Annie Cohen Kopchovsky AKA Annie Londonderry (Jewniverse)
A few months ago, while chatting with a friend, who is an avid cycling enthusiast, he suggested that I learn a bit about Annie Londonderry, a late 19th Century bicyclist. He thought she might be of interest to me, as a travel blogger, obsessed with all things travel, since she was the first woman to cycle around the globe.
Well, he was right - my interest was piqued and I was captivated by the idea of anyone, namely, a young woman, taking on such an adventure, especially, in the late 1890's. I decided to do a bit of research on this remarkable young woman and realized that not only did she make cycling history, but also achieved some great strides for ordinary women traveling alone.
I'm not sure ordinary would be a word I would use to describe Annie, as she was independent, had a flair for creating marketing and sales, and most importantly, challenged the traditional view of the role of women held by society during her era.
Before we talk about how she shook up tradition, let's take a look into her background and personal life.
Well, he was right - my interest was piqued and I was captivated by the idea of anyone, namely, a young woman, taking on such an adventure, especially, in the late 1890's. I decided to do a bit of research on this remarkable young woman and realized that not only did she make cycling history, but also achieved some great strides for ordinary women traveling alone.
I'm not sure ordinary would be a word I would use to describe Annie, as she was independent, had a flair for creating marketing and sales, and most importantly, challenged the traditional view of the role of women held by society during her era.
Before we talk about how she shook up tradition, let's take a look into her background and personal life.
(no credit/internet archives)
Born Annie Cohen, in Latvia, in 1870, she emigrated and became a United States citizen as a child. Her Orthodox Jewish family settled in Boston and by the age of 24, she was Mrs. Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, the mother of three children. While her husband studied the Torah, Annie sold advertising for several Boston newspapers, providing her with valuable sales skills, she would later use to self-promote her Round-The-World bike riding adventure.
March 23, 1895: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Circumnavigate the World by Bike, Returns to the United States (photo credit: A&E.com)
So, how did a nice Jewish wife and mother end up becoming the first woman to go round the globe on a bike? Well, interestingly enough, it all came about as the result of a crazy wager between two rich Boston Men in 1894. They bet $20,000 against $10,000 that no woman could travel around the world by bicycle in 15 months and earn $5,000. Sounds kind of nuts, but, as fate would have it, one of these betters is believed to have been Colonel Albert Pope, the owner of Pope Manufacturing Company, which produced (among many other things), Columbia bicycles.
Even more crazy is that Annie Kopchovsky could not have been a more unlikely candidate for such a feat. In the first place, she was a mother of three small children under the age of six, and moreover, had never ridden a bicycle until a few days before her trip!
However, it's apparent from the historic events that would unfold, that Annie was determined to be that hypothetical bike riding woman over which the wager was made. Her savvy business acumen led her to embrace sponsorships, which would be necessary to finance such a world-wide trip.
Essentially, she did for herself and the success of her venture, exactly what she had been doing for newspapers - selling advertising space - only this time it was on her bike and her person.
Even more crazy is that Annie Kopchovsky could not have been a more unlikely candidate for such a feat. In the first place, she was a mother of three small children under the age of six, and moreover, had never ridden a bicycle until a few days before her trip!
However, it's apparent from the historic events that would unfold, that Annie was determined to be that hypothetical bike riding woman over which the wager was made. Her savvy business acumen led her to embrace sponsorships, which would be necessary to finance such a world-wide trip.
Essentially, she did for herself and the success of her venture, exactly what she had been doing for newspapers - selling advertising space - only this time it was on her bike and her person.
Annie staged this photograph of her being robbed near San Francisco in the spring of 1895. (Photo credit: Peter Zheutlin)
Turning herself into a moving billboard, she carried a placard attached to the rear wheel that advertised New Hampshire's Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company, for which the company paid her $100 and she in turn agreed to go by the name "Annie Londonderry" for the duration of her trip.
Annie also happened to be a brilliant storyteller, telling tales throughout her travels of the adventures and mishaps she experienced. Many believed that a great deal of these were just fabrications and out and out lies, but all of her entrepreneurial efforts to create a buzz and finance her round the world trip proved tremendously successful as her stories captivated the media and boosted her popularity.
For example, while in France she characterized herself as an orphan, wealthy heiress, a Harvard medical student, the inventor of a new method of stenography, and the niece of a U.S. senator.
When she was back home in America, she shared exciting exploits about hunting tigers in India with German royalty and getting sent to a Japanese prison with a bullet wound. Always looking to build rapport and self promote wherever she was, Annie gave cycling demonstrations and sold merchandise featuring her likeness. Her abilities to successfully market herself are quite impressive.
Annie also happened to be a brilliant storyteller, telling tales throughout her travels of the adventures and mishaps she experienced. Many believed that a great deal of these were just fabrications and out and out lies, but all of her entrepreneurial efforts to create a buzz and finance her round the world trip proved tremendously successful as her stories captivated the media and boosted her popularity.
For example, while in France she characterized herself as an orphan, wealthy heiress, a Harvard medical student, the inventor of a new method of stenography, and the niece of a U.S. senator.
When she was back home in America, she shared exciting exploits about hunting tigers in India with German royalty and getting sent to a Japanese prison with a bullet wound. Always looking to build rapport and self promote wherever she was, Annie gave cycling demonstrations and sold merchandise featuring her likeness. Her abilities to successfully market herself are quite impressive.
********************
THE CYCLING ROUTE
THE CYCLING ROUTE
Annie Londonderry's Cycling Route Around the World (pinterest)
According to her grand nephew, Peter Zheutlin, who published
Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride
in 2007, Annie's world bike ride proceeded according to the timeline below.
