Vanderbilt Cup Races

It must be pretty near that time that it will be finished, if it’s not already, and for you to get it back to long island, no rush, but when? soon I hope

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle VII: Getting Primed For The Finish

As for this mystery, you’ll laugh, it’s a mystery to me, but I do say that racer is some kind of a car. To me it looks like it has a larger engine, which makes it a longer and it’s not chain driven

From Mystery Foto #56 Solved: Paul Sartori in Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's 250-HP Custom Built F.I.A.T.

From Ariejan Bos:

This magnificent photo shows Paul Sartori at the wheel of an 8-cylinder Fiat. The car was owned by Alfred G. Vanderbilt, a nephew of William K.. Built during the end of 1906 by Sartori and french engineer François Richard by combining two hugh 4-cylinder Fiat engines it was meant to break the 2 mile-a-minute record at Ormond-Daytona beach. The engine however suffered from severe mechanical trouble and the attempt was cancelled. Alfred Vanderbilt lost his interest and the car was scrapped. Sartori had raced previously a Fiat (also owned by Alfred Vanderbilt) in the 1904 and 1905 Vanderbilt Cup, but both times without success. Alfred Vanderbilt would die in 1915 on board of the Lusitania after it had been torpedoed by a German submarine: he had given his life vest to a woman with child and had never learned to swim ...

Regards,
Ariejan Bos

From Mystery Foto #56 Solved: Paul Sartori in Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's 250-HP Custom Built F.I.A.T.

I don’t know who that is, but amazing photo!

From Mystery Foto #56 Solved: Paul Sartori in Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's 250-HP Custom Built F.I.A.T.

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From Mystery Foto #56 Solved: Paul Sartori in Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's 250-HP Custom Built F.I.A.T.

John Mc Auliffe 7:34 AM

Another great great job, Howard.  Congrats!
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Janet Guthrie:

Loved the story about your book—lots of nostalgia from my years on Long Island, 1960-1975—wish I could be at your signing!
Best regards,
Janet Guthrie

From Newsday LI Life Cover Story: "Book about North Hempstead marks its 400th birthday"

Ron Ridolph 3:50 AM

Hi Howard:  CONGRATS and Nice job again and again !!!!

  You are the man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  Best Regards,  Cordially,  Ron

From Roslyn News: " The Rise of North Hempstead"

Joe Oesterle 11:14 PM

Bridge over N Wantagh Avenue, Massapequa Lodge is the giveaway.  Taken 1908, during construction.  Probably before the official opening in October.  The car belongs to the photographer.
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Greg Oreiro 9:33 AM

Standing on the Wantagh Ave parkway bridge looking East at the Massapequa lodge and the Hicksville Rd bridge in the distance. The date is September 1908.

The car appears to be the same Buick owned by the photographer who took the well-known photo used on the cover of the book taken on top of the Carmen Ave bridge.
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Art Kleiner 8:03 PM

Let’s give this a try:
Westbury Road Bridge with the Merrick Ave. Bridge and the Meadow Brook lodge on the left in the background.
1908
Car is used by a photographer.
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Ariejan Bos

This is Wantagh Avenue Bridge under construction. We are looking east towards the Massapequa Avenue Bridge, the Massepequa toll lodge can be seen on the left side along the road. On the right we see the LIRR. The date must be somewhere in August or September 1908 near completion of the LIMP. The Buick features on several photographs of the LIMP under construction, but doesn’t carry a (visible) license plate. It could belong to an inspector of the road construction company or maybe to a journalist checking the progress.
Of course as always thanks for your work and good luck with the upgrading process of the site!
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Tim Ivers 7:37 PM

Looking eastward from atop Wantagh Avenue bridge.  About 1908.  Massapequa Lodge on left of roadway at the Hicksville Road overpass.  Railroad on right running parallel to LIMP.  Now the power company ROW.  Vehicle belongs to photographer.  Path of LIMP is now the driveway entrance to the “decommissioned” 8th Precinct.

