Missouri State Parks’ reenactor and historian Kevin Smith will present the history of the legendary Iron Riders. Smith became interested in the fascinating story during a history class. Now he reenacts the soldiers and interprets their amazing feats of endurance and perseverance in completing their assignment.

The Iron Riders were a unit of Black soldiers who were part of a U.S. Army experiment that had soldiers mounted on steel-framed bicycles instead of horses. As part of the test, the Iron Riders rode their bicycles an astounding 1,900 miles on unpaved roads and trails from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis in the late 1800s.

Smith’s presentation will take place on Monday, August 29 at 6 p.m. at Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site.