Roland C. Geist Bicycling History Collection
name: label: Collector
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry
label: Donor
content: Geist, Roland C.
topic: label: Topic
content: Bicycles
label: Topic
content: Bicycling
label: Topic
content: Cycling
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Roland C. Geist, 1989.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Roland C. Geist Bicycling History Collection
bioghist: label: Biographical
content: Roland C. Geist (1896-1992) was born in Duluth, Minnesota to Charles and Caroline Geist, German immigrants. He served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Ontario, New York (1918) and earned a bachelors from the City College of New York, a masters degree from Columbia University and a Juris Doctorate from New York University. He was an instrctor of Business Law at various day and evening schools in New York City. Geist authored Bicyling as a Hobby, 1940; Hiking, Camping, Mountaineering, 1943; Bicyle People, 1978. He was a member of the League of American Wheelmen, Century Road Club Association and a member of the 1920 U.S. Olympic Cycling Committee. 

Geist married Elizabeth Weissbach in 1928 and had two sons, Hubert [Herbert] (b. 1931) and Walter (b. 1939). 

Source

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Cubic feet (5 boxes, 1 map-folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1880s-1981
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1650
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Copy photographs
label: Type
content: Newspaper clippings
label: Type
content: Photographic postcards
label: Type
content: Programs
label: Type
content: Publications
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Tickets
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into three series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1919-1981

Series 2: Subject File, 1892-1973

Series 3: Photograph Albums and Scrapbooks, 1883-1973
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2025.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Copy photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Newspaper clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographic postcards
label: Genre/Form
content: Programs
label: Genre/Form
content: Publications
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Tickets
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Content Description
content: Collection documents early bicycling history assembled by Roland C. Geist.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials at the Archives Center

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Bicycles, NMAH.AC.0060

Mike Auspurger Innovative Lives and Oral History, NMAH.AC.0689

Earl H. Kiser Collection, NMAH.AC.1649

Kryptonite Bike Lock Company Records, NMAH.AC.0840

Materials in the Work & Industry Division

Circular patch of "League of American Wheelmen," 1989.0484.01

Circular patch "St. L. C. C.," 1989.0484.02
 
Circular patch of American Youth Hostel with letters "A. Y. H.," 1989.0484.03

Shield patch of Amateur Bicycle League of America, 1989.0484.04

Circular patch of League of American Wheelmen. "L.A.W.," 1989.0484.05

Circular patch of "Century Road Club Association," 1989.0484.06

Materials at Other Organizations

University Archives and Special Collections, Joseph P. Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston

Roland Geist bicycling scrapbooks, 1930-1959

Twenty-two scrapbooks document the history of bicycling. Materials consist primarily of photographs. Additional materials include newspaper and magazine clippings.

League of American Bicyclists Records, 1865-2015, bulk 1965-1996

These records document the activities of the League of American Bicyclists. Materials consist of
files kept by staff and include by-laws, minutes, reports, correspondence, notes, pamphlets,
flyers, newsletters, magazines, books, clippings, photographs, and maps. Includes correspondence of Roland C. Geist.