Mystery Friday Foto #36 Solved: The 1905 Mercedes ‘X’ Racer Arrives on Long Island
Did you identify the Mercedes 'X' Vanderbilt racer arriving on Long Island?
Identify;
- The Vanderbilt racer and driver. Hint; The race team did not like the racecar number assigned to them.
The #X Mercedes (Germany) driven by Albert Campbell, 120 HP. Finished 18th.The Mercedes team used the "X" instead of the unlucky 13 which he had drawn as the number and starting position for the car.
- The Vanderbilt Cup Race and date
The 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Saturday, October 14, 1905
- The exact location of the photo
In front of The 1905 Mercedes team's headquarters in Roslyn.
- The location of the race team's headquarters
The Mansion House was built around 1860 on the southeast corner of Remsen Avenue (then Mansion House Road) at 1432 Old Northern Boulevard, Roslyn.
Comments (2)
Congrats to Steve Lucas and Bob Barauskas for identifying the Mercedes.
Greg O.
Campbell and his mechanician as seen on Old Northern Boulevard .
The Mansion House can be seen on the right. John F. Remsen's Harness Shop & Saddlery (later Fern's Harness Shop and Poco Loco restaurant) can be seen in the background.
1432 Old Northern Boulevard, Roslyn- THEN
1432 Old Northern Boulevard, Roslyn- NOW
In the 1920s, the Mansion House was demolished and replaced by the headquarters for the Roslyn National Bank and Trust Company.
Comments
That’s the 120 HP Mercedes racer driven by Albert Campbell. It had been originally assigned number 13 for the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 14, 1905 but actually raced as “X” since the team considered #13 to be unlucky. The photo location is in front of the Mansion House hotel at 1432 Old Northern Blvd. on the corner of Remsen Avenue in Roslyn. That hotel was the headquarters for the Mercedes “X” team.
The racer was a Mercedes.
The driver was Al Campbell. They did not like the number 13 that was drawn, and painted an “X” on the
Radiator in place of the number.
The race was held on October 14, 1905
The location of the photo was the Mansion House. On the corner of Old Northern Blvd, and Remsen Ave,
Roslyn, 4 miles north of the Cup Race Starting point in Mineola.
The Mercedes headquarters was at the Mansion House as well. 4 miles north of the start/finish line
In Mineola.8