Kleiner’s Korner: Alternative Courses of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Here are several courses proposed in early 1904 for the running of the first Vanderbilt Cup Race on Long Island.
The final selection of the course was kept secret so as not allow potential participants to practice on the roads to be used.
An Early Proposal
Noted Long Island automobile enthusiast and LIRR Special Passenger Agent, H. B. Fullterton toured Long Island for a suitable course. Fullerton had previously planned the routes of several endurance runs on Long Island and these probably influenced his choices. (The New York Times Feb. 28, 1904)
This early proposal had the race to be 180 miles beginning in Sag Harbor in Suffolk County and extending west through Nassau County into Brooklyn. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle Feb. 28, 1904)
Joe Tracy represented the Peerless team and assisted Fullerton in touring Warsaw (Nassau, sic) County. This article notes the race was to be 300 miles! (Motor Age Mar. 24, 1904)
Other Proposals
Other sites were offered as possible courses (probably by the localities themselves) including New Jersey and Ormond Beach, FL however, Long Island was seen as the best alternative. An advantage was that its road were little traveled. (South Side Signal Apr. 30, 1904)
4 Other Long Island Proposals
An early drawing of the most promising course, the "Jericho - Queens - HIcksville" triangle. (The Automobile Sept. 3, 1904)
From "Motoring and Boating", Apr. 13, 1904
The triangle was one of four possible routes proposed, each including the previous proposal.
Option 1 was the 34 mile triangle itself, including Jericho Turnpike, the Hicksville road, a gravel road to Hempstead and a macadam road to Queens.
Option 2 added a loop from Hempstead to Freeport and included the "famous Merrick turnpike".
Total mileage was 41 miles and added several villages on the south shore.
Option 3 added a "northern loop" passing through Jericho, East Norwich and Roslyn.
Total mileage was 48 - 50 miles.
Option 4 included both a Queens run and the Merrick turnpike for a total of 41 miles.
But as the organizers wanted to avoid large villages such as Valley Stream (my home town) this option was not viewed positively.
Entries and Date of the Race
Entries were expected to possibly reach near 50 and the race was thought to be held in July. (Motoring and Boating Apr. 13, 1904)
Announcing the Course
The course was to be announced on September 8, 1904 one month before the race. (The New York Times Jul. 7, 1904)
However, on August 24 The New York TImes reported which option was chosen. (The New York TImes Aug. 24, 1904)
Anyone notice a problem with the Times' depiction of the course that day?
Comments
The Times map draws roads as railroads and railroads as roads? The RR spur from Garden City to Hempstead is missing?
Was “National Rifle Association” a station-stop on the LIRR?
Massapequa is spelled “Massepequa” in several places, and in one place, Merrick Road is called “Herrick Road.”
Warsaw County? Reminds me of the old insurance commercial: “Where are you from?” “Wausau.” “Welcome to America!”
The 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race was a ten-lap race in a clockwise pattern. It was not a single loop as depicted by the NY Times map. Missing in the NY Times map is the Springfield Blvd (Creed Ave) segment that connected the continuous course. Photo below
Al Prete is correct; Sloppy work by the NY Times. I wonder what major event occurred just before in 1904, that led to this map’s misrepresentation