Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’ll guess this is in Garden City where residents along Pell Terrace and Russell Rd. could opt to extend their property into the Motor Parkway roadway.

Judging by the foliage, the trees growing through the parkway and the boy’s clothes, this looks to be 1958.

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City

Photo looks in the 1950’s.  I am going off the way the kids are dressed.  As for location…..  The Albertson/Williston Park border in the back yards of Schley Ave or William St…. or maybe from Hillside to Jericho in Mineola…. or perhaps Garden City.  All of these answers are based on way the road looks to be going through back yards.  In Manhasset Hills there are were not fences over the road.  I will be awaiting the answer.
-joe

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City

Sure I speak for all…..so looking forward to viewing these documents that Roy placed in the right hands, Howard. My next search on the Detroit site will zero in on “Road Construction”. There is so many images on that site, perhaps I’ll come across this area. Mr. Lazarnick was quite the photographer. Many thanks to his passion/dedication.

From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

Great observation Joe. I believe this long abandoned RR was a single track. Also, I recall reading somewhere a while ago that the LIMP was deliberately curved here to make use of an existing RR bridge, to save money instead of building a new one.

From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

Good eye Tom, orientation could be N NW (the leftmost gentleman’s right arm shadow on same arm, left arm shirt’s shadow on left arm, and head shadow on his left chest). Could this be the west embankment captured here?

From New Photo Discovery: The Eastern Embankment of the Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

The second photo looking north dates from the early to mid-1940’s judging from the car in the foreground.

From New Photo Discovery: The Eastern Embankment of the Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

The current Bell Blvd bridge of the current LIMP biking/jogging greenbelt trail was built after the parkway closed.  I believe reading somewhere it was built in 1940.  At this time the parkway was straightened out, so to speak.  Prior it took an “S” like turn, swinging south (as you drove east), then turning northeast so that it could cross over a steel railroad bridge at a 90 degree angle.  Then the LIMP turned southeast and then gently east.  This was so the LIMP would not cross over the railroad at any strange angle.  Rather it would cross straight.  This RR line was already not in use.  And connected with the main line in Floral Park.  This line has the bridge over Jericho Tpke in Floral Park just before it connected with the main line.  You have even posted pictures from and of this bridge from the 1904 race. 

My Point?  Was this a single track?  Was this why WKV wrote this letter? Is the RR crossing that this letter was written to address?

-Joe Oesterle

From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

What about the railroad bridge built over the abandoned track of the Central LIRR near Bell Blvd?  Could this have been a single track?
-joe

From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

Hoo, sibling; did I ever mess up (and Walt fell into my unwitting trap)!  Howard’s Chrysler is most definitely a full Classic; so sorry, Howard.  [Thanks, Walt, for identifying the William Dohm (not Doehm) car; I amended my web page accordingly.]  Sam, III

From Classic Car Club and Nassau County Historical Society Visit Waterfront at Roslyn

Whoops!  Completely forgot the skating rink and the old Island Inn - best known “in the day” for “hot and cold running maids” (there was a huge scandal of some sort there - errant housewives turning tricks, as I recall).  Yes, Steve, Murray the K did just that.  We all missed the segments of LIMP RoW through Salisbury (now Eisenhower) Park and along adjacent Salisbury Park Drive (partly restored).  I also forgot the 1960 race (mea culpa)  - I vas dere, Cholly, and snuck my XK-120M Jag onto the course and did a lap after the race had ended before being chased off.  What a great thread - thanks, Howard!  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

I’m not surprised at all that Art Kleiner would somehow find out the actual date, good going; Art.

Don’t know what to make of my finding in the NEWSDAY archives ( my 2nd comment ). If I was at the local library researching this, any past articles are freely available, unlike my home computer. Oh well, thought I was onto something.
_____________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick

The historic Newsday database are usually available online by going to your library’s Internet database.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

I agree with Sam’s comments, (the Franklin and Packard are the only classics). No that Franklin is not the one owned for decades by the vet under the bypass. His was a 1933 Olympic sedan, this is the one that used the same body/fenders/chassis as the Reo Flying Cloud. the last I knew the vet’s car was in Mass.

