Vanderbilt Cup Races

Identify the Long Island Motor Parkway director who is sitting in the passenger’s seat. See below hint.: Frederick Bourne

Identify the year and make of the automobile:  (A very big guess here) - 1910 Mercedes

Where was this photo taken and the approximate year?: South Side Sportsman’s Club, Oakdale.  1910-1915

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton

Hopefully, thanks to a helpful hint given to me by Steve Lucas, I’ll correctly guess this as Frederick G. Bourne in front of the South Side Sportsmans Club in Oakdale.

Looks to be around circa 1900 or so, but further research and looking around is needed for dates and the automobile (Daimler?)

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton

That looks like Frederick G. Bourne who, at the time, was the president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company and a member of the South Side Sportsmen’s Club in Oakdale. I believe the photo was taken in front of the main building at the club which is currently on the grounds of the Connetquot River State Park Preserve. I think Bourne had some connection with Mercedes Benz so I’ll guess that’s what the car is. It could be a 1902 or 1903 model which is probably about when the photo was taken. Probably not coincidentally, Bourne and Willie K. were next door neighbors, with Bourne’s estate slightly east of Idlehour.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton

This is simply amazing stuff,never know what we’ll get from you,and thanks to the Helck Family.I mailed you a pictures from the newspaper that I get,that I thought you would like,I mailed it yesterday

From Helck Family Collection: The 1894 Paris-Rouen Race- The First "Road Wagon" Contest

Some parts of this mystery I could solve: the car is a 1901 Winton, standing right in front of the main entrance of the South Side Sportsmen’s Club (Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale, LI, NY). The person on the passenger’s seat however will be a wild guess: Frederick G. Bourne, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. Still, there is some logic in this. Bourne had his residence Indian Neck Hall in Oakdale and had joined the South Side Sportsman’s Club in September 1890. William K. Vanderbilt was one of the founders of this Sportsman’s Club (aimed at fishing and hunting) already in 1866, when he was only 17! And the Vanderbilt family had of course also a residence there, Idle Hour. This house burnt down during Willie K. and Virginia Fair’s honeymoon stay in 1899, but was rebuilt immediately.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton

Comment #25, lol. Frank and I will be there and square for the tour, etc. Look forward to finally meet all in person. Is the Creedmoor facility actually allowing access thru the tunnel? And I speak for Frank as well, definitely want to take a good look around the Creedmoor property for LIMP remnants. The more eyes, the better.

From The Union Turnpike/Long Island Motor Parkway Pedestrian Underpass

Thank you for posting coverage of the cleanup event as well as all the material you have provided over the years; I have learned quite a lot about the LIMP from you and your colleagues.

Possible errata: the bridge views above titled “Then: 1972” and “Now: October 29, 2016” indicate “looking west”, however, the direction appears to be eastward.
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From Howard Kroplick:

Jim. good catch. Thanks!

From Update: The Continuing Amazing Restoration of the Historic Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Hi Sam III, the underpass on north side is right on, but south side should be located slightly more towards the west. I had to use different satellite image dates to locate each staircase. GPS tracks were also recorded on the site and matched up with both satellite images (see above) - sending Howard some pics. Both staircases are two tier and run straight towards the west. The underpass is located on the west side of both landings. Hope to see you all on Sat for this fantastic tour. Amazing stuff guys!

From The Union Turnpike/Long Island Motor Parkway Pedestrian Underpass

Those Midtown Tunnel construction photos are amazing; what a massive project it was to build.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

Hi Howard, I was quite surprised to learn that was taken from Hollis Court Blvd as the road is clearly macadam and Hollis Court Boulevard is a 30 foot concrete roadway.  If you look at the NYC Archives Records with the following hyperlink, you will see the picture.  I don’t doubt the correctness of the response being the 73rd ave bridge, but how does one explain the macamized surface of hollis court blvd (as opposed to concrete) in the photo?

http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~32~32~1205401~130170:bpq_7051-g?qvq=q:hollis+court;lc:RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~7~7,NYCMA~2~2,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~31~31,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~22~22,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~33~33,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~29~29,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~30~30,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~32~32,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~13~13,NYCMA~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~17~17,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~6~6,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~8~8,RECORDSPHOTOUNITBRO~4~4,RECORDSPHOTOUNITBRK~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAN~2~2,RECORDSPHOTOUNITQUE~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITSTA~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~36~36,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~20~20,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~35~35,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~16~16,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~1~1,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~5~5,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~2~2,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~6~6,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~15~15,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~24~24,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~9~9,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~19~19,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~21~21,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~34~34,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~5~5,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~9~9,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~4~4,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~26~26,RECORDSPHOTOUNITMAY~3~3,RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~25~25&mi=0&trs=248

