Vanderbilt Cup Races

Brian. I appreciate the screen shots. I think that the brick building is one of the Old Westbury Water Dept. well buildings.

From Greg O's Garage: Anatomy of the 1906 Hairpin Turn

Looking forward toward’s this week’s answers. I think I got it this time!

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

The photographer is over East Garden City facing west.
Approximate year would be between 1956 and 1962 as the Meadowbrook parkway is built and operational- and Macy’s can be seen in Roosevelt field but Gimbels, built on the north end of Roosevelt field in 1962, cannot be seen. I don’t see the Roosevelt Raceway grand stands, which went up in 1957, so I guess 1956 is my final guess.
Remnants of LIMP can be seen just south of Roosevelt field, by Ring road then running parallel to Meadowbrook PKWY and Stewart Avenue
Major roads include Stewart Avenue, in lower left, Merchants concourse in the bottom crossing over MBPkway on to Stewart Ave, Meadowbrook PKWY and Zeckendorf in the distance with bridge over parkway
Major buldings/structures include Stewart School in upper left ( I can see the trees, the school itself is less clear, but since I attended Stewart School , I know that it was there then), the Lilco Gas Tank on Stewart Avenue, the A and P warehouses next to the tank and General Bronze, across the street from the Gas Tank. Hoping someone can identify the buildings in the near field on Stewart Avenue- I know that the Garden City Bowl was around there in the late 60s, not sure about the late 50s. Also, you can still see some airplane hangars along Old Country road top right I believe. Great photo. Thanks

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

I know, enough with my screenshots lol : ) The section angling southeast towards Wheatley & Old Westbury Rd is evident in 1950. Then bird’s eye views of that area today and of the intersection of Wheatley & Post Rds. Building just south of Morgan Dr is owned by the Village of Old Westbury. On Streetview, it’s brick and doesn’t appear to be a residence.

From Greg O's Garage: Anatomy of the 1906 Hairpin Turn

We are looking roughly east-northeast over the Meadowbrook Parkway and Stewart Avenue in E. Garden City / Westbury / Uniondale. Based on the newness of the parkway and Roosevelt Raceway construction the date is probably late 1956 around October of that year. The LIMP runs at a diagonal (east-west) to the right of Mitchel Gardens housing development. Other roads are: Ellison Avenue-Avenue “C”- Endo Blvd.; Zeckendorf Blvd.; and Linwood Av. / Kenwood St. / Willow St. in Mitchel Gardens. Other buildings are: the just completed Roosevelt Field Shopping Center; three old hangars from Roosevelt/Hazelhurst Airfield and the LILCO gas tank.

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

Greg
I know where nearby in that area, will visit, thanks.

From Greg O's Garage: Maggie Helck discovers two 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race flags

Location and orientation of the photographer
  Looking a bit south of west from about over the Stewart Ave/Merrick Road
interception

Approximate month and year. Provide a rationale.
  Stumped here. The Roosevelt Field Mall is evident, opened 1956. The Roosevelt
  Field Harness track looks to be under (re)development which occurred in 1956.

The location of the LIMP
  Along the top of the image you can see the turn north past the mall. Most of the
  ROW was absorbed by the parkway here.

Major roads, buildings and housing developments
  Stewart Ave. Meadowbrook Pkw with overpasses to Merchant’s Concourse,
  Zeckendorf Blvd, and LIRR to industrial area.  Roosevelt Field Mall

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

Mark-
I could not find any info as to where the father James is buried. Maybe in a small cemetery somewhere in East Norwich or close by since he spent most of his life in East Norwich.

From Greg O's Garage: Maggie Helck discovers two 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race flags

I had stop by 6 Locust Ave. East Norwich from my Oyster Bay nearby, spoke to a young lady on her way to pick up her son, did not know of anything about the former resident or the history of that location, so I printout this story and this website and drop it in her mailbox, Hope she finds this interesting? NOW, where is James Remsen who had lived within 2 blocks from Veron, had lived and buried??

