[McKINLEY, William (1843-1901) -- ROOSEVELT, Theodore (1858-1919)]. Photographs and letter archive.

[McKINLEY, William (1843-1901)]. Letters regarding the National Wheelmen's McKinley and Hobart Club.

A group of 33 typed letters (some duplicates) from the Republican National Committee Chicago and the RNC's National Wheelmen's McKinley and Hobart Club, ca 1896. Documents bear a variety of signatures (signed and in type), but most with that of James R. Dunn ("James R. Dunn"), Wheelmen's Department, who was also ex-president of the League of American Wheelmen. Letters demonstrate the efforts undertaken by the RNC to organize state and local McKinley and Hobart Bicycling Clubs, including targeting prominent businessmen who were known to ride bicycles and "men who make and sell Bicycles and Bicycle parts." Additional content identifies the organization's structure "on military lines" with captains, companies, regiments, etc., and discusses specific bicycle campaign events.

Photographs featuring the 1896 and 1900 campaigns. [With:] Rare Austrian funeral program.

Street scene with massive jugate McKinley-Roosevelt campaign banner. N.p.: Wentworth, [1900]. 6 3/4 x 4 5/8 in. silver gelatin photograph on cardstock mount (loss to lower left, spot of discoloration, losses to mount). Faded photographer's stamp to verso. -- Stage decorated with portraits of McKinley and Roosevelt. 4 3/4 x 3 5/8 in. silver gelatin photograph on cardstock mount (toning, light discoloration, and a few tears to right edges). -- Class photograph with two boys holding "McKinley & Roosevelt" and "Bryan & Stevenson" hats. N.p., ca 1900. 9 5/8 x 7 5/8 in. photograph on cardstock mount (heavy toning, some spotting). -- Outdoor view of boys representing "The McKinley Club" in a parade. Los Angeles, CA: The Garden City Foto Co., [1900?]. 7 1/2 x 4 5/8 in. photograph on cardstock mount. Photographer's imprints to mount recto and verso. -- Together, 4 images from the McKinley-Roosevelt campaign of 1900.

[With:] Outdoor view of a large 44-star flag with the lower edge reading "McKinley & Hobart." North Danville, NH: Sargent Brothers, ca 1896. 4 5/8 x 3 3/4 in. silver gelatin on cardstock mount (minor toning, soiling to mount). Photographer's imprint to mount verso. -- Studio portrait of two young boys wearing "McKinley & Hobart" hats. Canton, N.Y.: A.J. Runion, ca 1896. 3 15/16 x 5 1/2 in. cabinet photograph on cardstock mount (minor soiling, some wear at edges). Photographer's imprint embossed to mount recto. -- Outdoor view of a parade featuring a man dressed as Uncle Sam, a drummer, and a large banner portrait of McKinley. N.p., n.d. 4 1/2 x 3 3/4 in. silver gelatin on cardstock mount (some fading, tear and soiling to mount). -- Together, 3 images from the McKinley-Hobart campaign of 1896.

[Also with:] [McKINLEY, William (1843-1901)]. Memorial Service on the Occasion of the Funeral of the Late William McKinley. Vienna, Austria: C. Fromme, 1901. 4 pp., 8 1/8 x 13 1/2 in. printed program (creased, with punched holes, light spotting and soiling, and tear to back cover). Program for the memorial service held in Christ Church in Vienna and given by Rev. William H. Hechler. The hymn for the occasion was Nearer, my God, to Thee, which was reported to be McKinley's favorite hymn. It accompanied the late president's funeral procession through Washington, his national funeral service, and a memorial service held for him in Westminster Abbey.RARE, no other copies located in OCLC or other online records.

[With:] "Ho. For Canton!" National Wheelmen's Day." Circulars advertising "the grandest demonstration of the campaign" on Saturday, 3 October 1896. -- "Constitution and By-Laws" of the National Wheelmen's McKinley and Hobart Club. -- Blank documents and forms related to the "National Wheelmen's McKinley and Hobart Club."

[With:] "National Wheelmen's McKinley and Hobart Club" scrapbook, 9 1/2 x 12 in. (heavy wear, especially to spine, some pages cut and removed), containing newspaper clippings about the organization and other related ephemera.

[Also with:] A Republican National Convention ticket, St. Louis, 16 June 1896. -- Republican National Convention ticket, Philadelphia, 1900.

As bicycling became a way of life in the late 1800s, the "bicycle bloc" emerged as a force in American politics as well. An interesting archive illustrating "the first National campaign in which [wheelmen] have been recognized as a distinctive and powerful element" (as indicated in letter from James Dunn, 10 October 1896).

Collection of Tom Charles Huston

This lot is located in Cincinnati.