Vanderbilt Cup Races

Another year of intriguing Mystery Fotos. Happy New Year!

Location: Over the Meadowbrook Parkway in the Uniondale/Westbury area. The photographer is looking NW.

Roads: Meadowbrook Parkway (middle), Stewart Avenue (left). The ramp from E-bound Stewart to S-bound Meadowbrook can be seen. Also the interchange from the Meadowbrook to what today is known as Merchants Concourse (I think it used to be called Avenue “C”), and past that, the ramp to Dibblee Drive and East Gate Blvd. Beyond that, the interchange with the road that goes to present-day Roosevelt Field shopping center.

The LIMP ran right over the section of the Meadowbrook that runs E-W (parallel to Stewart).

Also visible: The LILCO gas tank (center left) and the Mitchel Gardens housing complex (lower right). The Covanta plant has replaced Mitchel Gardens.

I can only place the date as some time in the 1940s, after Mitchel Gardens was built, and before Roosevelt Field airport was closed.

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

Wow, what a great time in America.

From Kleiner's Korner: "Automobile" Magazine's 1907 Motor Parkway News

No it wasn’t a private road but I’ve read several articles about Old Westbury and it talked about this basically being the driveway. The Wheatly estate was built between 1890-1900 btw.

This is from the Old Long Island web site:

There is a great story somewhere on the ‘Lost Village of Wheatly’. It talks about how there used to be this very tiny little enclave between Old Westbury and Brookville called Wheatly from a term the Natives had used. ED Morgan and WC Whitney wound up buying the vast majority of the little village when they built their estates.

The current configuration of Post Road as it is with it’s S curve as it ascends the hill is that way because the original Post Road ran right through what became Morgan’s estate. He and Whitney paid to have the road moved between their estates and had it planted (which is why it is one of the nicer stretches of road through Old Westbury). I think current day Morgan Drive is roughly the route the original Post Road would have taken you.

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

Dave. Are you saying that this section of what we now know as Wheatley Road between the North Service Road of the LIE and Post Road (roughly 1 mile north) was a private road that was used for the race?

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

Happy new year everyone.

You guys always mess this up! This is the intersection of Wheatley and Post Road. Not Old Westbury road, which is not close to this location.

Wheatley road was basically the former driveway of “Wheatley” which was the estate of E.D. Morgan, portions of which still remain.

Yeah unfortunately this house was torn down a few years ago. I hate when historical houses are ripped down to be replaced with McMansions. Old Westbury still has plenty of amazing spots though.

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

‘Willle K.’ Vanderbilt arrived at his Eagle’s Nest in Centerport in 1910, the same year Arthur R. Pardington, chief engineer of the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, moved into his’ Oakwell’ (demolished) just west of the present-day Bull in Smithtown. ‘1910’ also was the year Fred Wagner, five-time Vanderbilt Cup Race starter, bought land near A.R., and in 1912, was building his Sunnybrook Farm residence (National Register 2019), designed by Gustav Stickley, with a ‘stuccoed’ facade reminiscent of Vanderbilt’s Eagle’s Nest. During the second of Fred’s 12 annual picnics held for the auto industry and famous race car drivers at his Smithtown property, A.R. took the attached photo (Arcadia cover) of the nearby Riverside Garage diagonally east and within sight of his ‘Oakwell.’ The centermost and last surviving Riverside Garage building is planned for demolition shortly by the Town of Smithtown – for a parking lot. Too bad the town isn’t considering moving it, or saving the façade for (new and classic auto) photo ops similar to Pardington’s photo seen here on the cover of Arcadia’s ‘Smithtown,’ illustrating my article (with second images’ column continued in third attachment) this week in The Smithtown News. For Fred’s home, see Vanderbilt Cup Races at https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s

From Video of the Week: Vanderbilt Manison Tour

This would be the Hairpin Curve at the intersection of Old Wheatley Road and Old Westbury Roads in Old Westbury.  The artist appears to be looking at the point at which the racers turn right going west (slightly north).  Car is the FIAT driven by Felix Nazzaro.  Date would be approx. the last week of October, 1906 as the date of the race was October 30.  No spectators would indicate the racer doing a practice run on the course prior to the race.

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

Having personally been able to review the Helck material in Howard’s possession, I can attest to the variety and detail provided in the collection.  Maggie’s donation of the flags are a very welcome addition.  There is so much material to review reflecting on Peter’s professional and personal life it would take years to properly document what is there. Howard, Greg, Graham and I have hopefully (and will continue to) do just that.  Thank you Maggie for your donation, I hope you enjoyed reviewing your grandfather’s legacy.

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

Wow those flags are something, can’t wait for the checkered flag to show up.

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

I had read that the federal opposition was from the Was Department which was concerned that the bridge could/would interfere with passage of warships that in the future might exceed the bridge’s clearances.

From Mystery Friday Foto #52 Solved: The 1939 Planned Brooklyn-Battery Bridge

The photographer is looking north up Wheatley Road in Old Westbury. The driver is Felice Nazzaro in his #8 Fiat. He is having a practice run before the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race turning from Wheatley Road onto Old Westbury Road.

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

Greg, Your right of course,  regarding the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and FDR was made aware of the fact. Plus, he was told that even a direct hit on Moses bridge would not bring it down. Only the destruction of the bridge’s cables would cause that.  The constant pressure from his wife ended by FDR. saying the “military” were against the building the bridge. Moses knew about her role and it was said he was furious and lashed out and called her all kinds on names, not publicly of course. It wasn’t until after she died he made some negative comments about her.

From Greg O's Garage: The 1930 Motor Parkway license plate/season ticket holders Part 3

Very nice!

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

Wow, quite possibly James Remsen in 1906! The heavier dowel on the red flag matches the photo precisely. Maggie Helck’s contribution to the Helck Family Archives has secured these historic items after surviving 117 years. Simply amazing!

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

Fantastic find and provenance!

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

I think we might be looking at an artist’s rendering of the #8 Fiat driven by Felice Nazzaro. We are looking north up Glen Cove Road in Old Westbury as Nazzaro enters the hairpin turn onto Old Westbury Road. Since there are no spectators, this is probably a test run for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race sometime around the first week of October, 1906.

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

From Greg O.

Al, so very true, but it was an extremely weak argument since the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges were already there with the same potential problem.

From Mystery Friday Foto #52 Solved: The 1939 Planned Brooklyn-Battery Bridge

Steve, The primary reason for FDR’s opposition for the bridge was that in the event of a war the bridge would be a target for destruction and essentially landlocking the the Brooklyn Navy Yard. By the way, it was his wife that first suggested that he oppose the building the bridge.

From Mystery Friday Foto #52 Solved: The 1939 Planned Brooklyn-Battery Bridge

One wonders whether the biggest problem with the proposal was that it wasn’t made by Robert Moses.  Right behind that, he might have had less control, and control / power were very important to him.

The NSP as built is, IMHO, an awful road - but then again, the SSP is even worse!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Velocci Papers Part 2 - The 1929 Proposal to Retrofit the Motor Parkway

Howard, you’ve educated us on Tuckers in a way no one else had.  Beautiful, amazing cars - including yours, of course.  Happy New Year!

From Conceptcarz.com Profile: 1948 Tucker 48 1044