Vanderbilt Cup Races

That’s the way to go Howard,just keep collecting those awards,can’t stop wining,you can’t loose.I don’t think there’s a car out there that can beat you in your class,is there?maybe there was,can’t remember,you win so much,coming in second or third,with high honors,all the time.

From The Artwork of Gregg Merksamer:Chrysler's Chrysler & Mustang III at the Greenwich Concours 2012-2016

Ted, near Wantagh av/deadmans curve could quite possibly be

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Almost missed this one, recovering from major surgery, but couldn’t resist coming back and taking a peek. Can’t investigate this one but viewing from a phone, if that’s the newbrIdge hotel, there should be a tunnel portal under the bridge, and railroad tracks where the gent in the foreground is standing. I don’t see any on this little screen. On lower photo, my first hunch was Brian’s suggestion but can’t dig deeper. Brian worked the lines and Tim worked the precinct. These would be two excellent sources to start from

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Hi Dave. That photo just below the painting, I guess you can see the remains of the LIMP; and the uprise of the bridge abutment at the W/S of Wantagh Ave. I’m think the road ahead may be the entrance road into the precinct. If the photo was taken a little more to the north, you would probably see Universe Dr. The LIMP ROW and Universe Dr are VERY parallel with each other in this location. Being that the Newsday article is 1973, maybe this photo is; too?

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Great article. Really well written, thorough and concise. Well done Colleen.

Brian—so you are saying this picture is just WEST of Wantagh Ave? That would be Universe Drive directly ahead?

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Hi all. The location of the lower part of that picture look so familiar,but I can’t exactly say where it is.I recognize where the power lines are. Could it somewhere around Deadmans Curve,Stewart Ave or Wantagh Ave Bethpage,that’s my best guess?

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

I believe Brian is correct.  Wantagh Avenue facing east.  Both the bottom and top photos.
Top shows view from Wantagh Ave. bridge looking towards Hicksville Road and the Massapequa lodge.
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From Howard Kroplick:

Thanks, Tim. Images added above. Given the direction of the racer and the location of the Newbridge Hotel, I believe the direction of the top image is looking west.

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Hello all. I believe it was determined that the photo below the painting is just W/O Wantagh Ave. If you enlarge the photo, the Levittown substation is in the near distance to the right. Also, the steel towers that are on the south side of the ROW have been replaced with the present day steel poles. On the north side of the ROW , the wood poles that have 3 cross arms each have been replaced with the present day steel towers.
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From Howard Kroplick:

Brian, thanks!

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Great article. Is it possible that the Half Hollow Hills Library has retained some interesting information about the parkway? I’m sure you’ve already checked into that Howard.
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From Howard Kroplick:

Mike, they do have some files on the Motor Parkway.

From The Helck Family Memoirs: 1973 Newsday "What Ever Became of the Vanderbilt Parkway?" Updated 7/14/16

Identify the Vanderbilt Cup Race and the date of the photo:
1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race, October 8, 1904

Identify the location and the orientation of the photo:
Jericho Turnpike, Westbury (west of the Powells Lane intersection); view looking west

Identify three structures in the photo:
Grandstand on south side, Press/officials box on the north side, Hitchcock horse track on the north side.  Is John Allen’s house in the photo on the southside, too?

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

Looking West down Jericho Tpke at the grandstands, press box, start/stop line during the VCR of Oct 8th, 1904.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

This looks like the start / finish area of the first Vanderbilt Cup Race taken on October 8, 1904. It looks like the photographer was looking west on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury between Powells Lane and Hitchcock Lane. In addition to the grandstand on the south side of Jericho and the press box / officials’ stand on the north side, there is also Thomas H. Hitchcock’s one mile horse race track on the right beyond the fence. Also, I believe the building in the center past the grandstand could be the barn on the Baltazzi property.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

October 6, 1904
Looking west on the Jericho Tpke. Between Powell’s Lane and Hitchcock Drive
1. Grandstand on left (south side of roadway)
2.  Press box on right
3.  Fence on right is the location of Tommy Hitchcock’s horse track.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

Wild guessing this week, 1- looking west, 2-could be belmont race track on right, 3- 1904 VCR Race looking west on Hemp Tpke. Belmont park opened 1905.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

1904.  Jericho Tkpe looking west from the south side of the road, just east of the start finish line, at what is today Powells Ln.  I can see the grandstand, the press box, and the horse racing track in the estate behind the fence.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: A Unique View of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand

Frank Femenias…..Thank you, sir, for the appreciation.  It was nice to be reassured the research was sound, however I’ve just ordered the book which was mentioned by Howard.  One can never have too much information….or photos to compare.

One other item which relates to the Vanderbilt Cup is the Savannah course was used the next year for the 1911 Vanderbilt Cup.  Which I guess could be called the first “second generation” Vanderbilt Cup as it was no where near Long Island.

Chuck

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: The #31 Falcar Driven by Hughie Hughes at the 1910 Savannah Challenge Race

In June 2010, I had submitted a research question concerning whether anyone had an information about the 1902 Curved Dash Oldsmobile that was placed over the front entrance to the Museum.  No comments were sent back to my question since that time.  I see from this note about the special Hampton’s Evening that discussed prior friends, family, and employees were present at the gathering.  Would it be possible to forward my comment directly to those in attendance that may have some knowledge about the Olds over the Museum entrance?  I would greatly appreciate any help that you could lend.  Thank you in advance for your assistance.

From A Very Special Hamptons Evening and Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

It’s so appropriate that this bridge is in the bethpage restoration. The whole place revolves around going back in time and tucked in the back corner of the place (some of the people that work there didn’t even know about it) is the first paved road and one of the two bridges left in Nassau. Hopefully Nassau cty will appoint landmark status to this bridge as it has to old courthouse road.

If you’ve never been to this location you have to go. When you go here for the first time you get goose bumps.

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure” XI: Old Bethpage Bridge

What happened to the contents of the museum?
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From Howard Kroplick

Ron, documents and photos were donated to the Henry Ford Museum.

http://www.dalnet.lib.mi.us/henryford/docs/HenryAustinClarkJrPapers_Accession1764.pdf

From A Very Special Hamptons Evening and Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Difficult indeed. Was looking in all the wrong places for the balcony. Nice thorough info on racer and track, correcting the long mislabeled photo. Good mystery Chuck.

From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: The #31 Falcar Driven by Hughie Hughes at the 1910 Savannah Challenge Race