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
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Recent Comments
also behind the hill on the left would be the tops of the LIRR central line telegraph poles.
From Mystery Foto #80 Solved: The East Embankment of the Wantagh Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in the 1950s
sorry…looking WEST from Jerusalem Avenue
From Mystery Foto #80 Solved: The East Embankment of the Wantagh Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in the 1950s
Pre Levittown, The remains of the Long Island Aviation Club Hangar looking east from Jerusalem Avenue Levittown, in the 1940s when the power lines took over the ROW. also former site of the Press Box during the Motor Parkway days is my guess.
From Mystery Foto #80 Solved: The East Embankment of the Wantagh Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in the 1950s
i happen to live on the oldest paved road in the united states LI MOTOR PKWY
From Video "An Evening with Marty Himes"
Off hand, this event looks much like the beginning of the new Ground Breaking Ceremony for the reborn Long Island Motor Parkway. Except this time it’s in Queens! This cant be missed.
From Hear the Black Beast Roar this Sunday at the Motor Parkway East Walk/Ride in Queens
Enjoyed that video. Now I’ll be going back to the museum again to see what I missed last time and I’m sure he’ll have something new to show us, knowing him. he always finds something to do with racing
From Video "An Evening with Marty Himes"
I’ll be going on Sunday. I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be a nice day. Hope to see most of you at the Queens Greenway
From Hear the Black Beast Roar this Sunday at the Motor Parkway East Walk/Ride in Queens
Too tired this weekend to do more investigating than this. Location analysis done with the help of historicmapworks.com (will send documentation to Howard).
Construction of Bethpage Parkway is shown on the left of the photo. At the bottom it meets Merritts Road that turns up in the middle of the photo. The Parkway meets Hempstead/Bethpage Turnpike at the top where it ends (at least at that time). Streets going out from Merritts may be Yoakum or Fallwood Parkway, also Cusick or even Motor Avenue which intersect with Heissers Lane. Merritts also meets Fulton and Conklin (the latter actually another name for Hempstead/Bethpage Turnpike).
Railroads running from left to right and somewhat to the top of the photo would be the LIRR Main Line and the Central Railroad. The intersection these lines was called the Bethpage Junction.
Golf Course would be the Bethpage courses that opened in 1932 and 1935.
Villages include Central Park on the left most part of the photo above the end of the Bethpage Parkway, Bethpage and Farmingdale in the middle of the photo just below the train lines.
Significance to the Motor Parkway would be the Powell Avenue Bridge and Nibbe Farm Bridge and the Bethpage Lodge (probably more too). I imagine the Vanderbilt Race would have run on some of the parkway in this area.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
In regard to my answers to the latest mystery photo, I could be wrong about the “framework” that looks to be extending over the Central Ext and Hempstead Tpke. It seems to be a trestle under construction? Whatever it is, it looks impressive.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
There’s quite a bit of action in this aerial. We’re looking north at Bethpage and Farmingdale. The importance of the LIMP and the 1908 VCR would be the portion of the LIMP that is seen from Central Ave north to Plainview Rd, which was constructed in time for the 1908 race. The raillines seen are the mainline, the Central ROW is evident enough, the Central Ext east of Merrits Rd is clear( pretty sure that’s the framework for the future trestle over Hempstead Tpke and Merrits) Also, the siding that ran north to the brickyard is evident. BSPkwy is being built. Then we have Hempstead Tpke, Merrits Rd, and Rte 109 ; I think. You can see Merrits joining Central Ave and Quaker Meeting House Rd, then north to Round Swamp Rd. Last,but not least; Bethpage State Park and Golf Course.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
That is South Farmingdale looking north to Farmingdale and also Bethpage to the far left. The prominent, wide roadway on the left is the Bethpage Parkway from the intersection of Merritt Road (the roadway running straight up in the center) extending to Hempstead Turnpike.
Bethpage State Park is seen in the distance, as can a bit of the Motor Parkway at Deadman’s Curve.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
This photo looks like a view of the Farmingdale / Bethpage area looking north. Bethpage Parkway is under construction in the lower left area. Merrit Road runs north-south in the center. The LIRR Main Line runs east-west through the center with the Central branch going off to the southeast and the Bethpage spur branching off to the northeast. The Hempstead Turnpike (Conklin Ave.) bridge over Bethpage Parkway appears to be completed at the left edge. I assume that’s Bethpage Golf Course at the top. While difficult to see, the LIMP is in the upper left area and this section was used in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
I remember coming across these abutments in the mid 80’s. The forman said they were the “remains of the old motor pkwy”. And from that my interest grew. Now I’m ready to tackle the latest mystery photo.
From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #49: The Botto Farmway Bridge in Old Bethpage
I saw Bethpage in one of the closeups, where deadmans curve goes north and across to bethpage park, this photo is a little tricky ... good one
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
Hi Howard,This is Joseph DeBono. The Botto bridge abutments where the only thing standing in the mid 1960’s Keep up the good work
From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #49: The Botto Farmway Bridge in Old Bethpage
You were right, I’m liking the aerial mystery foto this week!
The position is over South Farmingdale looking North. Bethpage (Central Park) in the upper left and Farmingdale on the right. Some of the roads pictured are; the Bethpage St. Pkwy under construction bottom left, Hempstead Tpke and it’s new bridge over the BSP, Fulton St., Merritts Rd vertically in the center. One of the nicest sections of the LIMP in Bethpage are in the upper left.
In the center of the photo is the convergence of the central and main railroad lines with the Bethpage State Park golf course just behind that.
I’ll assume the photo is relevant to the VCR due to the LIMP section seen between just about Central Ave to Plainview Rd was used during the 1908 races.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
Just let you all know that Americarna is on Velocity Channels tonight at 6-9pm, then again at 11-12
From Video of the Week: Velocity Channel's new Series "AmeriCarna"
In the 40s and early 50s my older sister and I along with our girl friends hiked, picked berries and played in that area. We thought we had discovered the tree covered road which was obviously no longer used. We believed it was the old Vanderbilt highway, parkway. For months we explored it in both directions never telling anyone for fear our parents would forbid us to go there. It seems rather remote at the time. Thanks for the photos. Brings back fun old memories.
From Motor Parkway Trails #2: Lake Success
Howard,
It would be cool to include here the video of the Black Beast roaring down the same stretch when you visited the students of the Great Neck school working on their project. Just a thought.
________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick:
Frank, great idea! See above.
From Motor Parkway Trails #2: Lake Success
From a new perspective, an aerial of Plainedge/Farmingdale/Bethpage looking North. Bethpage State Parkway in the bottom left corner under new construction. The Bethpage Bikeway will travel alongside and merge with the Long Island Motor Pkwy just north of the Bethpage Golf Course on top. Route 24, Hempstead Tpke (Conklin St) is crossing the bridge on the left edge over the BSP. Merritts Rd in the center. LIRR approaching the Central Ave LIMP Bridge, which is off the aerial on the left edge. This place has changed much throughout the past 80 years. At street level, it would be unrecognizable today.
From Mystery Foto #79 Solved: Bethpage State Parkway Under Construction In 1935
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