The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-11-24
Wheel Club History.

The Vermont Wheel club came into
being Nov. 10, 1885. 1t was the prod !
uct of the Brattleboro Cycle club and
the Taurus club, the latter an organiza-
ton formed for social purposes in 1882
and given up in the fall of 1885. \
proposition to lease the quarters of the
Taurus club came before the Brattleboro
/ Cycle club and the result was a vote
to disband and leorganize under the
ipresent name. The Brattleboro Cycle
club, which was organized May 6, 1854,
was an outgrowth of the Brattleboro
/ Bicycle club, one of the pioneer wheel
organizations of the country.
| Immediately upon its organization the
Vermont Wheel club occupied the suite
4 of rooms in Market building vacated
/ by the Taurus club, and remained there
nearly 10 years. At first the member
ship limit was so. The present resident
membership is 232
| 1t was voted in March, 1895 TO
lease the suite of rooms in the Grange
building, which was the club home
until January, 1914. Those quarters
were thrown open to the club members
July 20 of the same year, and the fol
lowing evening reception was ten
dered to over 500 guests
! The Vermont Wheel club has always
been more or less actively connected
with the social life in Brattleboro.
For six years. beginning in 1898, field
days were held on the Wright meadow
in Vernon. In 1908 and 1909 field days
We're held at the Valley Fair grounds
Aside from the tournaments of the
old Brattleboro Cycle club in 1884 and
= 1885, the Vermont Wheel club has held
five race meets. In the days of high
; wheel racing, the club was represented
: by riders who won the bulk of the
prizes at local meets.
! The club has been interested in other
2 sports; in the summer of 1902 it sup
} ported a baseball team in the local
/ league, and in 1908 the V. W. c. team
won the local league championship. It
was also represented bv a team in the
2 local basket ball league, which played
+ q series of games early in 1903. OF
n late years, billiard and pool tournaments
I have been regular fixtures every win
! ter
On Sunday night, January is, 1911
n the Wheel club quarters in the Grange
/ building were completely destroyed by
J fire and on account of the smoke it was
}, impossible for the members to save any
q of their furnishings or records. Tenn
e porary quarters were secured in Crosby
e block and for one year the club occu
!, pied these quarters.
I In March, 1914, the club voted K
take the entire upper floor in the new
Il Abbott building when completed, thi
? building being the same as the Grang
e block before the fire. These quarter
le were opened January 10, 1915, with
D. fine banquet and special entertainment
Ell In June, 1918, the club voted to ad
nit to membership boys Is years 0
age who were properly vouched for b,
h their fathers or other men friends an
,e they, upon election, to have all the priv
g ileges of the club, except that of votin
until they reach their majority whe
they would automatically become reg
" ular members. This has proved a sue
'h cess and the club has growing junio
s. membership which is a benefit both t
. the club and to the young men VINO ar
fortunate enough to gain admission.
III Since February, 1914, cafe ha
s proved a valuable feature of the clul
= Lunches or dinners are served froi
ll.30 until , each day and Saturdl
n; nights lunches are served. The af
" service may be increased to accommC
FL. date club members for all meals
2S The club opened, June Is, 1915, il