From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Wantagh Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

Michael Keller 1:32 PM

Strange front suspension suggests a Christie front wheel drive racer.

regards,
Michael from Switzerland
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R Troy 12:58 AM

I’ve no clue, but that is an amazing looking car!
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S. Berliner, III 1:48 AM

Wow, those tracks must have been rough on the tires!  ‘s a Christie!  ‘s all I know.  :·)  Sam, iII
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S. Berliner, III 1:53 AM

Oops!  Forgot to note that it was NOT during a race - look at those outfits, no goggles or helmets, and no hood on the car!  Test drive, I’d guess.  Sam, III

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Lee Stohr 10:30 AM

This is John Walter Christie’s #9 entry in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Elimination race.  Lewis Strang was his mechanician.  I’ve seen the photo in an album in Austin Clark’s files at the Henry Ford.  After Christie wrecked his main entry in practice, he used this car in the Elimination Race and the main event.  Notice number 9 on the front of the car.  I doubt the photo was taken during the race, because neither Walter or Strang are wearing their goggles or racing jackets.  Date must be about September 22, but I can’t be positive.  I can’t identify the street but I’m sure you can Howard!
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Walter McCarthy 11:25 AM

Christie front engine race car.
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Walter McCarthy 11:42 AM

It was the 1906 race and it did not finish.  It was driven by Christie himself for I think 7 laps.
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Greg O. 10:00 PM

Here goes my best guesses;

-Identify the manufacturer and model year for this racer.
  1905 FWD Christie

-Identify the driver and mechanician

  (John) Walter Christie and Nephew and future driver Lewis Strang

-Was the photo taken during a race? Explain your reasoning.

  Doesn’t look like it. Possible practice run for the 1906 elimination trials after the larger car was wrecked? There does not appear to be any number on the car, (other than maybe a faint ‘9’ from another competition?) and they are not wearing goggles or proper racing attire.

-What is the date of the photo?

  September 1906

-Where was this photo taken? The back of the original photo included a descriptive caption.

  Unsure about the mystery bulding. Maybe the grade crossing at Jericho Tpke for the LIRR Oyster Bay branch? -Although the Pickering photos of the crossing look different. IU Willets didn’t have any large buildings, and Old Westbury Rd was not a grade crossing… Hmmmm.
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From Mystery Foto #55 Solved: Walter Christie Driving the #9 Christie in Mineola on September 21,1906

Joe Oesterle 1:27 AM

LIMP, Clinton Ave, Roosevelt Field.
Structures include LIMP Bridge over Clinton, Garden City Toll Lodge, Managers House, along with buildings and hangers for the airfield.
I can only guess the year.  Prior to 1938.  My guess is the parkway is still open during this picture.  -joe
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Lee 10:46 AM

Roosevelt Field Airport
Glen Cove Rd (On left) heading north
Vanderbilt Parkway Bridge and Toll Crossing over Glen Cove Road
Old Country Road East-West (Top of Picture)
Earlier than 1920 (guess)
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Tim Ivers 11:52 AM

Clinton Road bridge, Garden City, looking north.
Curtiss Field at top right.
Garden City toll lodge and parkway manager’s office buildings at bottom
below parkway to right of Clinton Road.  Bridge was one of a few built
with 3 lanes under it.
About 1930.
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steve lucas 10:41 PM

This photo sure looks like East Garden City looking north with the LIMP going west to east in the foreground and the bridge going over Clinton Road. The confusing part is trying to establish the date. The Garden City lodge looks like it is still under construction (no porte-cochere built yet) so that would make it 1911. But the general manager’s office is there and that wasn’t built until 1915. Also, I believe the large complex north of the LIMP is the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Co. but I thought that was built a little later. All very confusing.
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Edith 6:58 AM

Mitchell Field
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Greg O. 10:15 AM

I actually have this exact photo in my collection from looking for answers to the very similar picture/vantage point of mystery photo #2 last year.

