Vanderbilt Cup Races

Brian, you have a good lead there! Check the east abutment at its south end under the brush for the sign. If it’s not there, it could be in Garden City Public Works buried deep.

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

1913!! The upper third on the bridge’s sign reads 1913 in larger numerals, only through Howard’s zoomed photo. I was able to observe this using the phone. The larger PC screen was actually more difficult to read.

Brian, you may be correct. P.O. Zinzi’s accident report indicates the car was travelling east (actually south) when it lost its tire causing it to overturn. This stretch of roadway runs north-south. It’s assumed the car is resting on the closest shoulder (west shoulder) if he was heading east. If this is true, that would make the abutment sign on the east abutment.

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

Thanks, Dave. All those times I’ve been in those backyards during work, but never thought of having a camera.My photographic memory only takes me so far, lol. I agree, let’s form our own quicker version of a Oak Island Team! Comment #23, over and out.

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

Brian, yes I was walking/facing south on the video. And you’re right. According to the old pics it says when facing south the sign was on the left (east). I highly doubt that sign is still there (I don’t even think it’s the abutment) but I say we pressure Art to call his “vine” friends over there and persuade them to let us explore!

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

I’m about to learn something new this week but she’s from New Jersey. It must’ve taking many hours to reach Long Island back in those days, possibly an entire day.

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

Jasper’s place may be at the top of the hill or just beyond where it’s level, even though he’s just a block away. Based on the photo, I’m estimating ~150 feet from the abutment to the top, another 150 feet going the other way. Other estimations gladly accepted, please feel free anyone. So if Jasper’s house is outside this range, the parkway was always leveled in his backyard when his house was built. I’m trying to locate his house so I can measure from the walls in Google Maps. I see two candidates that MAY have a roadway in their backyards; one house is to the north where the LIMP ran as a strait-a-way, and the other to the south where it curved towards the Clinton Rd bridge. Do you recall his house number on Russell Rd? Please send to the link below. The walls can be seen in Google Maps using Historic Imagery on 4/2004, and 5/2007.

The sign that was once fixed to the bridge may have had displayed the year and other information. With Howard’s zoom feature, I can almost swear the lettering was raised or embossed.

The left red mark on the photo may be the same large crack today that is horizontally centered on the abutment, and just below the 10 inch crease in the video.

The ROW posts are located high in the photo. Motor Pkwy Inc. purchased this land level, then carved out a trench to allow passing under a bridge. Though culverts appear in other locations, I see no drainage system here. Water most likely accumulated here causing a hazard. The carving on the embankment may have been the result of striking the wall after hydroplaning. After the parkway closed, Garden City joined the fun and refilled the trench eliminating the flood problem.

This is all speculation and fun at the same time. Let’s get there soon to settle the “Mayan Ruin Mystery.” I’ll dig a few inches but WILL NOT dig 10 feet down!! :D

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

This hotel was also the site where Charles Lindberg tried to sleep the night before his historic flight from Roosevelt Field in Garden City. The opening of the Jimmy Stewart movie, ” The Spirit of St. Louis”, zoomed in on the hotel oak sign, which was saved from the wrecking ball and is in good hands. My father obtained Lindberg’s autograph in a French St. Paul’s H.S. textbook as he rode the L.I.R.R. to the hotel the day prior to the flight.

From Mystery Foto #17 Solved: The Garden City Hotel Being Demolished in 1973

Incredible story of 5 great, American heroes!

From Town of North Hempstead to Hold Memorial This Sunday for Five Airmen Killed in a 1942 Bomber Crash

Fascinating to read from his perspective and times…..Thanks Howard !

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

From Dave F:

Howard, do not know where you get these fantastic, very interesting photos, but they are terrific…..keep up the good, interesting, informative, work that you do…..as Artie Johnson of the “Laugh In” tv show used to say….“VEDDY INTERESTING”      Dave ......10-4

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

And why would there be no date stamp on these abutments? I can’t see them on the old pics.

