Exploring a hidden Ozarks treasure: Pedalers Bicycle Museum

We visited a hidden treasure in the Ozarks with Kaitlyn McConnell of Ozarks Alive. Ozarks Alive is an online magazine dedicated to preserving the area’s unique heritage and history for future generations.

On this adventure, we explored the Pedalers Bicycle Museum on Commercial in Springfield.

"Oftentimes I just stumble across places that are really cool and this is one of those examples. It's, you know, a bicycle museum right here on Commercial Street called Pedalers Bicycle Museum. And, it's just a very unique place that's filled with dozens of really interesting bikes, " Kaitlyn explained.

James Allen is the owner of Pedalers Bicycle Museum. James' collection includes bikes from the 1880's and even earlier.

"We go back, to 1817 the bike which had no pedals, was the first bike. And then in 1869, they went with the pedals on the front wheel and the 1880's, the big bike and in 1890, they were a regular sized bike like what we know today," Allen told us.

Meantime, McConnell has done enough stories to put out a book with more than 60 places she's featured on Ozarks Alive.

"It's just a bunch of really cool places to see in southwest Missouri and things other people may not know about. Generally things that are pretty much off the beaten path that's what I went for. These are places that people, of course, have visited they're not secrets, but there are a lot that unless you live out in that neck of the woods, you might not have heard of them before," McConnell commented as she described her book, "Passport To The Ozarks."

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if you want to buy the book.

If you want to tour Pedalers Bicycle Museum call James at 417-576-1464 to arrange a visit.