From Classic Car Club and Nassau County Historical Society Visit Waterfront at Roslyn

This is a nice aerial photo of the new Roosevelt Field Mall. The photo is taken facing east towards Garden City, Carle Place and Westbury.
You can observe the remains of the old Roosevelt auto raceway which held the 1936-37 Vanderbilt cup races.
The LI motor parkway remnant section can be observed just east of the current Merchants Concourse (present location of Covanta and Tracom)

The 3 hangers can be seen on the S/S of Old Country Rd just east of the Meadowbrook Parkway.  The amusement park is on the north central section of the mall next to the future Gimbels.  The apparently unfinished Island Inn with the famous John Peel Room can also be seen just south of Old Country Rd By Zeckendorf Blvd. 
The newly completed stands for the Roosevelt Raceway harness track can also be observed.
I would date the photo was taken in 1957.  The Macy’s department store opened in august of 1956 and the raceway stands were completed in 1957.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

Don’t count me out yet, Howard. I may have the answer to the Bonus Question!

Did a FREE SEARCH ( Abstract ) on the NEWSDAY website. I first searched “Kroplick” between 1960 to 1970. Only 1 Article came up…...Family Doctors Defended: They Do Their Duty Pg. 18 July 29 1961. I then searched “Richard M Nixon” along with the July date, and the same article came up. So my answer to the Bonus Question is 7/29/1961. Knowing this, I’ll need to change my previous guess concerning the Aerials Date/Rationale. My guess now is 1958. I read that the Island Inn officially opened for business in 1960. The Inn is clearly seen in the aerial, but still in the building stages I guess. And what’s to become Gimbels looks to be in the early phases of construction. 1958 seems like a safe guess for the Aerial. I feel “complete” now, even if my answers to this Mystery Foto aren’t 100%.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

Roosevelt Field looking east
Top right is Roosevelt Raceway, site of 1936 Vanderbilt Cup race
Old Country Rd. On left vertical with 3 old Roosevelt hangars
St. Brigid RC church steeple at top left
Salisbury Links across top
Meadowbrook Parkway snaking through in center
Year: 1960
The Island Inn on Old Country Road

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

The only comment I can make is that the first photo looks like the Roosevelt Field shopping center in its early stages,  This is before it was enclosed.
Rog

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

Identify the location and orientation of the aerial.
-Roosevelt Field Mall looking East.

Link the aerial to the Vanderbilt Cup Races.
Roosevelt raceway in the background, location for the 1936/37 Vanderbilt Cup Races

Link the aerial to the Long Island Motor Parkway.
Identify a remaining section of the Motor Parkway.
The LIMP ran along the right edge of the photo where Ring Rd is.

How many airplane hangars are in the aerial?
4

Where is there an amusement park in the aerial?
Possibly at the mall?

What was the date of the aerial? Provide a rationale.
Judging by the recently-built Roosevelt Raceway grandstand, I’ll guess 1958

A few years after this aerial was taken, identify the famous motel in the photo where Howard Kroplick shook the hand of Richard Nixon.  Impossible bonus question: What date did this occur? The answer is available online!
Don’t know the motel, but will guess sometime in October 1972 while here for the Republican rally at the Nassau Coliseum.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

Great last photo of the east embankment just before being leveled for the pool entrance. 
I’ve seen higher, rocky terrain on the north shore along the sound in Caumsett Park.
Difficult to determine location of the second photo.

From New Photo Discovery: The Eastern Embankment of the Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

The photo is looking east from a position approximately over Clinton Road in Garden City with the fairly new Roosevelt Field Mall in the center. It encompasses the former sites of the 1937, 1937, and 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Races. I believe there is a small section of LIMP in the upper right corner near where the Meadowbrook Lodge had been. I think I see 4 remaining hangars from the Roosevelt / Curtiss Field days. It looks like Gimbel’s is still under construction so I think the photo dates from late 1961 or 1962. No idea on the amusement park or motel.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961

Id say the photo was from the mid tfifties of Roosevvelt field looking East. Note the RR bridge that is still up over the meadowbrook just south of that cloverleaf. Didnt murry the K use one of those three hangers as a discotec in the sixties?

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961