The west wall (abutment) is in a backyard that was abandoned as per a sign on the door when we did this last March. I’m sure by now someone has bought this house and moved in—- it is Garden City after all.

I concur with Hector this needs to be explored—- and Art you need to ask your friends on the other side of the road if we can come over with shovels and explore this thing further! We will promise to fill in any holes that we make!

Finally, am I nuts or on the old pic that you marked up Frank—- in the lower left hand portion of the abutment - did someone carve in a whale that is blowing water out of it’s spout??? It really looks like one!

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

Frank, I don’t see two creases in the old photo. I only see the one big one - I would think if there was a first crease it would be more visible in the older pic as it is quite prevalent in my 2016 pics.

And how do you answer my other question: if in fact 10 feet of dirt was piled in here and the LIMP sits 10 feet below the ground, how on earth is the pavement visible at current grade in Jasper’s backyard about a block away with zero noticeable signs of grade changes?

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

Identify the driver and owner of the automobile.  Driver is Alicey Hurley Ramsey, owner is her husband, John R. Ramsey.

What year was this photo taken? Provide a rationale.  1908 license place.

Identify the manufacturer and model of the automobile.  Maxwell Roadster. 
 
What historical event was accomplished by the driver.  Ramsey was one of two woman to enter the AAA Montauk Point Endurance Race in 1908 and in 1909 she used another Maxwell to go cross country as part of a promotion sponsored by Maxwell Automobiles. 

Link the driver to Long Island and the manufacturer to the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Chrysler’s Chrysler: 
Ramsey drove in the Moutauk Point endurance race as mentioned above.  Maxwell entered racers in the 1906 American Elimination Trial, and the 1908, 1909, 1910 Sweepstakes associated with the Vanderbilt Cup Races.  Walter Chrysler was hired to turn things around at Maxwell and eventually merged it with his new Chrysler Corporation in 1924/1925.

Lots of very interesting documentation on this week’s mystery photo!

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

A photo of Alice Huyler Ramsey the driver of the first transcontinental automobile trip by a woman driver.  The car is a Maxwell ‘30’ with 1908 plates.  The trip took place in 1909 when the car had later plates.  On October 20th, 1960 she was designated “Woman Motorist of the Century” by the American Automobile Association.

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

Why can’t I stop obsessing over this?

Were you facing south when making the video clip, Dave? Reason I ask because if you were facing south, then the sign that’s placarded would be on the east wall ( going by the older photo facing south that highlights the sign ). You stated that the east side was more hidden with greenery, etc. Maybe the sign is still there, just blocked by the growth?

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

Testing this would be easy, a single shovel and another visit to the Ruins. If today’s walls are already nearly 3 feet in height, then just a few more inches down should reveal the second crease from the top (the larger one). Is the west wall on private property today? As per Hector, a group trip soon is in order!

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

Identify the driver and owner of the automobile.
Alice Huyler Ramsey

What year was this photo taken? Provide a rationale.
1908 is on the license plate

Identify the manufacturer and model of the automobile.
1908 Maxwell Touring car

What historical event was accomplished by the driver.
Ramsey was the first woman to drive a car across the United States, a journey she and three other female passengers completed in 59 days when they arrived in San Francisco after departing from Manhattan, New York.

Link the driver to Long Island and the manufacturer to the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Chrysler’s Chrysler.
In September 1908 she drove one of the three Maxwells which were entered in that year’s American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Montauk Point endurance race, being one of only two women to participate. Maxwells also raced in Vanderbilt Cup Sweepstake races from 1906-1910. Maxwell-Briscoe was absorbed by Chrysler in 1926.

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

Darn it! I wanted to watch your video clip again, Dave. It became some kind of word jumble somehow.

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

Maxwell was the basis for the Chrysler line as Walter P was hired by Maxwell to run the company and pull it up from hard times.

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

That is Alice Ramsey and her 1909 Maxwell (model H or Q) during her cross country trip NY to CA, in 1909.
The run was duplicated in 2009 in a car owned by Richard Anderson from the state of Washington and driven by his daughter.

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