Author William Murphy will discuss his just-released book about women motorcycle riders in the early 20th century at the Museums a la Carte program at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts on April 12 at 12:15 pm.
The book, Grace and Grit: Motorcycle Dispatches from Early Twentieth Century Women, tells the incredible stories of five women – Della Crewe, Effie and Avis Hotchkiss, and the Van Buren sisters –who, from 1910 to 1916, defied the expected norms of behavior and set out to see America by motorcycle.
The roads were dirty and dusty, some merely cow paths, and fuel was hard to find. They had to repair their own flat tires and broken chains, and the weather ranged from rain for days on end to unrelenting desert sun.
Admission to Museums à la Carte is $4 ($2 for members of the Springfield Museums). The programs are sponsored by Big Y World Class Market. Visitors are invited to bring lunch to enjoy during the program. Cookies and coffee are provided.
Free onsite parking is available. For more information about Museums à la Carte, call 413.263.6800, ext. 488.