There are no dates specified for cities except for those given below.
June 25, 1894 - Boston, Massachusetts
Providence, Rhode Island
New York City, New York
Albany, New York
Syracuse, New York
Rochester, New York
Buffalo, New York
Cleveland, Ohio
September 24, 1894 - Chicago, Illinois
Same route back to New York City
November 24, 1894 - New York City, New York
(Sailed from New York to Le Harvre, France)
December 3, 1894 - Le Havre, France
Paris, France
Lyon and Valence, France
Marseille, France
Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt
Jerusalem, Israel
Aden, Yemen
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Singapore
Saigon, Vietnam
Hong Kong and Port Arthur, China
Korea to Vladivostok, Russia (unconfirmed)
March 9, 1895 - Nagasaki and Yokohama, Japan
(Sailed from Japan to San Francisco, California)
Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride
in 2007, Annie's world bike ride proceeded according to the timeline below.
There are no dates specified for cities except for those given below.
June 25, 1894 - Boston, Massachusetts
Providence, Rhode Island
New York City, New York
Albany, New York
Syracuse, New York
Rochester, New York
Buffalo, New York
Cleveland, Ohio
September 24, 1894 - Chicago, Illinois
Same route back to New York City
November 24, 1894 - New York City, New York
(Sailed from New York to Le Harvre, France)
December 3, 1894 - Le Havre, France
Paris, France
Lyon and Valence, France
Marseille, France
Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt
Jerusalem, Israel
Aden, Yemen
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Singapore
Saigon, Vietnam
Hong Kong and Port Arthur, China
Korea to Vladivostok, Russia (unconfirmed)
March 9, 1895 - Nagasaki and Yokohama, Japan
(Sailed from Japan to San Francisco, California)
Book published by Annie's great nephew, Peter Zheutlin in 2007. (amazon.com)
March 23, 1895 - San Francisco, California
Stockton, California
San Jose, California
San Luis Obispo, California
Santa Barbara, California
Los Angeles, California
San Bernardino, California
Riverside, California
Indio, California
Yuma, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Deming, New Mexico
El Paso, Texas
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Raton, New Mexico
Raton Pass
Trinidad, Colorado
La Junta, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
August 12, 1895 - Denver, Colorado
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Train through Nebraska
Fremont, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Missouri Valley, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Tama, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Rochelle, Illinois
September 12, 1895 - Chicago, Illinois
September 24, 1895 - Boston, Massachusetts
Stockton, California
San Jose, California
San Luis Obispo, California
Santa Barbara, California
Los Angeles, California
San Bernardino, California
Riverside, California
Indio, California
Yuma, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Deming, New Mexico
El Paso, Texas
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Raton, New Mexico
Raton Pass
Trinidad, Colorado
La Junta, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
August 12, 1895 - Denver, Colorado
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Train through Nebraska
Fremont, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Missouri Valley, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Tama, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Rochelle, Illinois
September 12, 1895 - Chicago, Illinois
September 24, 1895 - Boston, Massachusetts
********************
While there is no diminishing her accomplishments in stepping forward to cycle around the world, get financing and sponsorship to do so, and capture the attention of the press - in an era that did not have electronic devices or internet reach, there is something that impressed me even more.
Remembering that Annie was not living in the free and modern times of today's world, she was a true trailblazer in the late 1800's. Full of courage, not only to venture into the geographical unknowns by herself, but she also bucked the societal mores of the time that dictated that women, particularly, married ones with children, stay at home and embrace their duty.
Remembering that Annie was not living in the free and modern times of today's world, she was a true trailblazer in the late 1800's. Full of courage, not only to venture into the geographical unknowns by herself, but she also bucked the societal mores of the time that dictated that women, particularly, married ones with children, stay at home and embrace their duty.
A woman cyclist in her bloomer outfit, leaving her beleaguered husband in charge of her children. People genuinely feared this ‘New Woman’. From Puck, 7 July 1897 3. She left behind her husband and three young (total women's cycling)
Annie, in 1894, went against all of these acceptable rules and set out into the world to ride around the globe for 15 months. Leaving her husband behind to care for their three children, this fact did not go overlooked. In fact, one magazine publication at the time, Puck, ran the above cartoon, which depicts a "new woman" leaving home while her husband is caretaker to the couple's children.
Annie's independent and determined nature set her apart from other women of her era as she shook up society's view of women and what they were capable of doing. In fact, the whole wager was very much a far fetched joke between two wealthy men and Annie undoubtedly, shocked them both!
As a 21st-Century, independent, single mom who travels the world over, both alone and with my children, I take for granted the freedom I enjoy to just up and take off, with my gender bearing no relevance upon the freedom to do so.
It is women like Annie who paved the way for globetrotting women like myself and my cousin Tanya, to enjoy the luxury of solo travel today. Thanks Annie!
-Elisa
Annie's independent and determined nature set her apart from other women of her era as she shook up society's view of women and what they were capable of doing. In fact, the whole wager was very much a far fetched joke between two wealthy men and Annie undoubtedly, shocked them both!
As a 21st-Century, independent, single mom who travels the world over, both alone and with my children, I take for granted the freedom I enjoy to just up and take off, with my gender bearing no relevance upon the freedom to do so.
It is women like Annie who paved the way for globetrotting women like myself and my cousin Tanya, to enjoy the luxury of solo travel today. Thanks Annie!
-Elisa
(the xenophile life)
RSS Feed