pre-1890 | Early Race Venues
The earliest bicycle races were held in a variety of places such as horse tracks, ball parks, running tracks or simply a large enough space. The San Francisco Mechanics' Pavilion provided a large space with the extra benefit of being indoors! The Agricultural Park Horse Tracks at both San Jose and Sacramento hosted many bicycle races. The Oakland Race Course at Shell Mound Park was both a running and bicycling race track. Banner Island Park in Stockton was a baseball grounds that also accommodated bicycle races.
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It's not surprising these early race venues were in the population centers of Northern California: San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento and Stockton.
These race venues were the stepping stones to dedicated bicycle race tracks and velodromes.
1879 and Beyond | Mechanics' Pavilion | San Francisco
Section last updated April 10, 2026.
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The first article below from the Daily Alta California, November 22, 1879 is the earliest reference to bicycle racing at the Mechanics' Pavilion. The Daily Alta California was a San Francisco newspaper from 1849 to 1891.
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The second article shows that bicycle racing continued at the Mechanics' Pavilion, it describes a 24+ hour event to be held on February 21st and 22nd in 1884. The article is from the Daily Alta California, February 04, 1884.
Location
The Mechanics' Pavilion buildings played a major role in the history of San Francisco prior to the 1906 earthquake. FoundSF has a very detailed history of the Mechanics' Pavilion buildings. There were actually a number of buildings referred to as the "Mechanics' Pavilion", two or three are in the references. FoundSF indicates three in total with the last one being bound by Grove/Hayes streets and Polk/Larkin streets. This building existed 1881 to 1906.
After the earthquake and fire the block was sold to the city of San Francisco. The city built the San Francisco Civic Auditorium on the site, which is now the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
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This is a current Google Map of the area (37.778159, -122.417338) adjacent to San Francisco City Hall.
This is a current Google Map of the area adjacent to San Francisco City Hall.
1881 and Beyond | Agricultural Park Horse Track | San Jose
Section last updated May 6, 2026.
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Calisphere has a webpage about the Horse Track at Agricultural Park. The contributor of the pictures is History San Jose. Here's a picture capturing the track and the grandstands.
From History San Jose, view of track and grandstands.
The article below from the San Jose Weekly Mercury, October 13, 1881 is the earliest reference to bicycle racing at the Agricultural Park Horse Track.
It is clearly described as a new, unique experience "Yesterday's experience shows most decidedly that the new features of the day drew fully as much, if not more, than the racing, and Mr. William Tennant may well feel proud of his day. It was indeed his day, and so it will go on record from the fact that the ladies' tournament, bicycle race, foot race, ladies five mile running race, etc., were introduced at his suggestion - and were looked upon as something like a doubtful experiment. The crowd was not confined to the grandstand. The old stand, to the left of the new one, was packed to overflowing, and the great space in front of both, as well as the vicinity of the judges' stand, filled so that standing room was at a premium."
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The event had higher attendance than when a reception was held for past US president Ulysses S. Grant two years earlier.
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As can be seen later in the article, it was quite a simple bicycle race, a one mile race with three contestants.
The article and advertisement from the San Jose Herald, May 12, 1885 promotes two days of upcoming bicycle races the Agricultural Park Horse Track.
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Note the variety of the bicycles races: record attempts, maiden race, handicap races, without handles, an oddity race, bicycle versus horse and lastly some fancy riders.
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Also note these events are all performed on ordinary or highwheel bicycles. The transition to the safety bicycle had not yet begun.
The first article below, from the San Jose Herald, May 15, 1885, publishes the startlist for upcoming two day race to commence the following day.
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The second article is from the San Jose Herald, May 18, 1885 and it summarizes the weekend of bicycle races at the Agricultural Park Horse Track.
The articles below are from the same newspaper page as the event summary article above, San Jose Herald, May 18, 1885. It appears the inclusion of bicycle races at a horse track did not occur without incident.
The San Jose Mercury, September 10, 1889 article describes a very well attended race at the San Jose Agricultural Park Horse Track, ".. 2000 people attended ... both grand stands being well filled ... carriages extending up and down both the inner and outer sides of the track."
Location
The San Jose Sports Chronicle website has a page about Agricultural Park that shows a map of where "Agricultural Park and cyclers park" was located along The Alameda at the intersection with Race Street.
1886 map of San Jose from the San Jose Sports Chronicle.
The 1876 map of San Jose's First Ward shows how close the horse track was to the adjacent streets. Map is courtesy of the David Rumsey Map Collection.
1876 map of San Jose's First Ward , courtesy of the David Rumsey Map Collection.
This is a current Google Map of the area (37.331480, -121.914297) by The Alameda and Race Street in San Jose.
Current Google Map of the area bound by Park Ave., Race St. and The Alameda.
1887 and Beyond | Oakland Race Track
Section last updated March 19, 2026.
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The article below from the Daily Alta California, February 22, 1887 is the earliest reference to bicycle racing at the Oakland Race Track.
The Oakland Race Track was located in unincorporated Alameda County in Shellmound Park. It would eventually become part of Emeryville. There's a short description of Shellmound Park on the City of Emeryville's website. The article mentions the combined running and bicycling track.
This is a picture of the Race Track at Shellmound Park. There's some faint lettering in the middle of the photo mixed in with the trees which reads "RACE TRACK SHELLMOUND PARK". The photo is from Oakland Wiki, indicating 1904-1918.
The article below describes a very well-organized, combined Bicycle Tournament and Track and Field event. The article is from the San Francisco Call, November 27, 1891.
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Note that the white railings along the track in the photo above resemble the railing in the drawing in the article.
