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
Used to stop by and visit Ledge when was restoring the Renault.
From The Vintage Automobiles of the 80th Anniversary of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Regarding my submission yesterday, I’ve indicated the date of the photo to be Jan. 26, 1928 based on an initial id of the photo. However, additional material submitted to Howard indicates the photo may have been taken on Jan. 23, 1928 as that appears to be the date Chamberlin took off and landed on Stewart Avenue. In any case, it was taken within that time frame.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
I enjoy your “stuff” THANKS I worked at the L.I.auto museum and austie had a lot of relics,but also had a nice collection of fords,maybe 10 or so.his many books of autos and repair manuals are at the ford museum. His back barns and attic in the museum were full of parts,some he sold and some he kept.I raced with austie in the 1911 mercer at Bridgehampton in 1950.that car sold last year for 2.3 mil.I was very sorry when the museum closed,because many people will never no the amount of very nice old museum cars thanks Gene Martin
From The 2014 Ford Employee PDC Car and Truck Show: Three Mustang Prototypes Together for the First Time
Identify the road in which the airplane took off and later landed! Hint: It is not the Long Island Motor Parkway. - Stewart Avenue, Garden City
Identify the bridge seen in the background. - Roosevelt Field Motor Parkway Bridge
Identify the airplane. Hint: It was made on Long Island. - Sperry Messenger made in Farmingdale.
Identify the pilot of the airplane. Hint: Several months before this flight, he was the first person to fly across the Atlantic with a passenger. Second Hint: The pilot was a rival to Charles Lindbergh for the Orteig Prize. - Clarance Chamberlin who found the plane in a Sperry warehouse in Farmingdale.
Bonus: Identify the date of the photo and the reason for this unusual flight. January 26, 1928. Chamberlin was testing the ability of the Sperry Messenger to take-off and land from almost anywhere without the need for a long runway. He planned to take a cross country trip lecturing about the applicability of the small plane. Also, he had never before flown the plane.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
That’s Clarence Chamberlain in his Sperry “Messenger” aeroplane taking off from Clinton Road in Garden City, next to Curtiss Field. (Not sure why he didn’t use the airport) The date is January 24, 1928 and Chamberlain was on his way to Allentown, PA for the start of a 30,000 mile air / lecture tour. The plane was one of about 50 Messengers built by Sperry at their Farmingdale plant between 1920 and 1926. Chamberlain’s plane was an early version and was about 8 years old at the time. The bridge in the background is probably the LIMP going over the LIRR mainline just north of Old Country Road.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
Happy Easter everyone! It’s Saturday night, and refuse to do anymore research on this during Easter and afterwards( Vacation). Here is my best guess:
What LI rd did biplane take off/land on? Facing east on Stewart Ave.
Bridge in background? Roosevelt Field Motor Pkwy bridge. LIMP is running east and west underneath. Connecting rd south to Stewart Ave, and north into Roosevelt Field.
Identify airplane? Not sure what make. Biplane, could be a Curtiss training type.
Identify pilot? I’m going to say Clarence Chamberlin. He’s the first pilot to make a transatlantic flight with PASSENGER ( Charles A Levine). They performed this flight on 6/4/1927, departure from Roosevelt Field. It was about 2 weeks after Mr. Lindberghs transatlantic SOLO flight. Mr. Lindbergh won the Orteig prize. Mr. Chamberlin also wanted to win the prize, but Mr. Levine cancelled out Mr. Bertaud as Mr. Chamberlins co-pilot. A court injuction disallowed their airplane to fly ( Wright-Bellanca WB-2). So, Mr. Lindbergh was next in line.
Mystery photo date and purpose of flight? My best guess is fall or early winter ( several months after Mr. Chamberlins/Mr. Levines own transatlantic flight, looks to be those seasons anyway). Noone would usually utilize a main rd for take offs or landings, maybe this was for publicity.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
I need to revise my previous answer. I found the NY Times article from Jan. 24 1928, dating the photo at Jan 23rd of Chamberlin beginning a 30,000-mile lecture and air tour.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
Great photo!
Identify the road in which the airplane took off and later landed!
Taking off heading West on Stewart Ave. Garden City
Identify the bridge seen in the background.
Roosevelt Field LIMP bridge
Identify the airplane.
Sperry Messenger plane
Identify the pilot of the airplane.
Clarence Duncan Chamberlin (November 11, 1893 – October 30/31, 1976)
Bonus: Identify the date of the photo and the reason for this unusal flight.
January 26 1928 The photo was dated but I can’t seem to find the definitive purpose of the flight. Maybe Chamberlin was testing the Sperry for the army along Mitchel on Stewart. Still searching…
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
View is looking east down Stewart Avenue in Garden City in 1928.
Clarence Chamberlin was giving it a test run after hauling it out of the possible scrap heap at the Curtiss factory down the read. The plane, a Sperry Messenger, 20 HP with a 20 foot wing span, took off and landed successfully on Stewart Avenue and was taken over to Roosevelt Field where Chamberlain took for for an engagement in Pennsylvania..
The bridge in the photo is the LIMP bridge to Roosevelt Field over the LIMP.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
Congratulations, Howard! Another one-of-kind American classic to add to your collection. Can’t wait to go for a spin…
From 1963 Ford Mustang III 2-Seater Concept Show Car Finds a New Home on Long Island
I can only guess that it is a road running perpendicular (possibly taking off north due to the shadows) to the motor parkway, and the bridge is definitely a Motor Parkway bridge. An old doctor at the hospital i work at told me that when he was a kid in Lake Success, Planes used to take off and land on open roads and fields if they had a problem. His father was a mechanic and him and his son would help the pilot and get the plane back up to the air. This could be anywhere but since its from the Garden City Archives I would guess this is in Nassau County where a road runs north roughly 90 degrees looking south to the Motor Parkway, and the shadows being short may suggest early afternoon.
From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved:Clarence D. Chamberlin Taking Off from Stewart Avenue in 1928
I’m glad everyone had some fun with the Smith photo. Learning something new at least once a week keeps the old grey matter working.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Time for a bigger garage Howard? Glad to see such a beautiful part of our American automobile history preserved by someone as dedicated as yourself.
From 1963 Ford Mustang III 2-Seater Concept Show Car Finds a New Home on Long Island
Greg - sorry about that! Good one, Steve.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Very good, Art. I know this is all in fun. But there’s some comfort knowing that I’m not the only one who had a hard time with this. I live near the Sachem Public library. They have a well organized history room. And even though I didn’t solve this mystery, it’s never a wasted visit to the library.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Geez Steve, you and Art really know how to bring a guy’s average down!!
I was on the right track with his ‘action’ but couldn’t come up with his name anywhere. Great photo this week!
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Howard, nice addition to the growing collection…...Enjoy it !
From 1963 Ford Mustang III 2-Seater Concept Show Car Finds a New Home on Long Island
This gentlemans face has been haunting me since Friday. Either I did’nt research this enough or too much, I’m just not coming up with anything. I perused various Patchogue history books at the library, in addition to internet searching. It’s possible that I came across his name, but not any of the photos I came across resembled him. It’s a mystery to me, Steve.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Can’t be Stewart who passed away in 1876, and not August Belmont. Good one Steve.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
Stumped again,, I’ll guess RR man Alexander Turney Stewart
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: New York Supreme Court Justice Wilmot Moses Smith (1852-1906)
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