Vanderbilt Cup Races

The racer is an Allen-Kingston and the driver is Hughie Hughes.  The race is the 1908 Meadowbrook sweepstakes.  The pits are located in the Hempstead Plains, today’s Levittown.  West of Crocus lane, between Blacksmith and Orchid roads.  The absence of the Officials/Timekeeper’s stand or scoreboard in the photograph means that the photographer is standing at the west end of the pits or they weren’t built yet.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

I grew up on 198th Street, close to 73rd Ave.  Spent many memorable times playing with friends on the path over 73rd Ave and on the bridge.  At that time, (1950’s) none of us knew that it had been a motorway, but I suspected it might have been more than a bike path at one time, judging from the remnants of a white line and fragments of side-posts. Back then there was no protective fencing on the bridge and on a clear day you could look West off the bridge and see the Empire State Building in the distance!

From The Motor Parkway in Hollis Hills, Queens

#M35 Allen-Kingston in the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes driven by Hughie Hughes. Finished 1st, averaging 52.6 MPH. The pits located at the start/finish line.

Seen below in the 1909 Readville Races and an A-K in touring form.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

We all have known about 2 uses - racing and transportation.  First I’ve ever heard of this use - for testing cars.  Thanks!

From Kleiner's Korner: Speed Trials on the Long Island Motor Parkway

Thanks John!

From Mystery Fotos #19 Amost Solved : Eight Amazing 1928 Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation Archives

F appears to be the Peters property along South Franklin Street & East Graham Avenue in Hempstead. I grew up on the street one block north (to the left side of this picture), Elizabeth Avenue. I remember the last row of greenhouses & the smokestack from my childhood, as my friends & I walked to Franklin School. The Peters family lived in the house at bottom left, shown in the picture. The first street shown at left, perpendicular to East Graham, s Hudson Place. I lived off of Jefferson Place, (not shown) which is three blocks east of Hudson. Peters Avenue is far right in the picture, perpendicular to South Franklin St.

From Mystery Fotos #19 Amost Solved : Eight Amazing 1928 Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation Archives

This view is looking East on Union Turnpike from Bell Blvd. The Motor Parkway is on the left side. You can see the old S route of the LIMP before the city built the new bridge at Bell Blvd. I always wondered what was the oval track just east of Springfield blvd bridge on the left.Howard, would you know? Thanks,Gene

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

This is in Queens, NY. Aerial photographer was looking East. Know there’s the Farmway Bridge East of Springfield Blvd, near the Bungalow Lodge Home. Then the Parkway Bridges at Springfield & Bell Blvd ( curve where the RR abutments were utilized ), then at Hollis Ct. Guess this is about 1942. Toll Booth East of Springfield Blvd looks to have been removed. The present day Bell Blvd Bridge and the straightened bike path hasn’t been created yet. Think that was done around 1950?

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Neat never-before-seen photo of Motor Parkway stretch between Alley Pond and Cunningham Parks looking east. This section is currently being resurfaced with completion expected next summer.

Major roadways:
From bottom;
Hollis Hills Terrace (Queens Rd), Bell Blvd, CRR RoW, Springfield Blvd (Rocky Hill Rd), Grand Central Pkwy, Winchester Blvd.
From left;
Motor Pkwy, Richland/Kingsbury Aves, Union Tpke, 82 Av, 85 Av.

Motor Parkway structures;
Hollis Hills Terr parkway bridge (1926-present), CRR parkway bridge (1926-1944), Springfield Blvd parkway bridge (1924-present), Wheeler Farmway west bridge (hidden under the Motor Parkway).

Date;
The CRR bridge (1926-1944) appears intact. The Rocky Hill Rd Lodge (1928-1940s) appears removed. The race track north of the Rocky Hill Rd Lodge existed in 1938.
The newer Winchester Blvd bridge (1932-1940s) after Union Tpke expansion appears to follow the new LIMP RoW in the photo.

With new Hollis Hills housing sprouting up in the photo (1935+ [most in the photo are 1940s]), I’d guess the photo date is very close to 1944

Fantastic photo Howard, thanks for sharing! 

