Sammy & Dave’s “Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day”- #13 Melville
In the final of the 13 posts of the 2019 series and in preparation for Vanderbilt Day 2020, the father and son team of Sammy and Dave Russo explore the section of the Motor Parkway in Melville.
Any suggestions where Sammy and Dave should explore?
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
2019 Vanderbilt Day
March 30, 2019
Dave Russo :
So we did it yesterday. After a one year hiatus, Sam and I resumed our annual Vanderbilt Day tradition.
What better starting point than the Deepdale Mansion in Lake Success, William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.'s residence in the early 1900s. The home is still standing, just steps off of the Motor Parkway. I'm sure not by coincidence.
Moving west to east as always, we traveled 18 miles by bike from Lake Success to the Maxess Road Bridge in Melville We had a great time!
Behind 555 RTE 110 is another great stretch not many people know about and it's easily accessible. Lots of pavement, fragments, posts, etc.
Fragment pile
Various posts to find
LIMP is intact
Another post
We have reached the finish line - and the historical marker (only visible when driving south) remains.
The graffiti artists hit this place every time.
Northern abutment
Sam found a nice seat to wait for grandpa to pick us up.
Just in case you want to continue east, the LIMP awaits.
I decided to join him - grandpa took the pic.
Nothing better then Friendly's after Vanderbilt Day with your son!
Comments
Hi all
I know about that section behind 555 RTE 110, I worked at the USPS and checked it out a few times, that must’ve been about 10 years ago, maybe more, it was amazing how it looked then. Good work, keeping tabs on what’s going on.
Howard, how did you like the the car pics that was sent to you?
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Howard Kroplick
Ted, super! Thanks!
Have you two snooped around the Union Turnpike underpass entrances? One is on the grounds of the newer Creedmore Hospital on the north side and the other is on the Southside of Union on the old grounds complex. Interesting spots just a few hundred yards east of the part of the roadway that ends at the eastern tip of Alley Pond Park. My son Gram and I loved that little bit of Motor Parkway history.
Hey James, yes absolutely! That is a very cool spot indeed. The pics were in previous Vanderbilt Day posts on the site but since you asked….here are some pics of the north side:
And here are some pics of the south side:
If you look at the last pic you can see there are steps leading down to the tunnel on this side as well.
We are approaching Vanderbilt Day V—end of March / beginning of April is best time to go as now the days are longer and the vegetation is still on the lower side.
I ask everyone: do you have any ideas for exploration locations? The recent pics of the Lakeville Road bridge from Art’s post are very interesting. Not many people chimed in about that, but is seems as though the existing “road” which I certainly thought was original LIMP in fact is not! So we’ll be exploring that zone for clues.
Obviously we intend to thoroughly go through the LIMP looking for any hidden treasures but if anyone has any ideas for locations to explore, please share!
We intend to start in the zone of LIJ Hospital in Lake Success and then proceed west to Maxess Road bridge ending location.
Please share your thoughts!
Wonderful pictures, fellas. These views remind us of the fact that history is fleeting and time waits for no one. In a sense these views are reminiscent of exploring the remnants of the ancient remains of the roads of the Roman Empire across Europe. As with all civilizations, none last forever. Thank you so much for sharing your interest in history with us viewers. Sic transit gloria mundi , an old man in Missouri.
I would love to see a book that has photos of the entire length of the Motor Parkway in the past and whats left of it in today’s world..
Dave, Check the eastern end of the ROW Great Neck School, beyond the paved area. Twelve years ago there were some original cedar posts still in place on the north side. Al
Will do Al—-last year we found a lot of posts (not cedar—just regular ones) on the SOUTH side—-see pics. I don’t recall anything on the south side but we will definitely investigate.
I like the pic of Sam enjoying his ice cream after fun exploring!