VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: A Long Island Motor Parkway Garage Discovered!
On May 27, 2015, I accompanied Arthur Mauriello, grandson of Thomas Zinzi and Josephine Zinzi, to the site of the Massapequa Lodge, formerly in Plainedge now located in Bethpage. Our adventure and Motor Parkway discoveries are documented in this post.
Thomas Zinzi was the first police officer for the Long Island Motor Parkway and was married to Josephine Zinzi, the Massapequa Lodge gatekeeper. The Zinzis lived in the Massapequa Lodge from 1926 until 1967. Arthur Mauriello lived as an infant with his grandparents.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
The area around the Massapequa Lodge, off Hicksville Road, was seen in this 1950 aerial.
This apartment building was the approximate location of the Massapequa Lodge.
Note the garage in the background. It is now used as a maintenance shed for the apartment complex.
Arthur informed me that this was the original garage for Massapequa Lodge. Both Al Velocci and I never knew that this Motor Parkway garage was still standing.
The garage was used to store his grandfather's motorcycle.
With the superintendant's permission, Arthur and I ventured inside the garage and saw the unrestored section. Unfortunately, there were no Motor Parkway license plates on the shelves.
Arthur and I took a stroll on Motor Parkway right-of-way heading west. This section is now the entrance to the 8th Precinct Police Department. The garage can be seen on the right.
Arthur noticed two elm trees that had been planted in front of the Lodge.
Arthur also found the remains of a Motor Parkway concrete post.
Crossing Hicksville Road, we found three more concrete posts along a fence line.
A current Google Eath view of the area.
Thanks Arthur for a great day of adventure and discovery!
Comments
Wow. This is cool. Strange how it all goes down. Lodge gets torn down but somehow the garage remains. I knew of the remaining posts there. Love how they survive!
Go back! Go back! Beams in the attics of at least two original LIMP buildings [Mineola and Roslyn(?)] were/are branded “LIMP” or “Long Island Motor Parkway”. Check it out. Sam, III
LOVE this discovery! Can’t wait to check it out.
I enjoyed the presentation. It brings back memories of when I was a teenager in the early fifties and walked east from Hicksville Road on the remains of Motor Parkway. For some reason it never occurred to me to walk west. Keep up the good work.
Hi Howard:
This last post is the gem of the year for me as it brought back so many memories and I thank you so much !!!!!
Blessings and Cheers !!!!! Ron
Howard, I think I told you a few years ago I have taken pictures of the Massapequa lodge Garage before they put the siding on it,I took the pictures over 20 years ago. They say the grounds crew ‘landscapers” for the parkway keep their equipment in. It looked better Years ago with Shaker Shingles on it. Keep up the good work guys. Joseph DeBono
Fantastic, another great find! Nearly impossible without Arthur’s inside information. Thank you Arthur and Howard for the pictures and keeping this wonderful history alive.
Now knowing the Zinzi’s lived in the lodge from 1926, I believe the garage was built on or after this date. I was unable to locate the garage in any of the early Vanderbilt Cup Race photos.
Great job, fellas. Posts keep popping up! Went to the site today and found them, plus one more with just the metal rods remaining! I wanted to get closer to the 3 posts along the fence across Hicksville Road but two (maybe one) sounding dog(s) on the other side of the fence made me keep my distance. Actually they spotted me when I parked my car on their street which got me a little concerned!
Hi everyone,I’m back,as I was making a move to Virginia and had no access to the Internet, it was in transit and was too busy making the move. Now I’m pretty settled in and found some time to to catch up on what’s going on. I’m going to miss you guys and all the things involving the preservation of LIMP,I was just getting into it too,all I can do now is read about it and not be part of it,just comment on it. That’s it for now,have to get to bed,tired from all the unpacking,we had 82 boxes to unpack,did about half in 5 days,what a job it is,never ending,but it will be well worth it when we are finished,we’ll be able to sit back and enjoy life.
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From Howard Kroplick
Ted, we will miss you at the events! Thanks for all your help!!!
Great discovery Howard! It also looks like there are more of those concrete posts out there yet to be discovered. Thanks for sharing the details of what was a very interesting find.
Hi Howard. I want to thank you for letting me help,it was my pleasure,I enjoyed it and it gave me something to do. I’m trying to keep up with what’s going on,I’m soo exhausted at the end of the day from unpacking the 82 boxes that have to be unpacked,we’re down to about 30 now,in 4 days,hope to finish by the end of the week. I’m nodding off now. Keep up the good job of preservation and keeping the Vanderbilt Cup Races alive. Goodnight.
I’ve explored this section many times and cycled through the PD lot. I’ve seen the concrete posts too, but never recognized that this garage was a LIMP original! Great find and story!
So I went to the garage today. Was curious as per Sam III comment. There are no inscriptions/imprints of “LIMP” or related on any beams/studs, etc. I was hopeful but no luck.
I was with the Nassau County Police for 32 years and drove through that alley and passed the garage many times and never knew I was basking in the radiance of history.
Your articles are always great.
Thanks Again Howard,
Andy of The Empire Galaxie Car Club