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From Howard Kroplick

Michael, excellent point. The caption in the photo is very clear and indicates it is associated with additional parcels to Cunningham Park.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

From Michael Dickson:

I incorrectly indicated Springfield Blvd in the first picture. It is Union Tpk, 25C looking east toward the Grand Central Parkway and Creedmore.  Cambridge Hall Apartments are at the location in the right side of the photo from the 1930s, during the Union Tpk widening project in the 30s.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

From Michael Dickson:

I believe that this is looking at the Springfield Blvd (Rocky Hill Road) Bridge looking North from Union Turnpike in Oakland Gardens constructed in 1926.  The NYC government site has a photo that shows Union Tpk looking east from the location of Mystery Photo.  The east view I posted contains the same Type of lamp post.  Although I can’t read the state shield sign on the lamp post in your picture, I would bet it indicates NY 25C.  Union Turnpike was also known as NY 25C in the 1930s and 1940s. The sign for the Queens Midtown Tunnel is indicating Left (to the west) so the view in definitely looking North.  The Queens Midtown tunnel did not open until 1940.

I date the mystery photo to the 1940s.  Union Turnpike was widened to a dual carriage road in the mid to late 1930s as part of a WPA project and based on the Queens Midtown Tunnel Sign.  Two other similar bridges exist on 73rd Avenue, but 73rd Avenue is not a dual carriage road.  Secondly, it’s not the bridge at Hollis Court Blvd since Hollis Court Boulevard was a 30 foot wide triple slab concrete road as was Springfield Blvd south of Union Tpk until both roads were covered with asphalt when the city widened the roads in the 1950s.  The road in the mystery photo is macadam. Finally, I doubt it is the Winchester Blvd bridge since this bridge was very close to Union Turnpike

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

great job guys,wish I still lived on LI, miss the history. Wow, Lester Cutting (from Huntington)? A name from the past, cool.

From Update: The Continuing Amazing Restoration of the Historic Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge

I think the photo was taken from a few feet south of Union Turnpike looking north along Rocky Hill Road (Springfield Blvd.) with the Rocky Hill Road bridge in the background. It looks like the road curves slightly to the left (northwest) just past the bridge which I think Springfield Blvd. still does today. Also, could that be a part of the Rocky Hill Road kiosk on the right-hand edge of the photo? That could mean the photo is from early 1941 since I believe the kiosk was removed that year. Just a guess but the car could be a 1941 Ford.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

I believe it is Long Island Motor Parkway Rocky Hill Road (Springfield Boulevard) Bridge in Queens. The car looks like a 1940 Studebaker to me. I can’t really date the photo.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

A really nice job and great pictures to go with it.  Keep up the good work.

Ken Harris

From Update: The Continuing Amazing Restoration of the Historic Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Very historical presentations coming up. Hope you have big turnouts for all.Wish I could be their,to take in more memories of the past

From Roslyn News: Saga of 'Chrysler's Chrysler'

1.  I think it’s the Parkway Bridge over, what was then, Hollis Court Boulevard; I grew up in Fresh Meadows from 1953 on. However, my first inclination was Horace Harding Blvd. But, based upon the westbound Tunnel sign, this has to be wrong because the Parkway Bridge that it shown would then have been on the northbound side of Horace Harding.
2.  The orientation is looking north from the intersection of Hollis Court Blvd. and Union Turnpike.
3.  I don’t know the make of the car.
4.  I think the picture was taken between the end of 1940 until the start of the war. Regardless, it was taken during the winter.
5.  Rationale. The Queens-Midtown Tunnel opened in 1940. The cross street that is shown has a small concrete median, which was the way Union Turnpike looked at the time; the extension of Union Turnpike from it’s intersection with Homelawn St. and, what was then, Fresh Meadows Lane, started in the mid ‘30s as a WPA project.

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940

It was great seeing you guys at work cleaning up,it brought back memories when I cleaned up places with you guys.

From Update: The Continuing Amazing Restoration of the Historic Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Easy one (I theenk).  1926 73rd Avenue bridge looking west from Francis Lewis Blvd. towards the “swoop” that’s still there.  See my LIMP Queens page 1, <http://sbiii.com/limp-qn1.html>, and specifically the same view I shot on 16 May 2002, <http://sbiii.com/limppix/mp199pk6.jpg>.  1940-41 Lincoln?  Hate these fuzzy pix!  Queens Midtown Tunnel (sign) opened 15 Nov 1940, so sometime thereafter.  Sam, III

From Update: Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The Hollis Court Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1940