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Also note the existence of both ordinary and safety bicycle races. The transition from the ordinary/highwheel bicycle era to the safety bicycle era was underway.
Location
The maps below are from the Oakland Wiki - Oakland Trotting Park.
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Summarizing the earlier article, description of Shell Mound Park on the City of Emeryville's website, Edward Wiard created Shellmound Park across the railroad tracks from the trotting park. Note the "E Wiard" notation on the earlier map, dated 1878.
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The 1878 map can be clicked on and inspected in detail, courtesy of the David Rumsey Map Collection.
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This is a current map of the area (37.836530, -122.291884) of Shellmound Street in Emeryville.
1887 and Beyond | Sacramento Agricultural Park Horse Track
Section last updated April 10, 2026.
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The two articles below describe an early race at the Sacramento Agricultural Park Track. The Sacramento Daily Union, September 19, 1887 article publicized the events of the day at the state fair, among them being a "bicycle tournament at the park". While the Stockton Mail, September 19, 1887 article provides a brief summary of the day's race.
The Sacramento Daily Union, October 3, 1891 article publishes the start list for the next day's races.
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Note toward the end the reference to an earlier race that summer, held in Stockton, tomorrow's race is expected to be a rematch. The Stockton event referenced was held at Banner Island Park in Stockton on the Fourth of July, 1891. The Goodwater Grove Track, built in Stockton specifically for bicycle racing, did not open until July 4, 1892.
The two articles below confirm the popularity of the 1893 Labor Day races as well as the dominance of the Garden City cyclers of San Jose.
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Note, these articles are from 1893, the year after the first three bicycle tracks were opened in Northern California. Racing would continue at some of these shared venues even while dedicated bicycle tracks were in place.
Location
The map below is of 1873 Sacramento, click on it to view in more detail, courtesy of the David Rumsey Map Collection. The drawing is undated but estimated to be from the 1890's.
This is a current Google Map of the area (38.578518, -121.477621) of the Boulevard Park neighborhood (previously Oak Park) in Midtown Sacramento. The Boulevard Park Neighborhood Association has an Historical Page detailing the last State Fair to be held at these grounds was in September of 1904. In December of 1904 "The grandstand is demolished, and the land is graded for new residential land use in an expanding city."
Current Google Map of the Boulevard Park neighborhood (previously Oak Park) in Midtown Sacramento
1888-91 | Banner Island Track | Stockton
Section last updated April 10, 2026.
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The two articles below confirm the Banner Island Track used the ball park field for the bicycling track.
The Stockton Daily Union, July 5, 1889 article indicates "The races were called at 2 o'clock this afternoon, and the large grand stand at the Banner Island Baseball Grounds was packed, a large percentage being ladies."
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The Evening Record of Stockton, June 8, 1895 recounts "In 1888, by invitation of the Oak Leaf Wheelmen, the State meet of the California Division of the League of American Wheelmen was held here and it was so successfully managed that a sum of $800 was cleared. The races were on the quarter mile track which the Oak Leaf Wheelmen had built on the Banner Island baseball ground."
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The illustration below is titled "BaseBall at Banner Island in the Early Nineties". It is not clear which area was used for the bicycling track. The lightly shaded area around the circumference of the base ball grounds is a possibility. The Evening Record article does indicate "..had built on the Banner Island baseball ground." That is the most descriptive information found.
1888
The two premier races of 1888 at the Banner Island Track would be the Fourth of July meet and the Thanksgiving Day race.
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The Stockton Mail, June 28, 1888 piece publicizes the clubs and prominent riders to be at the upcoming Fourth of July meet.
There is an extensive summary of the Fourth of July meet in the Bicycling World and L.A.W. Bulletin, July 20, 1888 issue hosted by the Oak Leaf Wheelmen at the Banner Island Track.
The two articles below describe the Thanksgiving Day race of 1888 at the Banner Island Track.
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The Stockton Mail, November 23, 1888 article publicizes the upcoming Thanksgiving Day race, while the Stockton Mail, November 30, 1888 article summarizes the previous day's race.
1891
In 1891 the Oak Leaf Wheelmen of Stockton are still hosting important races at the Banner Island Track. They are again hosting the Fourth of July race. The two articles below provide pre-race publicity for the event. Note the Stockton Mail, June 29, 1891 article provides the race schedule which has races for ordinary and safety bicycles.
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Last is an advertisement in the Stockton Mail, July 3, 1891 the day before the big event.
The article below from the Stockton Mail, July 6, 1891 summarizes the races on the Fourth in great detail, describing the weather conditions, the races results and the post-race picnic and ball later in the evening.
1892-97
In July of 1892 the Goodwater Grove Track would open in the north end of Stockton. The San Francisco Call, June 20, 1892 article describes the reasons the new track was chosen for the 1892 State meet to be held on July 4th.
It appears this was the beginning of the end for the Banner Island Track.
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The three remaining articles, all from subsequent years, refer to the Banner Island grounds in a state of flux.
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There are no more newspaper articles about bicycles races at the Banner Island Track after 1891.
Location
There is no mystery as to the location of Banner Island Park, even though it may be called North Seawall Park today. However, there is no definitive evidence where exactly the bicycle track was located within the park.
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The 1895 Library of Congress illustrated map of Stockton, the Banner Island Park area, shows a building at an angle to the streets. Maybe that is the grand stands of the ball park (and the bicycle track)? But that's just a guess. Click on the map for a larger image.
Below is a current Google Map of the area (37.955171, -121.295897) of North Seawall Park. Note, just to the west of the park is the Banner Island Ballpark, home of the Stockton Ports minor league baseball team. It seems Banner Island has returned to its baseball roots.
Current Google Map of North Seawall Park and Banner Island Ballpark, Stockton