Vanderbilt Cup Races

Oct 19 2011

Then & Now: The Jerusalem Road (Stewart Avenue) Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

Seven Motor Parkway bridges were built in 1908 for the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes and the Vanderbilt Cup Race; including the bridge over Jerusalem Road (now called Stewart Avenue). As seen in this Then & Now, the bridge has been well documented over the last 103 years:

Then: 1908

The 1908 course was made up of 9 miles of the Motor Parkway and 14.46 miles of public roads. The Jerusalem Road Bridge was located in Central Park (now Bethpage) and less than a quarter of a mile from Deadman's Curve.

The bridge under construction on August 20, 1908 looking south. Note the pedestrian tunnel on the right.

The bridge as seen on September 3, 1908. A railroad crossing sign for the Central Railroad can be seen on the right.

Another view of the bridge under construction.

The Knox #P45 Racer leaving the Jerusalem Road Motor Parkway Bridge during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes. Driven by Charles Basle, the Knox finished sixth of the 7 entrants, completing only 6 of the 11 laps.

Then: 1948

The bridge, looking south, was still standing ten years after the Motor Parkway closed. Photo provided by Bob and Colleen Albertson, courtesy of the Central Park Historical Society.

Then: 1955 Aerial

The bridge was taken down in the early 1950s.

Now: 2011

This view looking south matches the 1948 photo. The east embankment of the bridge is still standing

Two views of the embankment.

Pavement still exists on top of the east embankment. The house across Stewart Avenue was the location of the west embankment. On June 6, 1908, this site was the gathering point for the ground-breaking ceremony for the Motor Parkway.