Vanderbilt Cup Races

Identify the location and orientation of the aerial.  Looking east over Roosevelt Field, Roosevelt Raceway, the Meadowbrook Parkway and Salisbury Park. 

Link the aerial to the Vanderbilt Cup Races.  Races were run there in 1937 and 1937.

Link the aerial to the Long Island Motor Parkway.  Parkway ran on the southern border of Roosevelt Field along today’s South Street.

Identify a remaining section of the Motor Parkway.  Along South Street. 
 
How many airplane hangars are in the aerial?  Three

Where is there an amusement park in the aerial?  The northern part of the mall (to the left in the picture) shows a few rides.  Also, Spaceland occupied Hanger 16 in the 60s. 

What was the date of the aerial? Provide a rationale.  1956/1957, Roosevelt Field completed. Meadowbrook Parkway completed.  Howard’s handshaking date of a few years later (see next answer).

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!
Island Inn in Westbury, Sept. 28, 1960.

Bonus Bonus Question:  What was on the menu for Richard Nixon?

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

Great Image! OK, here I go:

*Location/Orientation:  Viewing east. Overseeing Roosevelt Field Shopping Center, Roosevelt Raceway, and Eisenhower Park. E Garden City/Westbury.

*Aerial link to VCR’s:  The 1936, 1937, and 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Races were held at the Roosevelt Raceway ( George Washington Vanderbilt III, George Preston Marshall, and Edward Rickenbacker combined funds to build the Roosevelt Raceway to revive the Vanderbilt Cup. George Robertson ( 1908 VCR winner ) oversaw the construction ).

*Aerial link to LIMP:  In this image ( upper right ), the LIMP ROW is just S/O the Meadowbrook Pkwy; W/O Ave C.  E/O Ave C, the LIMP ROW is just N/O then Linwood Ave ( Mitchell Gardens Military Housing Community ). COVANTA ( Waste Management Facility ) and the PSEG LI substation ( Mitchell Gardens ) now occupies the site.

*# of Airplane Hangars evident:  I see 3 S/W of Old Country Rd/East Gate Blvd.

*Amusement Park in Aerial:  There looks to be an attraction ( Skating Rink? ) just E/O Grand Union in the shopping center.

*Aerial Date/Rationale: I’m guessing 1961. There’s a building under construction just E/O the Amusement attraction ( This building to be Gimbel’s, I believe. Gimbel’s was open for business in 1962 ).

*Motel where Mr. Kroplick shook hands with Mr. Nixon:  The Island Inn Motor Hotel, S/E corner of Old Country Rd/Zeckendorf Blvd. I searched thru some Historic Newspapers, but no luck. I’m confident that some of you will find/submit documentation of this encounter.    Good Luck,  BDM

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

It’s great you came across these photos, Bob; thanks for submitting. The 2nd photo isn’t likely either of the embankments. I’d say it deserves to be on the cover of “Life Magazine”.

First met you when we all met up at Creedmoor ( pedestrian underpass ) earlier this year. I’m the redhead who was/is curious about the OLD Nassau County Map Book that you brought along. Very neat that you purchased the book at a yard sale.

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

Bah!  Humbug!  Only the Franklin and the Packard are classics!  Wonder if the former was once veterinarian Dr. Doehm’s car from Roslyn (at 55 Bryant, under the bypass)?  If so, see <http://sbiii.com/automotv.html>, about half-way down.  Sam, III

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

You’re over Garden City, looking due-(LI)-west across Avalon Road, Clinton Road, and an early incarnation of the Ring Road at Roosevelt Field Shopping Center, with Macy’s the “white” building at right and MeadowBook Parkway beyond and “several” (HA!) of Roosevelt Field’s old hangars on Old Country Road at left and Rosevelt Raceway (trotting track) at right.  The LIMP RoW runs diagonally from bottom center towards upper right between Avalon Road and Pell Terrace (off image to the right) and reappears in the far right distance.  The odd, thin line running from lower left across the Ring Road and into the Center to a terminal and looping around to the right and back was a commuter bus line my daughters used to get to the Center.  The big building on OCR beyond the hangars was American-Bosch/ARMA back then (later AVIS HQ) and had its own LIRR rail spur track coming up from below Stewart Avenue.  VCR’s were run all over the area, notably on Ellison Avenue at middle far left and the ‘36-‘37 I. George V. recreations were run in the big white square beyond ARMA, where traces of the course can be seen.  Like Rich, love these pix!  Don’t need no impossible bonus.  :·)  Sam, III