Looking North, it’s Hazelhurst/Curtiss/Roosevelt Field alongside of Clinton Ave. The Clinton Ave bridge, Garden City lodge, and LIMP office are seen South of the field. Mystery photo #2 was 1927. In this photo, there is to be more hangar development, but still no runway. Since it appears to be the first LIMP office, my guess for this photo has always been 1929 and the office was rebuilt/replaced shortly thereafter.
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Michael Appice 4:08 PM

This weeks photo is Roosevelt Feild. The hangers are at the top of the photo and the various shops are in the left of the photo The left side bottom of the photo is the Glen Cove Rd.  Motor Parkway bridge with the toll house to the right of the bridge. Since theres a grass field and it looks like a Model T in front of the building i think the photos date is around 1920
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Ted 3:03 AM

Here’s another mystery that I can’t figure out, but only can guess at. Looking through the photos I found some possible areas it could be which is Roosevelt Raceway, Rock Hill Toll Lodge, Fresh Meadows and Commonwealth Blvd all in the late 1920s to the early 1950s. Can’t tell you exact detals
Feb 03 2014 Bob Miller 12:14 PM

That’s the curve over clinton road, Garden City.  That was the only 3 support highway bridge I know about.  The office and Toll Lodges are also in the photo.
Looks Great.
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Bob Miller 12:16 PM

Correction on my comment.  It had 2 supports and 3 bays over the roadway.  Sorry about that.  Don’t know the date, but it does look ca WW I to me.
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From Rich Carlsen:
“Can the mystery photo be that of Mitchell Field?”
Feb 03 2014 Howard Kroplick 7:55 PM
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From Jon Shapiro
“Farmingdale, NY, Republic Aircraft Corporation - 1941”

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From Art Kleiner:
“The date of the photo is stressing me out more than it should.  Office might be the original which will throw my original reasoning out the window.

Location - Roosevelt Field, Garden City (Old Country Road, Clinton Road, LI Motor Parkway)
Structures - Motor Parkway Clinton Road Bridge, Garden City Lodge and Office, hangers, barracks, water tower.
Date - either early 1940s (new barracks and water tower) or pre-1929 (original office)?

Attached is the 1940 census roll showing the occupants of the lodge (239 Clinton Rd) the Ernst family (value listed is $3,300) and the office (241 Clinton Rd, value of $9,000) occupied by the Whitten family.  Ernst is shown as a carpenter and Whitten has something to do with aeronautics.

Also attached is the property description for the office indicating it was built in 1929 and remodeled in 1939 and a 1946 Newsday article about an intruder.

Interesting again this week.”
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Frank 12:11 AM

Does anyone know what the lone structure is on the west side of Clinton Road (north of the bridge) in the 1926 photo?

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: Clinton Road, the Motor Parkway in Garden City and Curtiss Field Circa 1926

Ted 2:04 PM

That’s a real cool film, true to life
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Ken 4:32 PM

Thanks for posting that film.  It took me back to my teen years(I was 15 in 1953) when I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license and whatever kind of used car my parents would let me buy and work on.

Ken

From Film of the Week: "The Cool Hot Rod" (1953)

Ted 2:41 PM

Well, here goes nothing. I have 4 people that I can name. ! The starter Fred Wagner 2 the one and only William K Vanderbilt Jr.3 ACA Chairman Robert Morrell 4 AAA Counterpart Jefferson De Mont Thompson
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Feb 10 2014

From Ariejan Bos

My attempt to solve at least part of the latest Friday mystery:
Lots of moustaches, lots of guesses. But anyway I’ll make a try. We see of course Herb Lytle, driver of the Isotta. Was Jack Tattersall still his mechanician? Then of course W.K. Vanderbilt in the foreground, behind him with the big moustache Jefferson DeMont Thompson (chairman of the Vanderbilt Cup Commission). I have the impression that the man directly on Thompson’s left is F.H. Elliott, secretary of the Commission. Then it could be that the man somewhat further towards Elliotts left side (in the light rain coat) is Frank G. Webb, vice-chairman of the Commission. The man with the megaphone seems to be Fred Wagner and the man with the checquered flag: Joe Tracy??
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From Art Kleiner

Hi Howard - very good presentation on Sunday.  Great turn out and was glad to contribute to the Roslyn Historical Society.  Also looking forward to reading the new book!

