The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #17 The Brentwood Lodge at Commack Spur Road
Going west to east, the 17th Motor Parkway toll collection structure was the Brentwood Lodge at Commack Spur Road (today Harned Road) located in Commack.
The "lodge" was actually a toll gate similar to the Rocky Hill Lodge off Springfield Boulevard in Queens.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
1928 Motor Parkway Atlas
The final road construction on the Motor Parkway was the completion of the 1.55-mile Commack Spur" connecting Jericho Turnpike to the Parkway in September 1928. The Commack Spur Road was hand-written on my copy of the Motor Parkway Atlas.
1928 Aerial
Located just 1/5 mile east of Commack Road (see far right), it was hoped that the spur would further increase traffic on the Parkway.
In conjunction with the opening of the new Motor Parkway entrance, the location of "Brentwood Lodge" on Commack Road (1923-1928) was moved to the Commack Spur and a new toll collection structure was built. As seen in this close-up of the aerial, the lodge was built at a 45-degree angle allowing tolls to be collected from both the Commack Spur and the Motor Parkway.
Although there is no known ground-level view of this lodge, it was similar to the Rocky Hill Lodge in Queens. As reported in my favorite co-author Al Velocci's book The Toll Lodges of the Long Island Motor Parkway, and Their Gatekeepers' Lives describes the new "lodge":
"The Parkway constructed a building better suited for the new scenario. In the spring of 1928, local builder A.J. DeVeau was hired to build the new "lodge" at the Parkway spur road junction. He received $2,283 to construct a building "similar to the one at Rocky Hill Road" - in other words, a toll booth...no lodge keeper lived there."
1964 Image
Yhe toll structure closed in January 1934 and remained vacant until the Motor Parkway closed in 1938. The structure was later purchased by local resident Joseph Carll. He moved it to the adjacent parcel of land where he removed his primary interest- the 8 foot by 12 foot ticket booth. As seen in 1964, he left the remains in a field just east of Commack Road and north of the Motor Parkway. For years, I thought the animal in this photo was a goose not a dog!
The roof of this structure did match the one atop the Rocky Hill Lodge. Across the middle of the roof , the word "STOP" still could be seen.
1972 Image
This is last known image of the Brentwood Lodge located at taken in 1972 by Lester Cutting. Soon after the photo was shot, the remnants were taken away to make way for a shopping center. Its final fate remains unknown. (Courtesy of Margaret and George Vitale.)
Current Views
Location of the Brentwood Lodges courtesy of Frank Femenias.
The wide turning lane from the spur (Harned Road) to the Motor Parkway (renamed Vanderbilt Parkway in this section) remains today!
Check out Wayne Consolla's online Motor Parkway map to find the Brentwood Lodge at the Commack Spur Road.
Comments
I’m sure you enjoy the map work, Frank. Thankyou for your conciseness overall.
An I recall aright, Bob Miller had a photo of the remains of the tollgate roof settling deeply into the weeds which he showed at a very early show, possibly the very one I attended at his invitation that started me on this course. In case he doesn’t follow this blog, I’ll ask him. It seems to me it was more front-on, taken more to the left than Les’s shot, and looking more downward. Sam, III
Hi, I was just curious what was the exact location of the toll booth Commack Road in Vanderbilt Parkway was it the old Bonwit inn? Ty
Hi Dominic - As far as we know, the final location of the kiosk building was located at today’s Bonwitt Inn ( now under new ownership with a different name ) You’ll see the screenshot of a blog here below. You’ll find this blog and other info of the 4 locations of Brentwood Lodge during the parkways history, by using the Search that I pointed on the screenshot. Interesting stuff : )