Vanderbilt Cup Races

Uh, oh!  You’re scaring me!  I have an absolutely-clear memory of one of my very first long-distance drives (ca. 1951) being from LI north, stopping at the Melton Museum somewhere “way up” along the NY-CT/MA/VT border, NOT down in Norwalk.  I used to visit a friend in northwest Westport (almost in Weston) and it was nowhere near there.  I was a very early member of the CCCA and KNEW my car museums.  It was just before it closed/moved and I was most likely on one my many trips up to Plattsburg(h).  It was probably on Route 22, or possibly 7, but definitely on the east side of a major N-S main drag (right hand side N/B).  Margo (or someone) - HELP, please!  Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick I

From James Melton’s Book: “Bright Wheels Rolling”

..we had arranged to house my collection in Norwalk- some 20.000 square feet in two buildings…When we opened on July 24, 1948, we had 54 cars on display.”

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

I was so surprised and delighted to see mention of my father’s car collection here—and thank you, Howard, for such kind words about the biography I wrote about him.

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Hi Howard are u still holding meetings for the limp society in Bethpage I been in active for awhile in person and would like to restart attending meetings and I do not see postings on any of the websites? thanks LBG
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From Howard Kroplick:

Lynn, we most recently had on-site meeting at the Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge and the Creedmoor Pedestrian Underpass. We will have a Bethpage Library meeting in the Spring. Keep watching VanderbiltCupRaces.com for details.

From Newsday and Patch: Kroplick Appointed Town Historian

I wonder what the inventory was in that museum? It appears that he was fond of speedsters. And where did all of those cars go?

Where have all of these small museums gone would make the subject of a good article.
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From Howard Kroplick

Ronald, after Melton died in 1961, many of his automobiles were purchased by Winthrop Rockefeller.

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4096

Some of Melton’s automobiles may still be in the Museum of Automobiles in Morrillton, Arkansas:

http://www.museumofautos.com/exhibits.php

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Correction - I believe the Jackrabbit was also used in 1907 as shown in an ad sent to Howard.

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

Identify the racer including year, manufacturer, and nickname
1906 90hp Apperson (Apperson Motor Car Company owned by Edgar and Elmer Apperson).  Not sure of the nickname for this, but a 1909 Apperson was called the Jackrabbit.
 
Identify the driver and mechanician in the Mystery Foto.
George Robertson and Arthur Warren.

In which Vanderbilt Cup Race was this racer built for? What happened to the racer? Update: Hint-This racer never made it to the starting line.
1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, however was first entered in the American Trial.
Racer crashed on a practice run prior to the trial.  Robertson and Warren both hospitalized. 

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

Apperson car, crashed in practice for the 1906 American Elimination trials. George Robertson and mechanic Arthur Warren. Other cars that did not start that year were Maxwell and BLM.  Entries withdrawn for that year were Stanley and Wayne.

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

Marvelous. My father and I used to drive past this everyday on our way to and from our jobs. And to think I never went in even tho I had a 49 MGTC at the time. Would have changed my whole life.

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Mom & Dad used to visit the Melton Collection and that Renault racer was found here in Ridgefield in 1943. William K. Vanderbilt’s daughter lived here in town until her passing in 2011 at the age of 107. Bob

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

I remember going to his museum in Florida in the early 190s. It was in an old casino building which made a great setting for displaying his collection.

From The Melton Museum of Norwalk, Connecticut (1948-1953)

Mystery Foto #2….The racer in the photo is a 1906 Apperson Jack Rabbit.
George Robertson was the driver and Arthur Warren the mechanician.
It was built for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup
but was destroyed in a crash while racing in the American Elimination Trial.
P.S. Most of the answers I use for the Mystery Foto Questions are found with Internet research BUT… I actually remembered the nickname (Jack Rabbit) of the Apperson probably giving a strong indication of my age.
P.S.S. And for only $5000 you could buy replica of the racer for yourself!!!

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

To me it looks like the Alco Black Beast,
Howard Kroplick owns now

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

I will have to guess at this one.  Perhaps it’s the 50 hp 1905 Haynes driven by Frank Nutt in the American Elimination Trial but deemed not worthy after finishing 4th, which should have put them in the race.