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

From Holly Lapinel:

I would say

  the front is from Clinton Street, LI motor parkway on the lower right heading west
  the parking and ring access Roosevelt Field

  the back upper right corner of the picture is Roosevelt Raceway
  the back upper left corner of the picture is the hangers that were turned into the Cradle of Aviation, LI Museum that houses the Nunley’s Carousel.  I see three hangers but the doors look like they are on the west side of the buildings, rather than the south side.

  Mitchelll Field was part of the College,  WHPC which is still the call letters of the NCC Nassau Community College radio station. The original name was Wonderful Hempstead Plains College ( this is the name sake of Hempstead Plains Vintage Car Club).

A lot of the open space is remnants of Hempstead Plains and thanks to the work of Betsy Gulotta (Emeritus Biology Professor of NCC)  the grounds are maintained and historical flowers are being repopulated by the “Friends of Hempstead Plains”

I don’t know the hotel but would guess the Marriott of Uniondate.

Links to VCR is the Motor Parkway, and the LI Motor Parkway was at the right edge of the Ring access road before what was to become where Stewart Ave.

Take care.

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

I agree with Eric.  [Ah, fame!]  Sam, III

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

...love these historic photos!  Thanks.

Rich

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

Not to sure the photo with the WWI vets is correct. They are standing on solid rock which on long Island doesn’t exist. That hill is also too high for the area. Don’t think the picture matches.

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

This weeks aerial is of Roosvelt Feild looking east with remnants of the old hangers on the left bordered by Old Country Rd ,Glen Cove Rd and Stewart Ave . You can also see Roosevelt Raceway ,The Island Inn and Arma.You can also see Macy’s on the right of the photo and Gimbals being erected on the left. St Brigids spire is also in the photo.The Vanderbuilt Cup Races were at at Roosvelt Raceway in 1936 &1937;.In bottom of the aerial you can see remnants of the Motor Parkway cross Glen Cove Rd running in the back of Roosvelt Feild.There are 3 hangers remaking out of 5 .The amusement park Spaceland occupied the hanger closest to the Meadowbrook Parkway as seen in the Photo from 1958 to 1960. I snuck in there when it closed when I was a kid.The photo is about 1954/1955 because Gimbals is being built on the north side of Roosevelt Feild and that opened in 1956. The Island Inn (were Howard Shook V.P. Nixons hand)is seen in the 3rd frame on Old Country Rd.just east of Arma or Amercan Machine and Foundry were on Nov. 2 1960 Vice President Nixon visited Roosvelt Feild Mall .

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

I believe it’s the Roosevelt field mall complex along side OCR, zeckendorf blvd and merchants concourse.  All leading towards the source mall plot.  I believe the Meadow Brook parkway is running parallel.

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

Great Pix.  Roosevelt Field Mall.  Looking east.  The Meadowbrook Parkway is just behind the mall.

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

From Penny Harvard 7/15/2017

Mystery photo 28 is louis chevrolet. 
P havard

From Mystery Foto #28 Solved: The 1909 Buick Factory Racing Team in Flint, Michigan

I was always curious about the 1st toll booth location for the motor parkway in Fresh Medows.I walk the motor parkway 3-4 times a week.Thanks for this excellent information.Mystery solved!

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #1 Nassau Boulevard Lodge In Fresh Meadows, Queens

Mesmerizing group of pictures, makes you look closely for details.

