Archives West Finding Aid

William D. “Bill” Rishel was born on Sept 26, 1869 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to Jennie McLaughlin and John A. Rishel. In 1872 the family moved to Nebraska and in 1876 to Colorado. In 1880, Rishel settled in Cheyenne, Wyoming and lived there until he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1895. He married Mildred Shelmerdine in 1899 in Salt Lake City. She died in 1921. They had one child, Virginia Rishel.

Rishel was an avid bicyclist who pioneered bicycle racing in Wyoming and Utah. After settling in Salt Lake City, Rishel edited a semi-monthly bicycle magazine and managed a bicycle track near Beck’s Hot Springs. He also served as manager of the western section of William Randolph Hearst's 1896 cross country San Francisco to New York bicycle relay race. Through this role, Rishel laid out a route which was partially used for the Utah highway system. From 1900-1910, Rishel was the sports editor of the Salt Lake Herald. After leaving this position, Rishel became involved with the activities of the United States Auto Mobile Association and was an organizer of the Utah State Automobile Association, serving as its president. He was purported to be the first man in Utah to drive a car. Rishel managed the Salt Palace Race Track for a time, but put many of his energies towards promoting the use of automobiles in Utah, particularly through tourism. Rishel ran a tourist bureau in connection with the Utah State Automobile Association.

Bill Rishel died on March 20, 1947. In 1983, his daughter, Virginia Rishel, wrote and published Wheels to Adventure: Bill Rishel's Western Routes about the cross-country relay race and her father’s involvement in mapping the event.