Perhaps this is the car as noted on the Old Motor site.  http://theoldmotor.com/?p=28549  if not…...I will sit back and learn a bit as I can not find any info pertaining to the mechanician nor the nickname for the racer.

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The Apperson Jack Rabbit Racer Built for the 1906 American Elimination Trial

Hello from Gerry Crosson of the Vanderbilt Museum.  You might be interested to know that at the “Book Revue” bookstore in Huntington Village, just north of the intersections of Routes 25a and 110 is about 25 years worth of copies of the “Long Island Forum” magazine on the upper floor Clearance section.  These date from around the 1950’s to the 1980’s and are on sale for $0.75 apiece.  It would be a shame to see this set broken up.  Any possibility the North Hempstead Historical Society could take a look and offer to buy the entire set for its archives? The set could be loaned to a local library if the Society has no room in it’s offices or museum.  As you know, the “Long Island Forum” publication is a valuable resource for any scholar of Long Island history. The society could buy the set probably at a much reduced price if an offer to buy the entire set intact is made.
Thanks.

From New York Post, January 3, 1925: "Vanderbilt Recalls Days When 30 Miles An Hour Was Speed" Part I

Dave, thanks for the info. Jasper’s Motor Parkway house (located south of the Mayan Ruins walls) is situated ~520 feet to the south end of the walls. He is out of range of the slopes pertaining to the Mayan Ruins bridge. In fact, his house sits at the very beginning of the curve towards the Clinton Rd bridge. A very slight upgrade towards the south end of his yard is expected. Overall, he is on level ground. 

Dave, I own an older version of Android, nothing special. But with any phone, if you go to the zoomed photo with the red circles that Howard posted (while zoomed OUT to the max, this is important), THEN click the zoomed photo for the zoom feature, and THEN zoom in even further with your fingers to the max. This will produce the clearest possible image of the sign and the year in its upper third of the sign. Take your time viewing. The ‘9’ and ‘3’ are clearly there, and the only digits that can possibly fit between them are ones ‘1’. Check it out!

From Sam & Dave’s Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure III: The "Mayan Ruins" in Garden City

I’m not sure what kind of pixels you have on your phone Frank! I can’t make out any date at all! But clearly you are gifted with this stuff!

I clearly see a whale blowing water out of his blow hole on the old pic of the abutment. No doubt. Maybe they dug this so deep they struck water!

Art, this is all in your hands now. No pressure. Hurry up 😊

Unlike the Caroline St. posts location, we might actually be able to figure something out at this site!

From Sam & Dave’s Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure III: The "Mayan Ruins" in Garden City

Dave - Strange carving on the wall indeed. The vertical lines don’t correspond to side swiping with a vehicle. It appears the image of an Indian boy with feather on his head facing north, arms extended forward and carrying a large knapsack. Is this where the Mayan name was derived from? A strange historic Indian burial ground site, casting spells to those who interfere. I’m ready to start digging :D

From Sam & Dave’s Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure III: The "Mayan Ruins" in Garden City

Oh my gosh, here I am again. Frank, besides being a expert mapper, you being able to make out the year on the sign amazes me.

Art, if you can work it out, I definitely want to be there when the time is right.

We may set a new record on the amount of comments for a blog!

Dave, you asked for a discussion about this location. And a discussion you received.

From Sam & Dave’s Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure III: The "Mayan Ruins" in Garden City

What a challenge and determination that was and it was accomplished,with a few struggles along the way,when you put your mind to do something,you just do it,no matter what it takes. Enjoyed this mystery very much.Thanks for sharing the extras with us,it was very interesting and a very amazing event

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved:Alice Huyler Ramsey & Her Maxwell Prior to Her 1909 Transcontinental Journey

Okay - I’ll take the challenge.  Will contact the homeowner once the snow melts and will see if he’ll permit some of us to take a road trip to explore further (that is, to “dig” up some more clues to put an end to all this haggling! lol).

From Sam & Dave’s Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure III: The "Mayan Ruins" in Garden City