Then & Now: The Jericho Turnpike Motor Parkway Bridge and the Mineola Lodge
Sara Danz comments: "I remember seeing a photo of the excavation of the LIMP UNDER Jericho Turnpike just south of this. Has anyone ever seen this photo? I haven't been able to find it again."
Sara, during 1909 the Motor Parkway was extended from Merrick Avenue in Westbury to Jericho Turnpike in Mineola. A banner on the Press Box/Officials' Stand for the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race proudly announced "Extension of the Parkway to Jericho Turnpike. Open For Traffic After the Race."
As seen in this 1910 photo view of the Jericho Turnpike Motor Parkway Bridge looking north, the parkway indeed went under the bridge. The small kiosk on the left was the "Jericho Turnpike Lodge" from 1910 to 1921. Although it was called a "lodge", the kiosk was used only to collect tickets and did not have living quarters. The photo is courtesy of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum.
Opened in May 1910, the Jericho Turnpike Lodge was the first of several attractive toll kiosks quarters that would be built on the Motor Parkway.
This is the same view of the Jericho Turnpike Motor Parkway Bridge as it looked in 1960, long after the parkway closed in 1938.
And here is the area as it looked this afternoon. Note the building on the left and the tower on the right were also present in the 1960 photo. Jericho Turnpike was widened in the 1960s and the bridge was taken down. At that time, the parkway right-of-way was filled in and the site regraded to conform with the surrounding area.
In 1921, the Motor Parkway built a new lodge with living quarters and was named the Mineola Lodge. As seen here in 1929, the lodge was moved to this location to accommodate an initial widening of Jericho Turnpike and the new porte-cochere.
And here is the same view as seen today. The Mineola Lodge is still standing as part of a private home.
A close-up of the Mineola Lodge as seen in 1945 after it had been converted into a private home owned by its last toll-takers, Barbara and James Scheuer.
The porte-cochere was taken down in 1951 but the basic "V" frame of the lodge can still be seen today. The same building plan was used for the Ronkonkoma Lodge built in 1923.
Links to relevant posts on the Motor Parkway:
Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges
Long Island Motor Parkway Toll Lodges
Comments
From John J:
Howard, love your site. I grew up in Mineola a little to the west of that house on Rudolf Road in Mineola. When we were kids we spent ton of ime in the late 50s and early 60s playing under the LILCO wires which i believe was also part of the Parkway. When you cross Jericho Tpke and head south the right of way straddles Mineola and Carle Place and takes you to Westbury Avenue and eventually to Old Country Road.
Once again great site and I have your book
Hi John:
Thanks for the comment and feedback.
You are correct that was the Motor Parkway!
Enjoy,
Howard
Thanks Howard! The photos are wonderful. We are going LIMP exploring with maps and photos in hand. Just bought your LIMP book!
Sara