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Just a guess. But it looks like where I used to ride my bike on the Vanderbilt Parkway from Fresh Meadows to Creedmor in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.. Looking eastbound from just west of the parkway bridge over what was then Hollis Court Blvd. The GCP is visible to the right, which cuts across Union Turnpike, which is just south of the Vanderbilt. The picture must have been taken before the War, given that the lands along Union Tpke haven’t been built out yet. However, I’m probably wrong because I don’t remember the curve and running track.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Sandy Hollow Fire Dept—
I remember that from when I was a little boy—
Really neat !!!

From Mystery Friday Foto #39 solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr's Sandy Hollow Fire department captain badge

Two articles from “The Automobile” magazine reporting Oldfield’s attempted suicide and retirement from racing.  (July 11 and August 15 issues).  Obviously both were incorrect.

From Greg O.'s Garage: From the Helck Family Collection- Barney Oldfield and the "Green Dragon"

Queens.  Union Tpke is center.  LIMP is lower left, heading east.  Hollis Ave bridge, the swerve at the old railroad tracks, (today’s Bell Blvd).  You can see the spot where the tolls used to be at Springfield Blvd.  The Grand Central passes over Union Tpke.  Making this picture most likely in the late 1930’s/

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

The photographer was over the Fresh Meadows / Hollis Hills area of Queens looking east. Major roads include Grand Central Parkway, Springfield Blvd., Union Tpke., Hollis Hills Terrace, Bell Blvd., and of course the LIMP. Structures include LIMP bridges over Springfield, Bell, Hollis Hills Terrace and under GCP (hidden). Hard to see but the toll lodge at Springfield Blvd. might be there also. Bell Blvd. was built on top of the old abandoned Central Railroad R-O-W. Since the LIMP appears to not have any cars on it and Union Tpke. looks like it has been completed, I’ll place the date around 1941.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

One more report of a new automobile race course to be established on the Hempstead Plains.  This one in “The Automobile” of October 3, 1907.

From Kleiner's Korner: Long Island's Other Proposed Motor Speedways

The photographer is facing east, hovering over Hollis ct blvd in the foreground which is running horizontally at the bottom.  The dominant road in middle of the photograph running from top to bottom is Union tpke.  Bell blvd is in the middle running left to right and intersects the Long Island Motor Parkway where the parkway curves a little.  The Long Island Motor Parkway is on the left running vertically from top to bottom.  You can clearly see its overpass still intact going over Hollis ct blvd on the bottom left.  Other LIMP overpasses are not easily identifiable and may no longer be in existence when this picture was taken.  That diagonal right of way where the LIMP and Bell blvd form a triangle is the old Central railroad of Long Island.  The existence of the Grand Central Parkway at the top of the picture dates it after its opening in 1933.  Also, the condition of the LIMP near Richland ave and 210th st (middle left side of picture) doesn’t look so good.  It looks ripped up.  So this dates the photo after the parkway’s closure in 1938.  So I’ll just guess and say the picture was taken around 1940.  This was a tough one for me but when I saw the Alley Pond Trackfield on the upper left part of the picture I knew I nailed it.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

The last section.

From UPDATE - Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Race in Literature and Entertainment (Part 2)

One more literary work titled “The Tangled Web” included Long Island and the Vanderbilt Cup Race in its story.  I’m not sure if it was mentioned already, but here’s an excerpt.  The story was written by Ethel Watts Mumford Grant and appeared in “The New Broadway Magazine” of June, 1908.

From UPDATE - Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Race in Literature and Entertainment (Part 2)

Article re: Tom Cooper’s accident resulting in his death.  From “The Automobile”, December 1906.

From Kleiner's Korner: Other Vanderbilt Cup Race Personalities

Looks like the western section of the LIMP in the Hollis Hills section of Queens. The photographer is looking east.

Major E-W roads, LIMP, Union Tpke., Hillside Ave. Major N-S roads: Hollis Court Blvd., Bell Blvd.

I see the LIMP overpass over Hollis Court Blvd. at lower left. The RR ROW crosses the LIMP at upper left, near the jog in the parkway.

Approximate date: 1940, because the parkway appears to be abandoned but the bridge is intact, and there’s not a lot of development in the area.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens