Vanderbilt Cup Races

When I went to the funeral home I spoke to Bryan Johnson “what is the future of the museum?” he indicated, unsure? Well I think that it should to be a new goverment/private museum built at a new nicer location, maybe a family member as a curator of the collection?

From A Grandson's Video: In loving memory of Martin L. Himes

Get well soon Howard!

From Mystery Friday Foto #46; The 1906 Grandstands Under Construction

great video thank you.

From A Grandson's Video: In loving memory of Martin L. Himes

If the 1906 grandstand location is correct, the photographer is looking west alongside Jericho Tpke between Hitchcock and Powells Lanes. The Press Box would be located across Jericho Tpke in an 80 acre lot, I believe once used for horses. Today the lot is the Queen of Peace Cemetery. 1906 VCR occurred on Oct 6, 1906, so photo is dated approximately Aug 1906

From Mystery Friday Foto #46; The 1906 Grandstands Under Construction

Awesome!!!! When is the pizza party? Love it can’t wait to see it. Congratulations and Happy Thanksgiving JeRita

From Updated 12/7/2023: A Slice of Automotive History- a 1984 Tritan A2 Aerocar #5 is coming to the Waterfront at Roslyn Collection

Would like to order a pizza half meatball and half sausage.  Please deliver at your convenience

From Updated 12/7/2023: A Slice of Automotive History- a 1984 Tritan A2 Aerocar #5 is coming to the Waterfront at Roslyn Collection

Cool, can’t wait to see it in person
Congratulation on your purchase

From Updated 12/7/2023: A Slice of Automotive History- a 1984 Tritan A2 Aerocar #5 is coming to the Waterfront at Roslyn Collection

Guessing it’s the grandstand being built for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The surrounding area appears similar to Jericho Tpke looking west. More to come

From Mystery Friday Foto #46; The 1906 Grandstands Under Construction

Able to fit this in your ‘Black Beast’ garage? It’s pack as is?

From Updated 12/7/2023: A Slice of Automotive History- a 1984 Tritan A2 Aerocar #5 is coming to the Waterfront at Roslyn Collection

Looks like they are building the main grandstand for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race.  The photographer is facing west and we also see the press box being built on the right.  Since we also know what direction the racers drove in, we know the orientation of the photographer.  The picture was probably taken in August or September of 1906.  The property across from the construction was the Hitchcock estate and is now a cemetery.

From Mystery Friday Foto #46; The 1906 Grandstands Under Construction

Looking forward to seeing this in person!

From Updated 12/7/2023: A Slice of Automotive History- a 1984 Tritan A2 Aerocar #5 is coming to the Waterfront at Roslyn Collection

Actually, there are two structures under construction: the grandstand for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury and the associated press box / officials stand across the street in Old Westbury. Since the grandstand was on the south side of Jericho Turnpike, the photographer was facing west when he took the photo, probably in September, 1906. Behind the officials stand was the property of Thomas Hitchcock (Broad Hollow Farm) with its one mile horse track. Today, the Hitchcock property is the site of Queen of Peace Cemetery.

From Mystery Friday Foto #46; The 1906 Grandstands Under Construction

Hi, thanks for your interesting info about these plates. You mention that there are only about 90 known. New total is 92. I recently purchases two of the 1931 style plates.
thank You,
John Daino .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

From Updated: My Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate Collection (11/7/2025)

Thank you, Howard, for this look at a great book-find at Hershey! Looks like that’s starter Fred Wagner putting himself “on the line” waving in Louis Wagner as #10 raced over the finish line, in 1906. See Fred’s story at “Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races—Fred Wagner—Rediscovered in Smithtown” on VCR at https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s

From A 1906 Souvenir Scrapbook sold at the 2023 Hershey RM Auction

Greg, Actually, there was a vehicle adapted for delivery of pizza back in the day. In the 1960’s it was known as the Ferrari Breadvan. Earlier, much earlier, my Uncle Alfa, ( I was named after him),  had adapted one for pizza delivery insulating the cabinet section. With:  MOMMA MIA PIZZERIA on both sides, he had it painted red with a white stripe down the middle and had a decal of a prancing horse on the hood signifying speedy delivery.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge

Greg, I think we’re onto something!

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge

Just came across this bizarre website. Please accept me in this group! :D

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge

Art-
The Black Beast, while good for delivering milkshakes cold and well-shaken, might not be as good as a pizza delivery vehicle as there is no room for a pizza-warming oven. The speed of the Beast is problematic as well as the cheese tends to slide around on hairpin turns. Joe Tracy did have a patent for his ‘anti-cheese slide device’ fitted to the #7 Locomobile in 1905, but was deemed unsuitable when a spectator was severely burned by flying cheese on the Westbury turn.

However, there may be other cars better suited for pizza delivery. Maybe one day Howard can address this glaring hole in the car collection and find something, anything, that might be perfect for getting pizza to the masses in under 30 minutes.

Any ideas Howard?

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge

Art, ah yes, the famous chicken story. I was saving that for my next book on the Parkway, so… short story version now. At Deepdale Vanderbilt maintained large flocks of show fowl. His chickens won many awards. It was the dream of many chickens to be part of that fame. Unable to enter the Parkway at the entrance gates, ( no animals allowed), they would secretly “cross” the Parkway trying to get to Deepdale and sneak into the coops. It became such a problem that Vanderbilt opened a chicken facility in the Brookville/Muttontown area and… named the entrance road Chicken Valley Road hoping to draw chickens to this site. In fact ...Vanderbilt had flyers printed up highlighting this facility and had lodge keepers hand them out to chickens that showed up at the lodges.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge

Thanks Al, now we have the “real” story!  But I’m still trying to find out why the chicken crossed the Motor Parkway.  Maybe it was trying to find out what road was Vander-“built”!  I knew there’s a connection between Howard and pizza!  Maybe the Black Beast or one of Howard’s other cars could be used to deliver pizza these days!  You never know!

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Approaching the Merrick Ave. Bridge