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Posts by James Longhurst

History Happened Here: Sidepaths and the Persistent Dreams of Trail Building

Posted 05/27/15 by James Longhurst in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Biking, Demand for Trails

An illustration of "tourists riding bicycles" by A.B. Frost, circa 1896 | Courtesy Library of Congress

In the middle of the 21st-century bike boom, the rail-trail movement is the most successful way to build trails for bikers and walkers. But it’s certainly not the first; many other plans for trail building have come and gone. Bicyclists were looking for places to ride just as soon as the high wheel appeared in America. This guest blog by Dr. James Longhurst explores the evolution of bike paths.

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