From Greg O's Garage: Maggie Helck discovers two 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race flags

Lower left corner is the Garden City Casino and tennis courts. Top center is the smoke stack for the Garden City Water Works. Left side above the Casino is the school administration building. Bottom center is the LIRR train station.

From A 1924 aerial of the Garden City Hotel

Stewart Ave. facing west Roosevelt Field Mall North-West off the Meadowbrook in the Early 1950’s

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

Greg. All clear now.
Brian. Thanks for the info on online maps.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury

Well, that cleared up all of my confusion as to how the race course made it from Guinea Woods Road to Wheatley Road. Nice research. Thank you for the thorough explanation. I lived at 30 Wheatley Road 20 years ago. The property was the former polo field for the Grace Estate. I would have appreciated knowing the history of the cup race each time that I turned out of the driveway.

From Greg O's Garage: Anatomy of the 1906 Hairpin Turn

Looking Northwest towards Roosevelt Field.  To the lower left is Mitchel Field.  The tennis courts behind the single family homes on North Road are visible.  LILCO ‘Gas Heats Best’ tower is seen on the horizon.  Stewart Ave. runs top-bottom on the left.

Meadowbrook Parkway extension runs through middle of photo.  Exit ramp for what is today Merchant’s Concourse is not finished.  Bottom right is Mitchel Gardens.  Former Polo Grounds exercise property and LIMP ROW are beyond those homes.  In the distance, the bridge for what will become Zeckendorf Blvd. is present.

Difficult to tell from the distance if construction for Roosevelt Field Mall has begun.  Hangers along Old Country Road are still standing.

Parkway extension opened in mid 1956.  This couldn’t have been much later than that.

Approximately same orientation seen below.  Forgot who contributed the image though.

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

Rare photo of what appears remnants of the original Motor Parkway, just south of the newly built Roosevelt Field Shopping Center in East Garden City, Dec 1956. This strip lines up with the original Motor Parkway Right-of-Way. Photo is looking west with the Motor Pkwy Clinton Rd bridge already removed. The Garden City Lodge and Supt’s house are there but difficult to see. Present day Roosevelt Field Ring Road South will eventually occupy the remnant strip, almost. Stewart Av and Meadow Brook State Parkway dominates this photo

From Mystery Friday Foto #1 Solved: A 1956 aerial over the Meadowbrook Parkway Extension

From Greg O.

Dave- The house in the 1906 photos is at #1 Wheatley at Wheatley Rd &Old; Westbury Rd., torn down on 2017. There may have been a similar house at the location you’re asserting, but it is not the hairpin landmark. Hopefully my post tonight clears it up when Howard makes it live later.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury

That’s the whole point Mark. I thought the picture/house was at the intersection of Post and Wheatley. I think the location you are talking about is not correct. The house that looked exactly like the house in the pics was at the intersection of Post and Wheatley.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury

Dave. If the house in the picture is indeed the one that was torn down and we know that it was a few hundred feet from the intersection of Wheatley and Old Westbury Roads, how could it have been at the intersection of Wheatley and Post.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury

I have no idea what the 1906 course route was, but I do know Old Westbury and I always thought from the pics of the hairpin turn that spot seemed to be exactly at the location of present dayWheatley and Post Road. 

And the house that was in all the old pics, that was there until a few years ago right at that spot.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury

Sounds good, Greg. Looking forward to the blog : )

Mark - I screenshot those maps from websites - Course Maps are here on the site, of course. NassauCounty.gov website - LRV ( Land Record Viewer ) has 1926 & 1950 aerials, as well current property maps. HistoricMapWorks website - has Atlases for just about everywhere. I also like SuffolkCounty.gov - GIS Aerial maps from 1947 till now, also shows property data. Tried looking at GIS maps yesterday, but it looks the website is reconfigured. Look again soon.

From Mystery Friday Foto #53 Solved: The #8 FIAT driven by Felice Nazzaro practicing at the 1906 Hairpin Turn in Old Westbury