Ghosts of DC The lost and untold history of Washington
Here’s a curious old photograph for you. This one is from 1925 and features Mildred Billert and Hazel Bowman, both of Ned Wayburn‘s Revue, a vaudeville show.
February 7, 1925. Washington, D.C. “Mildred Billert and Hazel Bowman of Ned Wayburn’s Revue.” National Photo Company glass negative. (Shorpy)
A few things you should notice about the photo … the two women are riding men’s bicycles, which is not easy while wearing dresses. The woman on the right is actually just sitting on the bike with the kickstand down. Last, the bike on the left has a tread made up of swastikas — of course, this was well before it was co-opted as the symbol of the Nazis. The bike is an Ariel Gents 1925.
