and conservatively, and above all, remain ladylike. Sitting astride a motorcycle was considered uncouth: the same as riding a horse with a leg on each side. During this time, female pioneers like Amelia Earhart and Annie Edson Taylor pushed the envelope of expectations for women and set the stage for the Roaring Twenties flapper era.
Eleanora Reed, and Lewis Reed's sisters Geneva and Eva posing on Excelsior motorcycles, 1912. (Note they are all sitting "side-saddle" as true ladies of the time would have been expected to do).
Woman and toddler pose on an Excelsior motorcycle. (The toddler’s sporty little cap and goggles are only for show: she won't be going for a ride!) The motorcycle seems to be well equipped with extras including: a headlamp, a handlebar-mounted Klaxon horn, and a well-padded passenger seat on the back.
Montgomery County Mounted Police
For several years before construction of a local police station, the officers of the Montgomery County Police Force would meet for “roll call” on the steps of the Red Brick Courthouse in Rockville at 2:00 p.m. every day to let each other know they were alive and well. Chief Cooley drove a Model T Ford and earned a salary of $1,800 a year. Each of his officers was issued a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a .38 Smith & Wesson handgun, a black jack, and a law book. Officers were paid $1,500 a year and given $300 a year for the upkeep of their motorcycles. The first police force casualty in Montgomery County occurred in 1928, when an officer on a motorcycle crashed into an automobile on Rockville Pike, near Bethesda Meetinghouse.
Here posing in front of Reed Brothers Dodge on July 4, 1922: the first mounted unit of the Montgomery County Police Force, for their first day on duty. Chief Charles Cooley, center.
FUN WITH HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS...
There is something UNUSUAL in this photograph of Grafton Reed, Bernard Hanshew, and Lewis Reed with their c. 1914 Excelsior motorcycle... can you spot it?
It's a doll perched on the headlamp!
Lewis looks like he's enjoying the joke.
The Adventurous Spirit
Early motorcyclists were often pictured in riding groups. From its beginnings, motorcycling developed very much as a social activity. Gentlemen of the day often used it to spice up their sunny weekends and impress ladies. Apparently, Lewis and Edgar Reed, along with brother-in-law Bernard Hanshew, began their riding adventures with a group of friends from the Park Avenue community in Rockville in the early 1900s.
Route 118 in Darnestown
The Reed motorcycle gang in Darnestown
Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance. The rider is Lewis Reed's brother-in-law, Bernard Hanshew.