This picture, taken around 1899-1900, is of my maternal great grandparents' home at 722 Kennedy Street, Jackson, Michigan. This was a couple years before my grandmother, Agnes, was born. In addition to the THREE BICYCLES, you'll see (left to right), my great aunt Naomi Hinckley (about 3 yrs old), Mrs. Brown (the "hired woman" on the porch), my great grandmother Ethel (Gerow) Hinckley and my great grandfather Minor E. Hinckley, my great aunt Mignonette Hinckley (about 5 years old), and Madalene and Leo Smalley of Owosso, Michigan, cousins of Minor.

The writing on the back of the picture also indicates that Madalene and Leo rode their bikes to the Hinckley home. I find that a little bit hard to believe since Owosso is about 50 miles from Jackson and the roads probably weren't very good in 1899 and the Smalleys don't look like they are dressed for a cross country bike ride.

[n.b. I recently learned of the round-the-world bike ride in 1894-5 by Annie "Londonderry" Cohan and that expedition has made me think again about the likelihood of the Smalleys riding from Owosso to Jackson. Maybe they did it.]

This photo was probably taken by an itinerant photographer who happened by during the visit of the Smalleys to the Hinckley household. The picture has the number "1256" in the lower left corner and the name "E. THAYER" embossed on the lower right corner of the mounting board.

The detail in the original 3x4 inch picture is remarkable, even under a 10x lens.

That house still stands in July, 2000, although it now has the address 720 kennedy Street.