From A Tour of Long Island Roads During the 1909 One-Gallon Efficiency Test

Great as these images are, it’s rare that a road,street name etc. is within the image’s description on the Detroit site. Being that some of the image’s here display the NEGATIVE NUMBER, I looked them up via ADVANCED SEARCH. Under FIELD, choose “Negative Number (full word). Type in the image’s negative#, then click search. It’ll pop up. If you type in….Tours-New York-Economy Contest-1909 using regular search, a whole lot more image’s spring up. You could narrow the search by choosing….National Automotive History Collection (Dept), then Lazarnick (Collection). !00 pages at a time is my limit with the Detroit site. Anymore than that I’m falling asleep in the swivel chair.

From A Tour of Long Island Roads During the 1909 One-Gallon Efficiency Test

Regarding the Polaris pictures, concrete by sump at field 2, that is not pavement.
If you notice, the fencing posts are in the concrete. Typically, fence posts around a sump (recharge basin) are cast in a concrete curbing. That is what you are seeing, a concrete curb for the fence.

From Exploring and Uncovering the Motor Parkway in the Hempstead Plains (Levittown & Bethpage) Updated

From James Ryan:

I didn’t find out the year or the names, but I did find this answer below to the photo.
The Buick team on the test track at the Buick factory in Flint, Michigan.
Jim Ryan LIBC

From Mystery Foto #28 Solved: The 1909 Buick Factory Racing Team in Flint, Michigan

From Marc Alssid:

Wow this looks like a tough one!

At first glance, I would say the driver behind the wheel is Louis Chevrolet from the Buick Racing Team. The car looks very similar to a 1910 Buick Model 16 Roadster, and the background looks very much like the factory in Flint, MI (but is probably somewhere on Long Island). I’ll have to look thorough some books tomorrow!
__________________________________________________

See following link: http://winfield.50megs.com/GrossePointe.htm
According to the caption, the photo was from around 1908. I was close, the car is a Model 16 Buick that had been modified for racing.
Caption also states that the only ones identified so far are Louis Strang, seated on the car in front of the rear tire. Walter l. Marr (5th from right) Buick’s first engineer. W.W. Brown (4th from left, front row), Joseph R. Common (9th from left with wide brim hat), Glenn Breed (standing at far right) who were all team mechanicans. Bob Burman (seated in the car nearest the camera) and Louis Chevrolet (seated in the car beside Burman).
The photo was taken at the Buick Factory in Flint.

We Buick guys don’t quit!
__________________________________________________________

I sent you some photos from my phone earlier with pictures of the Buick-Marquette from the book The Buick, a Complete History by Terry Dunham and Lawrence Gustin.

Below in an excerpt from the GM Heritage website on the history of Louis Chevrolet (gmheritagecenter.com)

On March 5th 1909, Louis and his brother Arthur were hired by Buick to
join the Buick Race Team. During the last 2 years of the Vanderbilt Cup
Race on Long Island, Louis drove his famous (1909) Buick Marquettes
clocking the fastest laps of the race and nearly won the 1910 race, only
to give the lead away to Harry Grant due to front suspension failure.
The Franco-Swiss driver managed to beat fate and suffered many injuries
from the Vanderbilt crashes. Louis went on to race and win the Harkness
Gold Trophy in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in 1917. Louis averaged 110mph
during the 100 mile race, which was absolutely flying in the early hand
built cars. In this race he had beaten some of the best drivers back in
the day. Prior to this race, Louis had prominent victories at Cincinnati
and Chicago tracks.

I hope this information is helpful.

From Mystery Foto #28 Solved: The 1909 Buick Factory Racing Team in Flint, Michigan

From Steven V.:

Interesting to see the Art Student League mentioned in your journal. I’m a former Mens vice president, former board member and life member of that wonderful old institution that helped mold artists from Jackson Pollock abstract expressionist to realist Norman Rockwell at the opposite end of artistic spectrum.

From Art Student Jennifer Siplia Awarded the First Peter Helck Scholarship in Realism