Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway
Frank Femenias challenged you once again to identify this weekend's Mystery Foto (see below Femenias' Findings).
Mystery Foto questions:
-Identify the location of the photo
Looking west on the Long Island Motor Parkway in the Hempstead Plains at the intesection of Stewart Avenue. Now, Salisbury Park Drive and Stewart Avenue in East Meadow.
-Identify the Motor Parkway bridge in the background
The Meadowbrook Bridge over Newbridge Avenue (Bellmore Road).
-Where was the photographer standing when he took the photo?
The photographer was standing on top of the Stewart Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge.
-Identify the race(s) and date of the photo
The photo was taken during the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes on the opening day of the Long Island Motor Parkway on October 10, 1908. Five concurrent stock car races were held to test the new course, the timing systems, and crowd control for the Vanderbilt Cup Race scheduled two weeks later. The two racers were competing in two different races; the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes and the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes.
-Identify the two racers
#M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow. Finished 2nd in the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes.
#P43 Simplex (USA) driven by Frank Lescault. Finished 4th in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes.
Congrats to Michael LaBarbera, Joseph Oesterle, Greg O., Tim Ivers, Steve Lucas and Ariejan Bos for correctly identifying the East Meadow location of the photo. Kudos to Greg O., Steve Lucas, Chuck Rudy and Ariejan Bos for identifying the #M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex racers. A special shout-out to Ted for knowing the bridge location for the photographer. We miss you Ted!
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Closeups
#M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow.
#P34 Simplex driven by Frank Lescault.
Femenias' Findings (Submitted by Frank Femenias)
The 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes with M32 Rainer and Now (2016). No traces left, you'd never know what once occurred here at the Salisbury Park Drive and Stewart Avenue intersection.
Then (1938) and Now (2016).
Opposite side of Meadowbrook Bridge looking east at the tree-lined oasis.
Disappearing roadways,bridges and railroads.
Comments
Almost looks like the Western terminus, in Fresh Meadows. Looking north, that would be the North Hempstead Turnpike overpass, and Horace Harding Blvd in the distance. I’m sure it’s something else, but that’s what I wish it was!
The Motor parkway facing west from the top of the Stewart Avenue Bridge, looking west at the Newbridge (East Meadow Avenue) Avenue Bridge. Where today’s Salisbury park Drive takes the north turn at the Golf course in Eisenhower Park. The Ladenburg property is on the right where Ladenburg Drive is today. Because everything looks so freshly dug i would say this is one of the 1908 races but sorry i dont know the cars or the drivers. Looking at the golf course today there is a steep hill where the bridge used to be, it would be fun to know the story behind that.
The photographer could have been taking the pictures from the bridge for the long shots behind the cars and from in front of the cars for the short shots. One car is the M32,I can’t see the number on the other car.I don’t have the time to do anymore,busy weekend again.
Eastern end of what is today Eisenhower Park. Picture is looking west, from Stewart Ave Bridge. LIMP was dug under Stewart Ave. The bottom of the picture would be today’s Carmen Ave.
-joe
-Identify the location of the photo
Hempstead Plains on the edge of present day Eisenhower Park at Salisbury Park Drive and Stewart Ave.
-Identify the Motor Parkway bridge in the background
Newbridge Ave parkway bridge.
-Where was the photographer standing when he took the photo?
On top of the Stewart Ave. highway bridge looking West.
-Identify the race(s) and date of the photo
Motor Parkway & Meadow Brook Sweepstakes September 10, 1908
-Identify the two racers
M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow
P43 Simplex driven by Frank Lescault
Photo taken from atop the Stewart Ave. (east Meadow) bridge looking west with the Newbridge Ave. bridge in the distance. The 1908 Meadowbrook Swepstakes, with Car #M32 leading in the picture. October 10, 1908.
We’re looking west in East Meadow with the “Meadowbrook” bridge over Bellmore Road (Newbridge Ave.) in the background and the southern edge of the Ladenburg Estate in the upper right corner. The photographer was probably standing on the Stewart Avenue bridge on October 10, 1908 during the concurrent running of several races to celebrate the opening of the LIMP. The car closest to the camera is the M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow in the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes. The car behind him is difficult to see, but I’m guessing it’s Frank Lescault driving the P43 Simplex in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes.
The cars I believe are in the October 8, 1908 LIMP sweepstakes. The car in the background is the number P43 Simplex (USA) in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes driven by Frank Lescault…..the car in the foreground is the numbed M32 Rainier in the Meadow Brooks Sweepstakes driven by Louis Disbrow who finished 2nd.
As far as where? I need to do a bit more searching but am out of town so don’t have my normal time, but wanted to get this in.
Location: Today’s Salisbury Park Dr. and Stewart Ave facing West, Eisenhower Park
Background Bridge: Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge (gone)
Photographed from: Stewart Ave Highway Bridge (also gone)
Race: Oct 10, 1908 Motor Pkwy Sweepstakes
Racers: M32 Rainier of Meadowbrook division, L.A. Disbrow driver
P43 Simplex of Motor Parkway division, F. Lescault driver
DISQUALIFIED! I already knew the answer to my own mystery
I had the feeling that this photo had been a mystery picture before, but I could be wrong. Anyway, it seemed to be not too difficult this time. This photo was shot during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes. The car in front with #M32 is Louis Disbrow on a Rainier (competing in the Meadowbrook Sweepstakes and finishing on 2nd place). He is chased by the car with P43, which is Frank Lascault on the faster Simplex (competing in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes, finishing on 4th place). The bridge in the background is Meadowbrook Bridge, I believe the photo was taken from Stewart Avenue Bridge.
Thanks Howard. Don’t know when I’m going to see you guys again.Really miss the roar of the Black Beast,nothing like that here,nowhere near it,wish you could come here and put some life in this place,something out of the ordinary.I’ve been talking to people about you and telling them to go on the website,maybe that way you’ll get an invite,if I told the right person to make it happen.Hope something becomes of it