Cradle of Aviation Archives: Amazing 1937 Aerials of Roosevelt Raceway
In April 2010, the Cradle of Aviation Museum received a gift of the photographic archives of a man long-associated with Long Island aviation. Among the hundreds of photos in the collection was one box of 265 negatives and glass plates related to Long Island automobile racing. The images were taken by photographer John Drennan of Mineola from 1935 to 1965. These photos are available through VanderbiltCupRaces.com with permission of the Cradle of Aviation. Check out the collection's amazing aerials of Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury taken just prior to the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race:
Views Looking West
The Long Island Motor Parkway can be seen on the left. Merrick Avenue is in the middle of the aerial.
A similar view...note the grandstands of Roosevelt Raceway and the Salisbury Golf Course (now part of the Eisenhower Park golf courses).
View Looking East
Old Country road is on the left. The 1937 course appears to be under construction. Roosevelt Field airport is on the bottom of the aerial.
Check out the airplanes!
View Looking South
Meadow Brook Polo Field is in the upper-right corner of the aerial.
View Looking North-West
This is the most spectacular aerial of this set showing the entire Roosevelt Raceway and key features of the Long Island Motor Parkway in this section.
The close-up of the lower section of the aerial shows the Motor Parkway Bridge over Merrick Avenue, the "hook" entrance to the Parkway and the Meadow Brook Lodge. Look very carefully to the top and middle of this image and you can see the remains of the temporary road used as part of the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race course.
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com:
Archives: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury, New York
Archives: Long Island Motor Parkway Toll Lodges
Index: Archives on VanderbiltCupRaces.com
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