Portrait of John Ennis, Long-Distance Competitive Walker, 1871-1885

01

Artifact Overview

John Ennis was a well-known long-distance walker in the 1870s and 80s. Competitive walking at that time was a popular spectator sport. Fans crowded into arenas to watch athletes race around a track. Ennis competed in many six-day races and distance events; and his energy never waned. In 1910, at the age of 68, Ennis walked from New York to San Francisco.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Carte-de-visite (Card photograph)

Date Made

1871-1885

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2013.0.1.35

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford

Material

Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Albumen process
Printing (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 4.25 in
Width: 2.5 in

Inscriptions

verso, handwritten: John Ennis obverse, printed: Sarony 37 Union Square.
Portrait of John Ennis, Long-Distance Competitive Walker, 1871-1885