Historic bike tour highlights Carbondale landmarks and local history

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) — Residents explored local history on two wheels Thursday evening during the City of Carbondale’s Historic Bike Tour.

The ride was part of the city’s Carbondale Bikes group ride series and coincided with both National Bike Month and Historic Preservation Month. Organizers said combining the two observances created an opportunity for people to learn about the city’s history while enjoying an evening bike ride.

The historic bike tour was originally developed during Carbondale’s 150th anniversary celebration as a way for residents and visitors to engage with the community.

Riders gathered at Town Square to begin the tour. The location marks where Carbondale’s first train arrived in 1854 and served as a fitting starting point for a ride focused on local history.

“This is where the first train came into Carbondale back in 1854. So, a lot of history here. And we wanted to start from this iconic spot as well,” said Dena Haun, tourism and special events coordinator for the City of Carbondale.

Haun said the tour encourages participants to slow down and experience parts of the city they may otherwise overlook.

“We developed this historic bike tour as a way for folks to engage with their community. It’s just an offering that we have so folks can experience the town and really take some time and enjoy those historic spots,” Haun said.

Leading the tour were Haun and Eva Fisher, public relations officer for the City of Carbondale. The pair stopped at locations throughout the ride to share historical information and highlight notable sites around the city
The guided ride followed a five-mile loop through Carbondale, featuring historic landmarks, Southern Illinois University campus locations, local businesses, monuments, murals and public art displays.

Organizers said the event also showcases the city’s bike infrastructure and helps riders become more familiar with routes that connect different parts of the community.

“It’s a really great way for folks to learn what is available, how they can bike through town, get connected to campus and just get more familiar with these iconic spots,” said Fisher.

Fisher said the tour also highlights Carbondale’s creative side, with riders passing several murals and public art installations along the route.

“Carbondale is really rich with a lot of great creative and murals throughout our town, and so we’ll be featuring some of those spots here on this tour,” Haun said.

The ride lasted roughly two hours before participants returned to Town Square.

Fisher said the Carbondale Bikes series is designed for riders of all experience levels and can help people gain confidence on the road.

“This is great for bikers of any levels. I’m not the most confident biker in the world, so this group ride series has been awesome for me because it’s been a really encouraging group of people. I’ve been learning like the safety rules of the road, and I’m growing into a more confident biker. So join us even if you think it’s not for you,” Fisher said.

The guided ride lasted about two hours and concluded back at Town Square. Information about future Carbondale Bikes events and the Historic Bike Tour is available through the City of Carbondale- www.ExploreCarbondale.com