Vanderbilt Cup Races

Amazing photo Al, thank you for posting this rare view of the bridge over NSP! I’ve finally seen what the scene looked like in action before my time!

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The Robert Moses' New Hyde Park Road Motor Parkway Bridge over Northern State Parkway

Parker practiced in Brooklyn for a while in a large building, but also brought his dentistry on the road.  Interesting coincidence regarding Painless Parker - In 1906 Parker had a yacht built that he named “Idalia” - the same name of the hurricane that the southeastern states (including my state, NC) just battled.  The yacht was still sailing until 1954 when it sank after leaving Honolulu.  Additional documentation being sent to Greg.

From Mystery Friday #35 Solved: The Maxwell-Briscoe 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Race Team Headquarters in Mineola

Maxwell team used this garage and house as their headquarters. 
1/4 mile before the start and finish line - Jericho Turnpike near Roslyn Road
1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race
All men were wearing a hat or cap
Painless Parker practiced unorthodox methods of dentistry and was known for his showmanship.  Pictured is credited to the Detroit Public Library, articles are from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Aug. 19, 1906, Sept. 2, 1906) 

From Mystery Friday #35 Solved: The Maxwell-Briscoe 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Race Team Headquarters in Mineola

First impression is we are looking at the building currently on Jericho Tpke, just east of Willis Avenue, on the north side.  The fencing means the race came through here.  Which I believe occurred in 1905 and 1906.  In 05 the race coming straight down Jericho from the west, in 06 there was a turn from Willis Ave. 

Looking at old over heads and maps trying to figure out where this garage was that you include.  And trying to identify that nice house behind the garage.  Yet undetermined.

From Mystery Friday #35 Solved: The Maxwell-Briscoe 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Race Team Headquarters in Mineola

This was used by the Maxwell racing team of the Maxwell-Briscoe Motor company.  This building is at 136 Jericho turnpike near Willis ave in Mineola and still stands there today.  I’m not too sure what race is occurring here so I’ll just guess that its the 1906 VCR.  I could not find a single gentleman in the picture that was not wearing a hat so my answer here is “zero”.  As George Costanza would say:  this would’ve been “a bald man’s paradise.”  And of course, (and without even looking) I assumed “painless Parker” was a dentist.

From Mystery Friday #35 Solved: The Maxwell-Briscoe 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Race Team Headquarters in Mineola

Was a member of St. P & St. J as a child, and remember one Christmas being in the rectory for a brief time. Ceilings were very low. I see the church is now closed, sorry to see that.

From Then & Now: William K. Vanderbilt Jr's Deepdale Gate Lodge in Lake Success

I can only identify the building (130 Jericho Tpke. Mineola), as it is still there, just off the northeast corner of Jericho Tpke and Willis Ave. Known as Krug’s Corner, as Krug’s Hotel was just across Willis Ave. from this building. Vanderbilt Cup races ran there 1904, 05 and 06.

From Mystery Friday #35 Solved: The Maxwell-Briscoe 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Race Team Headquarters in Mineola

Amazing reproduction of Henry Austin Clark’s’ auto museum in Southhampton! Great job by everyone involved erecting this amazing structure replicating the original museum!!

From UPDATE: The Former Southampton LI Automotive Museum Property

An early fire was supposedly started by the workers who were tasked with clearing out the land for the clubhouse/inn (e.g., the Petit Trianon) to be erected as the Motor Parkway’s eastern terminus in Lake Ronkonkoma.  Unfortunately the burn got out of hand and spread to other property nearby (South Side Signal, Apr. 23, 1910).  An additional article states that the fire was quickly brought under control as telephones were used to summon members of the community. 

Interestingly, the second article shown below was published a day later by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and discusses Arthur Pardington’s comments to members of the community noting that “a gang of men” were currently preparing the land for the new clubhouse.  Would imagine the men were the same that started the fire. 

