Greg O’s Garage: Maggie Helck discovers two 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race flags
Maggie Helck, granddaughter of Peter Helck and daughter of Jerry Helck, came to visit the Waterfront at Roslyn to donate some important Vanderbilt Cup Race memorabilia and look through her grandfather's archives.
Happy New Year to all!
Greg O.
The Visit to the Helck Family Archives
Maggie Helck, granddaughter of artist/auto historian Peter Helck and daughter of Jerry Helck, contacted Howard after discovering some Vanderbilt Cup memorabilia in her father Jerry's home.
After discussion with her family, Maggie visited the Waterfront at Roslyn to graciously donate her Vanderbilt Cup Race discoveries..
While there, she was able to go through the thousands of letters from the Helck Family Archives. The collection was donated to Howard Kroplick by the Helck family in 2016. I directed her towards a letter I had remembered within correspondence between Helck family members, that letter was from her 7-year-old self to her Grandfather Peter! She was thrilled to see it again and we were equally thrilled to be able to reunite it with her!
"Dear Gah and Pom Pom,
I hope you have a very nice summes. Me Philla will be to visit you too soon. And will have a very nice time.
Love, Maggie H."
Her cute letter to her grandfather and grandmother was punctuated by her wonderful drawing of Old 16.
The reverse side featured more of her artwork of a horse and abstract art at the bottom.
1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Flags
As noted, the reason for Maggie's visit was to gift a set of 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race flags that were found in her father's New Jersey home.
These newly recieved 1906 flags (top) now join the identical 1905 flags already in the Helck archives and are very much no doubt, authentic, due to the provenance.
Very crude but effective: The flag fabric is simply tacked to their wooden dowels.
Thankfully Peter Helck was diligent about identifying letters, photos and items with full descriptions and/or captions. The outer tube he marked with one of his postage labels stating;
"TWO SIGNAL FLAGS from 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Gift from Vernon Remsen, 6 Locust Ave, East Norwich L.I. His father used them in this race.
Received here November 23, 1966"
Who is Vernon Remsen? And who was his father?
With a little sleuthing, Vernon T. Remsen was born in East Norwich in November 1877, died March 4th, 1968 and buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury. His flagman father was James Remsen also born in East Norwich in November 1846.
The 1905 & 1906 races ran directly through East Norwich with the famous turn onto Northern Blvd where Rothman's Steakhouse is today. Vernon and James both lived within 2 blocks of the turn so it would stand to reason that James most likely manned this turn with his flags in East Norwich.
Felice Nazzaro's #8 FIAT at the East Norwich Turn at the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Could this flagman in the foreground actually be James Remsen? Maybe!
In fact, the flag in his right hand is darker in color (most likely red) and the dowel is a bit thicker than usual, matching what we see with these new flags from Maggie.
Instructions for flag usage with the flags.
And, as further noted in the 1905 official score card and guide,
"Every turn and crossroad will be guarded by flagmen, whose 'ALL-RIGHT' signal will be a 'RED FLAG' and whose 'DANGER' warning will be a 'YELLOW_FLAG'"
A huge 'THANK YOU' to Maggie Helck for her wonderful gift to the Helck Family Achives, once again showing the kindness and generosity of the entire Helck family!
Comments
Fantastic find and provenance!
Wow, quite possibly James Remsen in 1906! The heavier dowel on the red flag matches the photo precisely. Maggie Helck’s contribution to the Helck Family Archives has secured these historic items after surviving 117 years. Simply amazing!
Very nice!
Wow those flags are something, can’t wait for the checkered flag to show up.
Having personally been able to review the Helck material in Howard’s possession, I can attest to the variety and detail provided in the collection. Maggie’s donation of the flags are a very welcome addition. There is so much material to review reflecting on Peter’s professional and personal life it would take years to properly document what is there. Howard, Greg, Graham and I have hopefully (and will continue to) do just that. Thank you Maggie for your donation, I hope you enjoyed reviewing your grandfather’s legacy.
I had stop by 6 Locust Ave. East Norwich from my Oyster Bay nearby, spoke to a young lady on her way to pick up her son, did not know of anything about the former resident or the history of that location, so I printout this story and this website and drop it in her mailbox, Hope she finds this interesting? NOW, where is James Remsen who had lived within 2 blocks from Veron, had lived and buried??
Mark-
I could not find any info as to where the father James is buried. Maybe in a small cemetery somewhere in East Norwich or close by since he spent most of his life in East Norwich.
Greg
I know where nearby in that area, will visit, thanks.
I went to the burial site of Remsen at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury L.I. NY. If you can see the bottom gravestone there’s Vernon 1907-1968 the son of flag men James?? the son Vernon who gave Peter Helck those flags in 1966. now in picture to the right his wife Margaret 1907-1979, and their son Allen 1940-1975.
On the flag on the right a plaque E. Norwich Vol. Fire House, thought it was for Allen? So, went to the E Norwich firehouse and spoke with the Secretary of the firehouse who had the records of who had volunteered. It was not Allen but Vernon in Apr. 1924 when he was about 17, he gave me a list of 9 Remsen who had volunteered mostly in the early years, but no James. Could not find any burial information for James anywhere in my online research. There was a John E. Remsen who joined the new fire department in 1912 and became Fire Chief in 1923, but he was born in 1897,10 yrs. old in 1907. That’s it, End of the road for me!