Vanderbilt Cup Races

NHT was named for the intended final destination of drivers, a 19th century practice. That is also the reason for the 1906 map labeling. Today’s Northern Blvd was a road of many names and part of Northern was signed as a second NHT, a shortening of the 1906 name, even in my lifetime. Circa 1964, NHT (the first) was renamed in honor of Booth Memorial Hospital (now NY-Presbyterian Queens) to end the confusion.
The intersection of NHT and Queens Road was a significant intersection and part of the way to the Town of North Hempstead in a way that would not be obvious on modern maps but which can be deduced by the 1924 illustration of the planned “Nassau Highway.” That illustration also labels part of Northern as Broadway and visually reveals the logic for originally planning to end the LIMP extension at Black Stump Road (73rd Ave).
Nassau Blvd made the eastern end of NHT obsolete (and NHT/Hollis Ct intersection is shown deprecated in a 1932 Hagstrom map). NYC demapped this eastern end because of its too narrow right-of-way and because Francis Lewis Blvd. had overlaid part of the road.
Part of NHT was obliterated when the FM shopping center was carved out of a hillside over which NHT ran. Other parts were destroyed for the FM street grid.  But the actual NHT/Hollis Ct intersection still exists in the woods of Cunningham Park!

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Al Prete - to add more confusion, here’s a 1906 Nassau County map naming Northern Blvd as “Flushing and N Hempstead Tpke.”

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Last week where I grew up - Fresh Meadows. This week where I had my law firm for many years - 3003 Marcus Avenue, across the street from what was Sperry Rand before and during the War, and then the Secretariat Building of the United Nations after the War, until the permanent UN was built on land donated by the Rockefellers between First Ave and the FDR Drive from 43rd to 49th Street, which became ready for occupancy, I think, in ‘51. The Northern State Parkway with the entrances and exits to Lakeville Rd are clearly visible, as is a deteriorated Vanderbilt Parkway. It looks like the first of the buildings for LI Jewish Hospital is visible. So, I’d place the taking of the photo in or about 1954. Neither my office building nor any other office buildings in the Lake Success Quad had been built when the photo was taken.  The remains of Vanderbilt’s Lake Success mansion are visible, as is the Vanderbilt Parkway bridge over Northern State Parkway. Even though the area was, literally, on the City line, it seemed a million miles away from Fresh Meadows.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A successful 1951 Fairchild aerial over Lake Success

Great Neck / Lake Success area. The top of the picture is east. Major roads: Lakeville Rd. (bisects the picture horizontally), Marcus Ave. (bisects the picture vertically), Northern State Pkwy. (left of Marcus Ave.) LIMP runs from lower right (SW) to the center, then curves to the left and heads north.

My reading eyes aren’t that good anymore but it looks like the Marcus Ave. LIMP bridge has been taken down but the NSP LIMP bridge is still there. Parkway isn’t widened yet. Late 1950s?

Most prominent building is 1111 Marcus Avenue on the upper right. It was the original HQ of the United Nations, and longtime home of Sperry. It is now occupied by Hain Celestial and Northwell Health, among other tenants.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A successful 1951 Fairchild aerial over Lake Success

Thank you Brian and Frank. I wonder why it was called “North Hempstead Turnpike” when it was nowhere near Hempstead or the Town of North Hempstead.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Top is East.  I see the Northern State Parkway.  Vanderbilts Deepdale Estate.  Vanderbilts guest house that eventually became the NY State Police barracks.  I see the LIMP coming in from Queens in the lower right corner of the pix.  I see a LIMP bridge west of Marcus Ave.  I cannot tell if the LIMP over Marcus Ave is still there.  I can see the LIMP bridge built by Robert Moses over the Northern Parkway.  I can see the Great Neck Toll Lodge of the LIMP.  The western side of the LIMP Bridge over Lakeville Rd still appears to be there, even if the bridge is clearly gone.  I see part of the North Shore Towers golf course.  I see the original UN Building.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A successful 1951 Fairchild aerial over Lake Success

Another great Fairchild shot. Love the Fairchild’s aerials!

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A successful 1951 Fairchild aerial over Lake Success

Al Prete - A snapshot from the online Motor Parkway map. You are correct about N Hempstead Tpke being renamed as Booth Memorial Av. The tpke’s eastern terminus at Hollis Ct Blvd was removed to make way for housing in Fresh Meadows 1951, and later for the Clearview Expwy in 1963. The rest of the old tpke still remains as Booth Memorial Av

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Al, found on an older map that NH Tpke stretched east to Hollis Court Blvd; which I think used to be Queens Rd.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

What happened to the old North Hempstead Turnpike? Sources that I found say it was renamed to Booth Memorial Avenue, but Booth Memorial Avenue ends at the Horace Harding Expressway north service road. How far east did the old turnpike go?

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Thanks, Mitch. I remember you followed the late Sam Berliners History websites ( he had quite a few interests ) There’s a Mystery Foto #2 - Jan 15 2018 - Fresh Meadows, that has excellent views of this area; around the same time period. Nice mix of the old & new then. Below is a screenshot looking Southeast.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Frank- You are correct! My mistake for just quickly snagging an improperly captioned Google photo. The tanks in the demo photo were on Maspeth Ave in Greenpoint and not the Elmhurst tanks. Good catch!

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Very interesting story, hope all cars are owned and cared for somewhere.

From The InstaGRAM Report: Austin Clark Jr.'s 'Silent' 1963 Long Island Automotive Museum Auction Part 1

Oh wait! Greg, I don’t remember the Elmhurst tanks being checker-board on top.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Correction to my comment above. That is not “the LIMP from HHB to NHT”. That was Peck Avenue, built after that section of the LIMP was taken down. The LIIMP was a little to the east of that road, but basically ran parallel.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Sorry I missed this one! Brian McCarthy’s markup is very good, but that is not North Hempstead Turnpike. That’s the LIMP from HHB to NHT. The NHT angle was different…it went throught the Oak Grove, the woods to the upper right, just above the “N” in your label “North Hempstead Turnpike”. NHT was gone by this time. So the dotted line showing the path of the NHT was also not correct.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

Oh-no, there goes the tanks!! Great pic Greg!

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

From Greg O.

Elmhurst gas tanks off in the distance

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

I marked up the birds eye view aerial below with road names etc. Photographer was facing Northwest in Queens NY, guessing 1950; no later than 1955. 2 landmarks for the LIMP? Parkway itself, bridge over 73rd Ave. From what I can tell. the N Hempstead Tpke bridge has been removed, but I noted on the map where it was located.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens

The photographer was over present day Cunningham Park and/or Clearview Expressway. Picture was taken before construction of the LIE so probably late 40’s early 50’s.The LIMP is crossing over 73rd Ave. running parallel to Francis Lewis Blvd.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: A 1951 aerial of the Motor Parkway in Fresh Meadow, Queens