Jun 19 2013

Then & Now: Guinea Woods Road in Old Westbury


The roads on Long Island have certainly changed over the last 107 years. Here is a "Then & Now" of Guinea Woods Road in Old Westbury to prove it.

Enjoy,

Howard Kroplick


Then: 1906

Practing  for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, driver Walter Christie and his mechanician Lewis Strang are seen here on Old Guinea Road outside their Old Westbury headquarters. There is not a single other car on the road! Photo courtesy of Richard Gauchot.


The #17 Christie can be seen at the 0:26 second mark of this 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race film.


Now: 2012

Today, Guinea Woods Road is filled with cars and red light cameras to slow down potential racers.

Does anyone think the fence on the right is the same one seen in the 1906 photo?


Comments

Jun 20 2013 Ken Harris 9:13 AM

Not likely to be the same fence (the old one looks like post and rail construction with the rails going into slots cut into the posts) but could be in the same location as the original.  Thanks for another interesting presentation.

Ken

Jun 20 2013 Ted 1:38 PM

Not very likelly Howard. How could it last this long,unless it’s very strong wood,even that,it’s over 100 years,something would have to be done to it to preserve it,because I see that some parts are broken and missing in both pictures and it’s been repaired,doesn’t look like it was replaced. Need more research to find out. This could be a Friday Mystery,if no one comes up with an answer by the end of the day

Jun 20 2013 Greg 5:55 PM

Ted-
While I agree it’s not the same fence, it’s not impossible for fence railings to last that long. Take a ride over to the Old Courthouse Rd bridge and you’ll find small sections of some of the original wood railings on the ground that are almost that old.

Jun 21 2013 Ted 10:48 PM

Thanks for that info about the fence Greg,I’ll check it out

Jun 23 2013 Bobby 2:49 PM

Any thoughts regarding the origin of name of this stretch of Road…?  More people used to refer to it as Guinea Woods Road years ago…  Nowadays, folks just call that segment Glen Cove Road too…

Jun 23 2013 Howard Kroplick 11:41 PM

Hi Bobby:
Great question! That section of the road is still called Guinea Woods Road. This link to the Westbury Quaker website provides the likely origin of the name:
http://www.westburyquakers.org/qt/archive/files/CSIntro.htm

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