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
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
The 60’s had lots of “M’s defining the decade:
* the M&M boys
* Murray the Kay
* Martha & the Vandellas
* Mustangs
Great video, thanks.
Rich
From The 1965 Mustang Assembly Plant, Martha & the Vandellas and Murray the K
I enjoyed the event immensely to learn more about Mr. Clark from family and friends. While I frequently went to the track in Bridgehampton in the mid-60’s, I missed the opportunity to explore the Museum in its heyday. I never knew the connection between the track and Mr. Clark (he was a founding board member) so let’s hope Mr. Kroplick’s next history will focus on the race track.
Is there any source to identify all the cars that passed through the Museum and their current whereabouts?
From A Very Special Hamptons Evening and Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
Thank you to Howard for making this a Mystery Foto and Ariejan for the verification and extended background information on what was a difficult foto. It took the balcony of the S/F tower for me to start putting the puzzle together or I might still be scratching my head.
From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: The #31 Falcar Driven by Hughie Hughes at the 1910 Savannah Challenge Race
From Ariejan Bos (Netherlands)
The scene shows the Falcar #31 of the English driver Hugh ‘Hughie’ Hughes with mechanician Armsburger during the 1910 Savannah Challenge Trophy. This race for cars with piston displacements between 231 and 300 ci was held on November 11,1910 the day before the American Grand Prize, and was run on the same course. The race was run concurrently with the Tiedeman Trophy (for cars with piston displacements between 161 and 230 ci), but started an hour earlier due to the difference in racing distance. Hughes would finish on third place.
The race was won by Joe Dawson in a Marmon. The link with the Vanderbilt Cup is that Hughes would compete in the 1912 Vanderbilt Cup, in which he ended on 2nd place. He also started in the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup, finishing on 9th place.
From Mystery Foto #25 Solved: The #31 Falcar Driven by Hughie Hughes at the 1910 Savannah Challenge Race
Howard,
I’m so sorry I couldn’t attend the event in honor of Austin Clark last Thursday due to a previous commitment. Looking at those terrific photos brought back a number of memories of him. I used to make numerous trips to his museum. I never got tired of seeing all those wonderful autos, the NY to Paris Thomas Flyer in particular.
Roger
From Walter McCarthy Collection: A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr.
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