1915 map is from E. Belcher Hyde.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Danger of Fire Along the Motor Parkway

One more picture showing the company’s building in NYC.

From Kleiner's Korner: Two American Pastimes Brought Together

Here’s another automobile related company sporting a baseball team: the Republic Rubber Company of NY entered its team in the Automobile Trades League in 1910.  I wonder if any of the tires these players worked on ever made it onto an entry in a Vanderbilt Cup Race!  Or if any of the players themselves made it into the big leagues - lol.  Pictures are from the Detroit Public Library, article is from Automobile Topics of July 16, 1910.  More on tires here in the races can be found here:
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_tire_and_repair_stations_of_the_vanderbilt_cup_races

From Kleiner's Korner: Two American Pastimes Brought Together

The couple/duo who toured the LIMP from 1958 thru 1967 have great photos of this area. Blog is 12/2020, almost 3 years ago. So excellent that they were LIMP explorers, more to witness back then.

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The Robert Moses' New Hyde Park Road Motor Parkway Bridge over Northern State Parkway

Howard Kroplick The name is Van Ausdall, not Ausdall and I am the Grandson of one of the men in the car in one of the other photos. These women were not members of the family and my father always told us they were working girls.

From Mystery Foto #59 Solved: The Van Ausdall's Hotel in Cold Spring Harbor, NY Circa 1914

Some 20 years ago myself and Danny Demasi discovered a small remaining section of the bridge on the northside of the eastbound New Hyde Park Rd. exit of the Northern State Parkway some 200 feet west of New Hyde Park Rd. Partially covered by leaves and other debris at the time, we cleared the area, (forgot to bring a camera ) , probably completely covered now.

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The Robert Moses' New Hyde Park Road Motor Parkway Bridge over Northern State Parkway

Amazing jpegs Art, thank you for posting! The history is becoming even clearer now

From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The Robert Moses' New Hyde Park Road Motor Parkway Bridge over Northern State Parkway

Mike- The last name Cain does sound familiar.  You might’ve went to Division ave High School with my father, Bruce Miller.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Demise of the Motor Parkway Bridges in Levittown

David- I also grew up on Crabtree Lane in Levittown from 1954 until 1974. I didn’t know you but I assume you lived there after I moved to Suffolk County. Quite a coincidence! It was always a great neighborhood and I drive down Crabtree whenever I’m in the area.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Demise of the Motor Parkway Bridges in Levittown

Thanks for the link Art. I was able to open it and it’s indeed the area in which I found my post about 8-10 years ago. In about 1965-1966 me and a friend would bike along the sidewalk that runs alongside the road. We would find many pieces of coal and parts of railroad ties from the Central Branch of the LIRR in these woods in your pictures. At that time we had no idea about the history made here. Hope to see you next time you visit Long Island.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Demise of the Motor Parkway Bridges in Levittown

Mike - here’s the link to my webpage about Salisbury Park Drive showing the posts that were there back to 2004.  I believe I may have walked the area within the last 2 years but don’t remember seeing any posts left.  If you can’t open the link let me know - the original service which hosted the site was sold and the new service did some tweaking may have have caused a problem.  I haven’t updated my site in a quite a while since I couldn’t keep up with vanderbiltcupraces.com!  lol

https://www.limparkway.webs.com/levittown-salisbury-pk—dr

From Kleiner's Korner: The Demise of the Motor Parkway Bridges in Levittown

Thanks for the comments all!  I believe I became interested in researching the Motor Parkway back in late 2003 (wow, 20 years already!) after reading an article about it being located near my home, which as Mike indicates, was very close to the roadway in Levittown. Mike - I often wondered what happened to those posts off of Salisbury Park Drive! Like you I have a post (and a piece) of roadway next to my house in NC!  And I left a few posts and roadway pieces in back of my shed up north since my wife didn’t agree they would go with our decor in our backyard in NC!  Wonder if they are still up there in Levittown!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Demise of the Motor Parkway Bridges in Levittown