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The May 7th meeting of the Honeoye Falls – Town of Mendon Historical Society will feature Karen Lankeshofer, whose topic will be “Elsa Von Blumen - Rochester’s Forgotten Female Athlete”If you do not recognize the name Elsa Von Blumen, you are not alone. The fact of the matter is that she was a Rochesterian who, in the 1880s, raced high-wheeled bikes against horses, skaters, male cyclists, and eventually a growing number of women cyclists in an era when women were expected to stay at home, tend the household, and raise the children. Instead, she succeeded in a sport dominated by men and helped pave the way for other women to find the courage to break social taboos.
Her first professional bike race was against a horse in Rochester’s Driving Park. From Rochester she went on to race throughout the entire Eastern United States for a decade. She was a force to be reckoned with in the cycling world.
She subscribed to the belief that physical exercise improves one’s health and credited her bike riding with keeping herself fit. She was so renowned in her day, that when she died in 1935 a large article noting her passing appeared The New York Times! This presentation will introduce you to a Upstate New York athlete who should not be forgotten.
Karen Lankeshofer grew up in Honeoye Falls and is a long-time Henrietta, NY resident who has also lived and taught in Germany and Russia. She is an avid bike rider and advocates for safe cycling infrastructure. She enjoys studying history, especially if it pertains to Upstate New York. She discovered Elsa Von Blumen several years ago and has been researching her intensively. Her study is ongoing. Her presentation is a tribute to a pioneering female professional athlete and she wants to share it with people in New York State because she believes Elsa’s story deserves to be better known.
The meeting will begin at 7:30pm on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at the Mendon Community Center, 167 North Main Street in Honeoye Falls. This facility is handicapped accessible. The meeting is open to the public.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Mendon Community Center, 167 N Main St,Honeoye Falls, New York, United States
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