Here are some people in Mystery Photo 54: (some I’m positive of, others not entirely sure)

Besides Herb Lytle:
His mechanician, Fehr
William K. Vanderbilt Jr.
Starter Fred Wagner
A.R. Pardington
Robert Graves
Jefferson DeMont Thompson, AAA Chairman
Robert Morrell, ACA Chairman ???
Sam Butler, ACA Secretary ???
Charles Dieges, Timing Expert ???
Hank Caldwell, Official ???
A.B. Tucker, Official ???
Robert P. Hooper ???

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From Sam Berliner III,

Ye cats and little (Lytle?) fishes, Howard!

Did you SEE who is the Commander of the Federation of American Motor Cyclsts, providing courier service?

None other than one E. L. Ovington - how about that being Earle Lewis Ovington, famed flyer who flew the first official U. S. airmail in 1911 from Garden City to MIneiola!

Louis N. Lanehart, M. D., was the course physician (“Chief Surgeon”) for 1906, NOT Dr. William Jackson Malcolm.

Dang!  Your mystery photo #53, which I know like the back of my hand, eluded my notice!  No wonder!  It only just came in now, with the other post.

By the way, dare I question you, le Mâitre?  I durst!  In your Krug’s Corner film, isn’t the 1906 photo at 1:58 of Willie “attempting to clear the course” actually the scene as he rushed the Lanehart to the fatal accident?
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Feb 12 2014 Ted 10:35 PM

I was really surprised that I got all three officials right. I was positive that Willy K was right, but wasn’t very sure about the other two. Thanks for the super congrats, that’s a first

From Mystery Foto #54 Solved: Officials of the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Ted 2:44 PM

I think I might have something on the film. Here goes Freeport Speedway, New York City, Indy Speedway and maybe Islip Speedway. I’m working on the photos know, then to the mystery. Catch you later

From Film of the Week: "Crazy Cars: 1906 -1950"

Jan 16 2014 Joe Oesterle 11:53 PM

Long Island Aviation Country Club.  Prominent, Charles Lindbergh.
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Jan 17 2014 TED 3:20 AM

Guess what? I think I know where Field Ave is, it’s between south oyster bay road and new south road, not far from where I life, I can walk their. I’m going to continue my search later on today and maybe I’ll find the house
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Jan 17 2014 Tim Ivers 9:40 AM

This house is one half of the clubhouse located on the old Hicksville Aviation
Country Club bordering the old Motor Parkway, and was frequented by many of thecelebrity aviators of the 30s and 40s;  Lindbergh, Earhart and many more.
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Jan 17 2014 Ted 5:24 PM

I found where the house is on Field Ave Hicksville, Most of the houses around there are fairly old, Now to get to the questions, Will be back.
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Jan 18 2014 Joseph DeBono 7:13 AM

Howard, This is Joseph DeBono ,The 51 Foto The half of the House is half of the club house of L I Aviation Country Club in Hicksville When it was off Jerusalem ave and the long island motor parkway keep up the good work
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Jan 19 2014 Greg O. 11:19 AM

I’m stumped and look forward to the answer, but from what I can see, my first, knee-jerk reaction was this is a lodge that was moved here. The left side of the house has the same lines as one of the original 3 Pope lodge porticos.
However, this current house in the picture, (3 Field Ave in Hicksville) was rebuilt sometime between 2000 and 2004 completely changing the look from the house that originally stood there from 1950. Looking at Historic Aerials, and past Google Earth images, from 1953 to 2000, the house’s footprint looks like it could have been parts of the Meadow Brook lodge, being that was the only lodge demolished within the proper time frame of this house being originally built.
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Jan 19 2014 Howard Kroplick 11:31 PM

