Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935
Did you solve this weekend's Mystery aerial?
Answers to the Mystery Foto questions:
Identify:
- The location and orientation of the photographer
Looking north over Farmingdale looking towards Bethpage.
- The parkway under construction, major roads, railroads and golf course
Bethpage State Parkway is being built on the lower left. Merritts Road can be seen in the center. Other roads are describe in the below Comments.
The golf course is the famous Bethpage State Park courses.
The railroads are the Main Line and the Central Branch of the LIRR. The spur that went up to Alexander Stewart’s brickyard is still there, curving to the northeast.
- Relate the aerial to the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway
The still active Motor Parkway in Bethpage (in the 1930s) can be seen in the second close-up including the Nibble Farmway Bridge and Powell Avenue Bridge. This section of the Motor Parkway was part of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race course.
- The approximate year of the Mystery Foto
1934-1935 based on the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway.
Comments (7)
Congrats to Al Prete, Greg O. David Miller, Brian McCarthy, Frank Femenias, Steve Lucas and Ernie for correctly identifying the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway.
Kudos to Brian McCarthy for his captioned jpeg.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Close-Ups
The still active Motor Parkway in Bethpage can be seen in this close-up including the Nibble Farmway Bridge and Powell Avenue Bridge.
Comments
The railroad lines gave this one away. The location is Farmingdale, south of Bethpage State Park. The photographer is looking north. The parkway under construction (lower left corner) is the Bethpage State Parkway. In the picture can be seen Merritts Road (lower center), Fulton Street, Conklin Street, Fallwood Parkway, and Motor Avenue. Railroads are the Main Line and the Central Branch of the LIRR. The spur that went up to Alexander Stewart’s brickyard is still there, curving to the northeast. Thomas Powell Blvd. occupies the space of the old spur.
Photo must have been taken between 1934 and 1936, when the Bethpage State Parkway was being built. The golf course must be the present-day Green Course, the original course in the park.
The Motor Parkway went around the western/northern end of the park. I can’t see it in the Foto. Motor Avenue in Farmingdale is not near the route of the parkway. I suspect some connection on account of the name, but I don’t know what the connection is.
Looking North at Bethpage and the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway with the Bethpage State Park golf course in the background. Conklin Street can be seen along with what was the Central RR at that time.
The Motor Pkwy and Vanderbilt Cup races ran through Bethpage.
The Bethpage State Parkway is still under construction so year would be 1935.
The photographer is facing north and is hovering over the east end Boundary ave. The parkway under construction is the Bethpage parkway. From the bottom to middle center of the photo is Merrits rd. The overpass being built on the left side of the photo is for carrying Hemptead tpke over the Bethpage pkwy. In the center of the photo you can see the divergence of LIRR lines between the Bethpage and Farmingdale stations. They split here where one veers southeast to connect to the Babylon line, and the one going east is the Ronkonkoma line. The top center of the photo is the Bethpage state park with its numerous golf courses. Top left of the photo is part of the Motor Parkway that includes “deadman’s curve” where the Motor Parkway veers to the north. The photo was taken sometime during the Bethpage parkway’s construction between 1934 and 1936.
My attempt to answer this mystery with the foto.
This looks like Bethpage State Pkwy being constructed at the lower left (one of Robert Moses’ last accomplishments). The road in the middle heading straight up north is Merrits Rd in South Farmindale. Hemp Tpke/Conklin St is diagonal at upper portion of the photo. Motor Pkwy, including Dead-Man’s-Curve is at upper left and out of view, likely in the dark-tree area. The 1908-1910 VCR races ran through here at the Dead-Man’s-Curve in Bethpage. CRR also not visible in this photo
We’re looking north over Farmingdale / Bethpage. That’s the Bethpage State Parkway under construction. Among the roads are: Hempstead Turnpike / Conklin Street; Fulton Street (109); Merritt Road; Central Avenue; Round Swamp Road. Three branches of the LIRR can be seen: Main Line; Central; Bethpage cut-off to the brickyard. The golf course is the Lennox Hills Country Club which, along with other surrounding properties, evolved into the three courses at Bethpage State Park. The LIMP went through this area and was part of the course for the 1908 V. C. Race. The date should be around 1935.
The location and orientation of the photographer
- Looking north over Bethpage State Parkway and Merritts Road
The parkway under construction, major roads, railroads and golf course
- Again, Bethpage State Parkway and Merritts Road. Hempstead Turnpike
running L-R forking into Conklin and Fulton roads.
The LIRR Bethpage Crossing is visible along with the spur to the Bethpage
brick yards.
The golf courses of Bethpage State Park can be seen.
Relate the aerial to the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway
- Dead Man’s curve is just out of view to the left (west). The LIMP is snaking
just north of the gold courses.
The approximate year of the Mystery Foto
- The Bethpage Parkway was constructed between 1934-36
(http://www.nycroads.com/roads/bethpage/). I’d put this image towards 35
as the overpass at Hempstead Tpke is completed, but not the terminus at the
State park.
“Congrats to Al Prete, Greg O. David Miller, Brian McCarthy, Frank Femenias and Steve Lucas for correctly identifying the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway.”
Huh???
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Howard Kroplick: Oops, sorry Ernie..I missed your correct answer. Corrected congrats above.