Thumbs Ups for the Floral Park Vanderbilt Cup Race Historical Marker Unveiling Ceremony
It was a wonderful day in Floral Park at the ceremony placing a Vanderbilt Cup Races historic marker at Jericho Turnpike and Emerson Avenue. Over 100 people attended the unveiling ceremony.
Congrats to the Floral Park Historical Society for a wonderful event!
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Floral Park Dispatch
Thursday, April 17, 2014 00:00
Floral Park Historical Society News
The Floral Park Historical Society will host the unveiling of a historic marker to commemorate the first and only Vanderbilt Cup Race that traversed the Floral Park community, on October 8, 1904. It was one of the six Vanderbilt Cup international auto races held on Long Island between 1904 and 1910 and the first in the United States.
The festivities will be on Saturday, April 26, from noon to 2:30 p.m.; the unveiling ceremony and a short program will be at 12:30 p.m. at the triangle mini-park at the intersection of Emerson Ave. and Jericho Tpke.
Emerson Ave., between Jericho Tpke. and Lowell Ave., will be closed at noon for the event.
The October 8,1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race was the first international auto race in the United States. It was the only one of the six races held on Long Island between 1904 and 1910 that was routed through Floral Park. The picture shows a race car on Jericho Tpke. taken from the Creedmoor Branch Railroad Bridge.
Howard Kroplick, Town of North Hempstead Historian and Vanderbilt Cup Race authority, is bringing his Vanderbilt Cup race car (1909) – an Alco known as the “Black Beast” that won two Vanderbilt Cup Races. It will be parked on Emerson Ave. near the triangle for everyone to see.
“The north end of the Incorporated Village of Floral Park was deemed an appropriate spot for the Vanderbilt Cup Race historic marker. It will stand in the triangle near a pedestrian bench where Emerson Ave. and Jericho Tpke. intersect, right at the turnpike route which the 1904 race followed. The triangle is a hospitable setting for the historic marker and it will be visible to passersby and vehicle traffic. The unveiling of the historic marker will enable the public to read and learn more about the rich history of the community’s past which is celebrated during May, ‘Floral Park History Month’,” said Ann Corbett, president of the Floral Park Historical Society.
Other historic markers in the village are located in front of the United Methodist Church, the first church in the village, and across from the Floral Park Library where the John Lewis Childs’ seed house stood.
The Floral Park Historical Society was chartered in 1999 and maintains a small museum and an archive in Floral Park Centennial Hall. The mission of the organization is to preserve the history of the Village of Floral Park. The historic marker is a way of educating the public about milestone events in Floral Park’s history.
This is a rain or shine event. If it rains the program will be at Reliance Firehouse on Holland Ave., north of Jericho Tpke. For information, contact Ann Corbett at 516-775-6849 or visit www.floralparkhistorical.org
The crowd enjoyed hearing the Black Beast roar.
The unveiling ceremony lead by Ann V. Corbett, President of the Floral Park Historical Society.
Thomas Tweedy, Mayor Village of Floral Park
Ann Corbett and William Corbet, Director of Floral Park Historical Society
Jack Martins, State Senator
Walter Gosden, Historian, Village of Floral Park
Walter and Mary Gosden
Art Kleiner and Steve Lucas
Lynn Henry
Comments
Howard
It was a wonderful event yesterday, to see a proper historical maker unveiled recognizing the Vanderbilt Cup Races. There were a few “car people” there that know about and appreciate the effect the races (as well as the motor pky) had on long island but the majority of the people there were area residents or people who stopped as they saw activity and were curious. You were very gracious to bring all the displays as well as your Alco for all to enjoy. It generated a interest in local and long island history. Thank you so much for taking the time to be there . It was great to see Roz there as well, and I always appreciate the effort of your assistant John too. Several members of the L.I. Motor Pky Society were in attendance as well and that was really appreciated. A truly great day made even better because of your support and participation.
Walt Gosden, Historian
Inc. Village of Floral Park
Not much more can be said about this memorable day and you were part of it, by letting it be known to the people just passing by