Vanderbilt Cup Races

Richard, thanks but I respectfully submit that the building at the far east end of the Conklin lot far predated Republic (perhaps even predating Seversky).  When I first saw it, ca. 1960, it already was very old, appearing to be from WWI.  I may well be manufacturing memories here but the longer I think about it, the more I think it had the name “Liberty” on it or on the stack.  The extant foundation and ruined building on the lot are west of that, in the E/W center of the lot.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Regarding Bill’s question about the removal of the Hazelhurst barracks, I don’t know for sure but it might be possible that the Army already had plans for extensive military housing at Mitchell Field.

From The Salvation Army Hotel Being Moved Down Clinton Road in Garden City in 1928

Sam, the factory you refer to is the old Fairchild Republic plant. Yes, there is still one building remaining. I was there a few weeks ago. It was badly damaged in a fire a few years ago.

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Yes Steve, especially 1953, 54 and 55 Caddy’s!!

From Exclusive: The 1954 Opening of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.'s "Carnival of Cars" in Times Square

P. S. - It occurred to me to look at Street View for the Conklin site, opposite Stew Leonard’s, <http://sbiii.com/histpix/l1bertyx.jpg> and that’s NOT the plant I remember at all, far too big, nor is this 1941 view of Liberty <http://sbiii.com/histpix/librty41.jpg>.  The place was definitely at Conklin and New Highway, diagonally across the tracks from the Pinelawn L. I. Nat’l Cem., probably in the empty lot there now, and the building was a big simple rectangle parallel to the tracks and Conklin with dark (rusty?) sides and a peaked roof.  C’mon, someone!  This REALLY has me going, now!  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Liberty Industrial Finishing
https://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/CaseDetails?ID=141

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Hi Sam, the factory by Conklin may still have existed in 1994. Sending Howard an aerial with buildings intact. Don’t know what was there.
Also, there is today a Liberty Industrial Finishing plant on Motor Ave.

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

O.K., folks; I KNEW I’d be embarrassed but, if Liberty was on Motor Avenue, then what was the factory I describe on Conklin?  It was there well into ca. 1960-70 and I always “:knew” it as Liberty.  With all the aero and historical power amassed for this thread, SOMEONE must know!  Looks like the ruins are still there; satellite view at <http://sbiii.com/histpix/libertyx.jpg>.  New thread?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Was the date of this image considered part of the mystery? Or is the image captioned with a date?

January 1918 according to Richard

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Fantastic responses here on the Motor Parkway! Amazing to find many still attached to this roadway. Please share your visions on this historic highway!

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Does anyone know what happened to the painting done for Esquire and was more than one done?

From A Salute to the Mets & Mystery Foto #44 Solved: A Gift to George Robertson From Peter Helck

My guess is Republic Aviation, route 110, from a small plane?  Best I can do.  Happy holidays Howard!

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Nice remembrance Howard.

From Kroplick Diaries: A Tribute to President George H.W. Bush

*Location/Orientation:  East Garden City viewing basically south.

*Historic Sites/Structures:  Curtiss Engineering Corp, Camp Mills, Garden City Toll Lodge, and Curtiss Field.

*Existing Structures of Significance:  Curtiss Corp structures, Garden City Toll Lodge.

*LIMP structures:  Garden City Toll Lodge ( no porte cochere ). Motor Parkway Office ( General Manager’s Office is yet to be ).

*Road w/array of trees:  Stewart Ave.

*Month & Year of image/ Reasoning:  Pre - 1929. Camp Mills 1917 thru 1921+, Curtiss Corp. est 1918, Field named Curtiss 1920 thru 1929. There’s a single building to the east of the cluster of buildings within Curtiss Field. This single building isn’t apparent in the 1925 and 1929 images of this location. Still have to guess:  Winter of 1924 is my answer

*Location Of Photographer: Atop Water Tower within Curtiss Field.

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

The old WWI hospital, near Camp Mills in Garden City, south of Old Country Rd.  Perhaps the picture was taken from a water tower?
-joe o

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

How much of this bridge is possibly still buried under the ground?

From Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: The Old Country Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Another great piece of history/memorabilia, Howard. 

Thanks for sharing.

From Updated: The 1940 Membership of the Long Island Aviation Club

Looking south across Curtiss Field .
The Garden City Lodge visible in center.
Treed roadway is Stewart Avenue
Smokestack and adjacent buildings were the Curtiss Aircraft complex (buildings still exist)
Looks to be snow on rooftops; estimated date February 1931.
Photo may have been taken from observation tower south of Old Country Road.

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

They look like WW1 Army Barrack’s

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918

Curtiss Airfield (Roosevelt Airfield) looking south, East Garden City. This photo is about midway between Vanderbilt Court and Old Country Road. Clinton Rd just off to the right of photo. Clinton Road Motor Parkway bridge also just to the right. Motor Parkway roadway is beginning its ascent towards the bridge at ¾ top right. Historic sites/structures could be 1: Garden City Motor Parkway Lodge (Moved to 7th St, Garden City, now GC Chamber of Commerce building/museum), 2: Motor Parkway Supt’s house on Vanderbilt Court (Still there!), 3: Curtiss Engineering Corp/Smokestack (Both structures still there), 4:  Future Roosevelt Airfield (still there today as Roosevelt Field, New York State’s largest shopping mall with 2,400,000 sq.ft. of retail floor area), also home of Hangar 16, Colonel Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” airplane storage for his historic 1927 transatlantic solo flight. Hangar 16 in the photo would be located behind about 1900ft. (0.36 mi.), on the corner of Clinton Rd and Old Country Rd. I believe all the Curtiss Airfield buildings shown have been replaced.

Tree-lined Stewart Avenue in the distance (Still there!).

Photo date is approx Nov-Mar, about 1927, during this configuration of buildings at Curtiss.

Photographer could be on top of an observation tower. Attaching a 1927 Curtiss map with possible tower. 

From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:Hazelhurst Field, Garden City Lodge,Curtiss Engineering & Camp Mills in 1918