Sports and Recreation Tour: Capital Bicycle Club (1880-1928): Many DC residents spent their Sundays cycling in the nearby Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

During the end of the 19th century, sports and recreation was growing in popularity in DC and on the rest of the East Coast. The increase in recreational opportunities was due to the rapid industrialization of cities along the East Coast and an increase in free time for many people living in these cities like Washington. In response to this, it became common for Washingtonians to join clubs and academies formed for participating in sports.

Two sports had become especially popular among the more affluent residents of DC: rowing and cycling. Cycling was an extremely expensive sport, due to the fact that bicycles were around $150! Nonetheless, it was still popular in the 1880s. Many DC residents spent their Sundays cycling in the nearby Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

The Capital Bicycle Club was organized in 1880 and located at 409 15th Street NW. The clubhouse was designed by J. West Wager. The building had three-stories and was designed in a Romanesque Revival style with large bay windows and an arch above the entrance. It had a room for storing and repairing bikes, but the rest of the clubhouse was used primarily for socializing – illustrating both the recreational and social functions of the sport. There was a billiard room, card room, drawing room, library, and even bedrooms. It was demolished in 1928 and replaced by the U.S. Department of Commerce Building.

This site is a stop on the Sports and Recreation in DC tour. It is no longer extant and is not a desginated historic landmark.