About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
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Recent Comments
Great shots Dave, Sammy, and Howard. Boy, that new Clinton Rd underpass pic still continues to prove the treacherous underpass as it was. I still would’ve love the bridge to remain intact today as it was. Really shame to see it go.
From Sam & Dave’s Excellent “Lost” Motor Parkway Adventure III:General Manager's Office
Ron, your story is as good as it gets! Please send any pictures to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) so everyone can view this historic transformation. Any photos while living at the lodge would be most educational for all. Overall, these photos would be priceless to be seen, thanks to you.
From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #12 Bethpage Lodge Updated 3/13/2017
A marvellous and generous gesture which, as well as giving financial help to an art student, will keep the name and hopefully the work of Peter Helck alive.
From The Peter Helck Scholarship in Realism Established at the The Arts Students League of New York
Great idea. In an era when the nature of art can be confusing, thank you for recognizing the value of realism and sharing all the great work and accomplishments of Peter Helck.
From The Peter Helck Scholarship in Realism Established at the The Arts Students League of New York
It is 12 motor lane I used to live there. There is or was a mound in front of the house that marked the spot. My mom told my the old motor parkway toll house used to be there. They butchered the trees off motor lane. Sad it used to be more shady. Any way I have pictures of the land the circled house was built on before it was built from the backyard of 12 motor lane back in the early 70s. It was all woods I remember when they tore it all down and built the house there. The house circled is on roud swamp it was built in the mid to lates 70s my parents bought 12motor lane in the early 70s and there was one previous owner. I remember older folks in the neighborhood would tell me this was all farmland when we moved out here. The neighborhood still looks nice just less trees.
From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #12 Bethpage Lodge Updated 3/13/2017
I think that’s a FIAT S74, possibly built in 1910. Not sure of the significance but it could be the same car that raced in the 1912 VCR as car #29 driven by Teddy Tetzlaff and car #9 in the 1914 VCR driven by Frank Verbeck. The owner of the car was Eddie Maier, a Los Angeles businessman and I believe the date of the photo is 1914. Maier also owned a brewery and “Maier Select” was one of his products. I think the driver in the photo is Barney Oldfield who competed in both the 1914 and 1915 Vanderbilt Cup races.
From Mystery Foto#50 Solved:The 1911 FIAT S74 Driven by Barney Oldfield in the May 1912 Santa Monica Race
A detail not written in the book is that he was the rider mechanic of Vincenzo Lancia in the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. This was the very first international race he took part, followed by the Ardennes Circuit one month later - but this time, as official FIAT driver. In the belgian race he arrived 3rd (not 2nd) in the light car class, 10th overall.
Sad note: Alessandro committed suicide two days after his wife’s death, at age of 88.
From Driver of the Week: Alessandro Cagno (1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race)
Identify the make and year of the racer: 1912 Fiat
Why was this racer historically significant? First racer to have non-car advertising
Who was the owner of the racer when the photo was taken? Edward Maier, owner of Maier Brewery Comany and baseball team the Vernon Tigers
What was Maier Select? Beer
Identify at least one person in the photo: Barney Oldfield
Link this racer to the Vanderbilt Cup Races: Competed against some cars that ran and possibly was itself in Santa Monica Vanderbilt Cup Races
From Mystery Foto#50 Solved:The 1911 FIAT S74 Driven by Barney Oldfield in the May 1912 Santa Monica Race
Mystery Foto #50…The car in the photo is a 1912 FIAT. This car was historically significant because painting the Maier Select Kid logo on the hood marked the first time something other than an auto maker was billboarded on a California race car.
The owner at the time was, I believe, Maier Brewery. Maier Select was a beer. I think we see Barney Oldfield in the driver’s seat. This car ran in the Vanderbilt Cup race in Santa Monica in 1914. What I get a real kick out of on these early race cars is their engine size. This FIAT had 4 cylinders of 3.5 liters each giving us a massive 14 liters.
From Mystery Foto#50 Solved:The 1911 FIAT S74 Driven by Barney Oldfield in the May 1912 Santa Monica Race
Fiat S74 14.3 lts. with Barney Oldfield. Maier was a Brewery in Los Angeles and Maier Select was it`s featured brew. “Select Kid” was the name of the car and the first that was billboarded without a car brand in South California.
From Mystery Foto#50 Solved:The 1911 FIAT S74 Driven by Barney Oldfield in the May 1912 Santa Monica Race
The car is the 900 c.i. F-I-A-T which showed up, I believe, in 1911. The car shown was the first which had a non automotive sponsor on the bonnet. The racer was owned by, I believe, the LA based Maier Brewery who was advertising their “Select Kid” brew.
This photo may be May 4, 1912 of Barney Oldfield in the Santa Monica AGP…....which was run the same weekend as the Vanderbilt Cup on the same course. Barney must have had some difficulty that weekend as I’ve a photo of him in the pits appearing to survey a mechanical problem.
Anyway, glad to see a beer question. It gave me a chance.
Chuck
http://www.hopublishing.com/real-road-racing.html
From Mystery Foto#50 Solved:The 1911 FIAT S74 Driven by Barney Oldfield in the May 1912 Santa Monica Race
I’m picturing the look on passerbyers faces as your “exiting” out. Frank and I were checking out this area a bit recently, but going under there wasn’t in the cards. Thanks for the look see, Dave and Sam.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure II: Wheeler Farmway Bridge in Queens
Hi Dave and Sam,
Great adventure under the parkway. I was down there a number of years back and glad to see its still accessible. On list to do again!
From Sam & Dave's Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure II: Wheeler Farmway Bridge in Queens
Ok to all moms out there (including sammys) I swear I went in there first and made sure the coast was clear before Sam came in!
How cool is it that this is still here? When you get down in there you can stand and walk around, it’s pretty cool. People walk, run, and bike all day long on this path and nobody is aware of the historical significance. We got several “what the **** are you guys doing” kind of looks but that’s ok, all in the name of exploration!
If you are brave (crazy) and want to check this out, definitely don’t go alone. Bring a friend.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure II: Wheeler Farmway Bridge in Queens
Very COOOOL. Thanks guys.
From Sam & Dave's Excellent Lost Motor Parkway Adventure II: Wheeler Farmway Bridge in Queens
Very interesting…..
From The Planned "Automobile Boulevard" in Riverhead (1907-1908) Updated: 12/4/16
This is neat. Great information from all, especially from eyes that were present to experience the event in detail! That’s the best.
From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:A 1957 Aerial of a "Spirit of St. Louis" Press Conference at Roosevelt Field
Identify the location and orientation of the aerial: Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall, looking Southwest. Clinton Road on the right, Stewart Avenue on the top.
On what date was the aerial taken? Feb. 18, 1957 (based on press conference answer below)
Identify the major buildings in the aerial: In mall, Macy’s to the south, Food Fair to the north (near the plane). Outside of mall, Esselte Pendeflex (Oxford Filing Supply) near Clinton and Stewart. Along Stewart, Equitable Insurance, LI Lighting Newsday, General Bronze. Also see the gas tank (top) and the water treatment plant (round tank on right side).
Why was there a press conference at this location? Promoting the 1957 film about and named the “Spirit of St. Louis”. But the press conference was more about teen idol, Tab Hunter, who was there but not even in the movie. Another press conference initiating the second flight of the Spirit by a member of the “Hap” Arnold Squadron” in 1956 also took place but that was in March of 1956, before the opening of Roosevelt Field which clearly was open when the mystery photo was taken.
Hey - just as I was writing this answer I heard an aircraft overhead that definitely wasn’t a jet (could it possibly be the ghost of Charles Lindbergh flying overhead as I’m just about 10 minutes from Roosevelt Field)? Alas, opening up the blinds and looking out it was just a helicopter!
Name one person who participated in the press conference: Besides actor Tab Hunter there was Sen. Jacob Javits and General Roger Browne of the First Air Force.
What Long Island Motor Parkway structures are seen in the aerial? General Managers Office and Garden City Lodge.
From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:A 1957 Aerial of a "Spirit of St. Louis" Press Conference at Roosevelt Field
We’re obviously looking at a recently completed Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall in Garden City with the photographer’s camera pointed south. That’s Macy’s with the white roof and Food Fair near the right border. In the background is the LILCO gas tank on Stewart Avenue and the old Curtiss Engineering Building. Since there is a plane in the parking lot which resembles the “Spirit of St. Louis”, could this be for the dedication of the original plaque to Charles Lindbergh which was at the north end of the mall and now sits near the Disney Store? If so, I’m thinking the photo could be from May, 1957 on the 30th. anniversary of his famous flight. Maybe Lucky Lindy himself was at the press conference. Regarding the LIMP, we can see a small remnant of the parkway along with the Garden City toll lodge and the General Manager’s office in the upper right area.
From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:A 1957 Aerial of a "Spirit of St. Louis" Press Conference at Roosevelt Field
Identify the location and orientation of the aerial
On what date was the aerial taken?
Identify the major buildings in the aerial
Why was there a press conference at this location?
Name one person who participated in the press conference
What Long Island Motor Parkway structures are seen in the aerial?
Going on a pure guess this week and saying this aerial is looking South at the opening of the new, outdoor, Roosevelt Field Mall and it’s buildings in 1956. There appears to be a replica Spirit Of St Louis parked where the ice skating rink will eventually be. Maybe Charles Lindbergh was there with Jimmy Stewart promoting the new Lindbergh movie opening around that time! Ha!
Garden City Lodge and The Parkway Manager’s office can be seen off of Clinton in the upper right.
From Mystery Foto #49 Solved:A 1957 Aerial of a "Spirit of St. Louis" Press Conference at Roosevelt Field
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