From Art Kleiner

House (or part of the house) was originally part of the LI Aviation Club in Hicksville.  Found this by going past the house on Field Avenue yesterday.  Then searching the property cards on the Nassau County Tax Assessors website I found it noted (on the top of Field Avenue -1 attached) that the building was being renovated and another note saying “old dwelling, Hicksville Aviation Club”.  More notes (on the other pic) says the house was boarded up and the “interior was a mess of bldg. material & rubbish” - 1956, as per 1950.

Charles Lindbergh and his wife were frequent visitors during the 1930s (Mrs. Lindbergh got her pilot’s license there in 1931) and F. Trubee Davison, Asst. Sec. of War for Aeronautics attended at the club’s dedication in 1929.

Very interesting mystery photo this week.  Keep them coming!
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Jan 20 2014 Ted 3:03 AM

I don’t know, I can’t find anything, don’t know where to look anymore, no more ideas ,doing something wrong I guess, the hint didn’t even help. I did find the house and see it, that’s something anyway
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Jan 20 2014 Howard Kroplick 10:22 PM

From John Dinkel:
This one should not have been that difficult.  Anyone can see that this house is a shingle-wing design.

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Jan 20 2014 Ted 10:48 PM

Hay Greg at least we both knew where the house was and I actually saw it. Didn’t even know about the LI Aviation Club in Hicksville. One question for you Howard, where is the photos of the original location on Vanderbiltcupraces.com?
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Jan 20 2014 Ted 11:43 PM

Never mind Howard, I found it and have seen it before, didn’t remember there’s always next week.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: A Section of the Clubhouse of the Aviation Country Club of Long Island

From Ed Dooley:

Nuvolari is one of my favorite drivers in history and of his era. Always am intrigued by stories and accounts of their careers. The Cross Bay Speedway being one I was totally unaware of.
Many thanks,
Ed Dooley

From When Tazio Nuvolari Drove A Sprint Car In Ozone Park

From Joseph DeBono:

“The Mystery Foto #50 is the east side, in front of the Petit Trianon. The petit is to the right in the picture. Keep up the good work.”

From Mystery Foto #50 Solved: The Petit Trianon Driveway at Lake Ronkonkoma

From Frank Femenias:

“Congrats Howard, Sam Greco, and all involved in restoring this 100+ year old machine back to showroom condition. Fantastic work!”

From Hemmings: Alco Black Beast Featured in 2014 Classic Car Calendar and Jim Donnelly Honors

From Frank Feminas:

I’m guessing the Petit Trianon Inn’s circular driveway, the exit side on the north end of the structure. The arched windows resembles the Petit’s. We’re facing east at the hidden Lake Ronkonkoma in the back. Appears to be gas or oil for sale on the left of the picture as you exit. Based on the parked cars, I’d say we’re in mid ‘20s?  I see at least one Ford in the pic.

From Mystery Foto #50 Solved: The Petit Trianon Driveway at Lake Ronkonkoma

From Frank Feminas:

“Love the postcard series. Where to begin is right! Is “Lakewill”, Lakeville? And check out the low hanging high voltage lines near Roslyn House. A recipe for disaster, what were they thinking?”

From Vanderbilia Postcard Series #3. The Brooklyn Eagle Mineola Fair Post Cards of the 1906 Course

From Joe O:

“Possibly the S curve on Willis Av. Photographer may be on the NE corner looking east down IU Willets, though the course didn’t route that way, they turned at Willis and headed south towards Krugs. “

From Vanderbilia Postcard Series #3. The Brooklyn Eagle Mineola Fair Post Cards of the 1906 Course