Vanderbilt Cup Races

Kleiner’s Korner documentation to be sent to Howard separately.
- Where was this Motor Parkway sign located?
I believe it was near Clinton Road and/or Old Country Road in Garden City adjacent to the Hempstead Plains Aviation Field (i.e., Moisant Field, Curtiss Field, Hazelhurst Field, Roosevelt Field).

-Where was the arrow on the sign pointing to?
The Garden City Toll Lodge and the Motor Parkway entrance.

-What is the likely year of the photo?
The toll was reduced to $1 in 1917 so anywhere around that time.  Probably no later than 1920.

-What was the Wright Flying Field and who owned it?
The Wright Flying Field was 665 acres of the Hempstead Plains leased from I believe the above mentioned Hempstead Plains Avaition Field.  Among other users, the US Govt. used it for training of aviators and testing of Army machines.  It was originally owned by the Wright Company (i.e., Wright Brothers) of Dayton, Ohio but when that company merged with The Glenn L. Martin Company it fell under new leadership.  The connection (at least one I’ve found) between the Wright Company and the Motor Parkway/Vanderbilt Cup Race is found with Harry Payne Whitney being a director of the Wright Company (and later the merged company), a 1st VP of the Motor Parkway and a judge of the 1909 Cup Race.

-What automobile company was owned by the parent company of the flying field?
The Wright Company bought the Simplex Automobile Company in order to control the manufacture of a high quality aeronautic motor, which it believes was similarly accomplished in the Simplex’ manufacture of automobile engines. 

-How was this automobile company linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
Simplex autos raced in the 1904, 1909 and 1910 races (two in 1910).  Unfortunately none finished high in the results.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

1920, intersection of Clinton Rd and Old Country Road looking SE, pre Curtiss Flying Field, Motor Pkwy sign is pointing south at Clinton Rd, towards the Garden City Lodge entrance on Vanderbilt Court. God bless us all, everyone!

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

There was indeed a tunnel of sorts under the main straight. I posted a photo of my wife and brother exiting the infield side of the tunnel during the Double 500 race in the early 1960s. Go to http://www.bridgehamptonraceway.com and check the old photos section where you will find a link to several photos of the track I had taken in the 60s

From Summary of Saturday Searches

This is a wild guess, but I’ll take a crack at it. The minute I saw he picture. I said to myself . that has to be Route 109 in Farmingdale by Republic Airport, it’s a straight road and there’s an open field, perfect for a airport. What’s with the sign? it’s not facing the road, It’s pointing to the Motor Parkway, I’m assuming. I also see 1 or 2 early 1900 cars that were involved in a Vanderbilt Cup Race, but don’t remember which one

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

My uneducated best guess is that this is the entrance to Roosevelt Field (Curtiss Field) at the corner of Old Country Road and Clinton Avenue. The Motor Parkway sign would be pointing south toward the toll gate entrance further south on Clinton Ave. Couldn’t guess the car affiliation, but the year is probably in the late teens to early 20s when the price of toll went down from 2 bucks to $1.50, now $1.00.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

Nice shot! Great to see the never before seen photos. More info to inspect and gather of this significant event of Long Island history.
Thank you Ron for pointing out the plate. Didn’t know about Nassau and Suffolk but I do remember in the 60s-70s, the city plate’s boroughs were identified by letters in the first position: Q-Queens, B-Brooklyn, X-Bronx, .... This photo was fun. Thanks to all!

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

Howard:  Another great presentation by and most enjoyable !!!!!!

                  Cheers and Best !!!!  Cordially,  Ron

From Two Videos: Mission to Cuba and The Classic Cars of Cuba

Hi Sam III. My first driving experiences were also unforgettable. Good times! I’m sending Howard 2 pics of the SSP around that time and hope it brings back good memories. Frank

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

Great photo! A dollar per day, wow. When you think about it, the lodgekeepers and others employed to maintain the parkway probably spent their careers doing it. The stories they would have to share.

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

With the gentleman (gatekeeper?) standing next to the Pembroke Estate entrance, you can appreciate just how large the gate structure is. With the updated photo of just the gates, they appeared to be leaning against an old tree trunk. And the large chain probably just keeping the gates together, maybe secured to the old trunk? However these were stolen, it could’nt have been a quiet event. Some type of crane or forklift was probably used to get them on a bed of a truck, etc. Cutting the gates in smaller sections would’ve taken too much time/effort.If the thieves are never found, you would hope the gates would be renovated anyway. I wish you luck, Mr DiStefano.

From Summary of Saturday Searches

Hi Howard and ALL:  The license plate appears to read as:

                    1 R 3 7 - 1 or 4 ?      which is a Nassau County issue and perhaps
owned by the Damiano’s in a posed photo…...The Auto appears to a   Model A Ford.
                                Ron

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

These comments reminded me of my earliest driving on Southern State in my ‘39 Chrysler in 1950 when the speed limit was all of 35mph!  All the LI parkway gas stations were open and there were NO dividers!  Sam (I’m SOOOO old!), III

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

I remember my first visit to The Bridge in 1979.  The tunnel was just a concrete culvert.  It disappeared in 1980-81.  Arents turn was named after the first racer to crash there.  George Arents.

From Saturday Search Findings: A Map of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit

The DPL digital collection is like a treasure hunt. This beautiful picture shows Willie Haupt and his mechanician Lindquist on their 6 cylinder Chadwick passing Ellison Railroad Bridge during the Vanderbilt Cup race of 1908. Although they completed the race, they finished 10th and last.

From Mystery Foto #98 Solved:The #4 Chadwick on the Ellison Road RR Bridge During 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race with William Haupt driving the #4 Chadwick 60hp, the first supercharged racer, on top of the Ellison Ave RR bridge in Westbury. Mechanician: Lindquist. Looks like the rear wheels have just begun to go airborne. The current bridge is being replaced for some astronomical amount, that’s already been covered by Howard. http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/newsday_lirr_bridge_replacement_proposed_in_westbury

From Mystery Foto #98 Solved:The #4 Chadwick on the Ellison Road RR Bridge During 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Oh, my!  Old memories are flooding back.  I seem to remember manual overdrive on someone else’s ‘31-32 Imperial 8 and automatic overdrive like yours on one or more of Dad’s late 30’s Dodges, both with that choke-like knob (he switched to Chrysler in 1941 for the Vacamatic tranny with Fluid Drive).  Sam, III

From The 1937 Chrysler Automatic Overdrive

From Cathy Ball:

Great Map! Thanks!

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

-Identify the Vanderbilt Cup Race
1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

-Identify the race car, the driver and mechanician
#4 Chadwick, driven by William Haupt and mechanician Linquist.  Finished 10th.

-Identify the location in the Mystery Foto.
Ellison Avenue bridge, Westbury.

See Kleiner’s Korner documentation.

From Mystery Foto #98 Solved:The #4 Chadwick on the Ellison Road RR Bridge During 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Awesome map Howard. I was expecting to see a proposed highway slipping through Fire Island as well but to no avail. Looking at all the current proposed projects already on the map, Moses must’ve had his plate full and Fire Island was not thought of yet.

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

I grew up in Rockville Centre during the late 20’s and early 30’s and was familiar with “newness” of Southern State Parkway. Married and moved to one of Abe Levitt’s last homes built in Wantagh while working in Manhattan, Rockville Centre and Oyster Bay, so drove some of those early Moses efforts frequently.

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways