A “New” Motor Parkway Map & Suffolk County Historical Sites
Steven W. comments: "Do you have a road map of the full route of the Motor Parkway with surrounding residential streets? This would be highly appreciated, as I would love to see it and bike through the trails of the demolished part in Nassau County".
Steven, I have created a 15-page pdf that shows the entire 44-mile right-of way from Horace Harding Boulevard in Fresh Meadows to Lake Ronkonkoma. The Motor Parkway is marked in blue. As a follow-up to recent posts on the Motor Parkway historical sites in Queens and Nassau County, below are some Suffolk County sites that you can find using the map:
Melville
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Just 500 feet east of the Clody Farmway Parkway Bridge in Old Bethpage is the Nassau/Suffolk County line. The path of the Motor Parkway stops abruptly at a fence and a moon surface appears. The view is actually the Melville sandpits built over the first 1/2 mile of the right-of-way in Suffolk County.
East of Route 110, the Motor Parkway "resurfaces". The LIPA utility lines once again track the right-of-way.
As seen in this photo from Art's Motor Parkway Site, the abutments from this 1910 Motor Parkway farmway bridge are still standing east of Maxess Road. The abutments were proudly restored by Oxford Management in 2004.
Dix Hills
Of the original 17 miles of the Motor Parkway in Suffolk County, the easterly 13 miles were incorporated into the road system. This Motor Parkway is now officially County Road 67, but the road name changes as it passes through the various villages including; Vanderbilt Parkway, Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and Motor Parkway. In front of the Half Hollows Hills Community, a plaque commemorates the Motor Parkway. The plaque meant to honor William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. and A.R. Pardington, the General Manager of the Motor Parkway.
Most of the Motor Parkway concrete posts in Suffolk County were destroyed as the road was widened. Check out this sole survivor near Deer Park Avenue.
Lake Ronkonkoma
The Ronkonkoma Lodge is still standing as a a private home on the Motor Parkway near Woodlawn Avenue. The distinctive frame of the original lodge is easily recognizable. The building design was the same prefab that was used for the Mineola Lodge.
At the eastern end of the Motor Parkway is the site of the Petit Trianon Inn . A fence surrounds the buried remains.
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com:
Motor Parkway Historical Sites in Queens
Motor Parkway Historical Sites in Nassau County
Index: Long Island Motor Parkway
Comments
From Randy H:
Hi Howard,
I was at the Vanderbilt Mansion last weekend, for the annual Jaguar Concours held there, and once again found the whole mansion display of the Cup Races and Motor Parkway fascinating. I have long been intrigued by the whole ‘birth of racing’ here on Long Island, being a resident and passionate sports car owner and aficionado.
So earlier this week I did the requisite Wikipedia and Google searches to learn more about all this history, and come across your wonderful site! I’m still exploring all the nooks and crannies but found the recent blogging on the 15 page map and all the photos of the remaining sections of the Parkway most interesting.
I have lived in Dix Hills (right off of Vanderbilt Parkway) for 10 years now, and always knew I was driving on a piece of history everyday as I went to work or passed the library and noticed the historic site sign.
To my immense surprise, I came across the photo you have of the single concrete marker still standing (the one with the United Methodist Church sign in it). Lo and behold, that marker is practically right across the street from my house!
Alas, I must inform you that the marker is no longer standing straight as in the picture. It’s now tipped over on its side, perhaps a casualty of last year’s rough winter plowing. This morning I tried moving it a bit and found it appears still grounded somehow at the bottom, perhaps with a steel post of sorts (didn’t want to pry too much underneath it).
So I did not want to mess with it anymore until I contacted you, but I would be more than happy to assist in reanchoring it or preserving it in some other manner if that’s possible and appropriate.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.