Vanderbilt Cup Races

This is just a stupid wild guess. Since the present-day Vanderbilt Parkway/Motor Parkway in Suffolk County is a county route (CR 67), could this be the western end of the present road? If it is, the photographer would be looking south. Behind the sign (and the ladies) would be a section of the (closed) Motor Parkway sold to private developers, while behind the photographer would be a section that was sold to (or taken by) the county and became the present highway.

I’m curious who the ladies are.

Happy New Year to all!

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: A 1940 view of the Motor Parkway at Half Hollow Road in Dix Hills

Art, I believe the earliest reference to the Motor Parkway in a fiction work was in 1914 in The Auction Block by Rex Beach.

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

I imagining some of these writings being factual, especially the enemy troops marching into NYC via the LIMP, maybe some military vehicles too. Nearest bridge to Smithtown was over Deer Park Ave. Maybe the author had knowledge of the planned but never built bridges :  ) Fun & interesting research Art, thanks.

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

Art,  In 1909 The Parkway purchased some 3 plus acres from John T. Wooley on the east side of Lakeville Rd. , The Great Neck Lodge was built on part of that acquisition. Wonder if that route was chosen because of their previous relationship ?

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Additional documents pertaining to the Wooley holdings in Great Neck.  First map is from 1906, second map is from 1914 and the article is from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of March 13, 1906.

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Thanks Al and Frank -
Frank - I simply used the 1200 pounds of turkey times the amount per pound found in today’s supermarkets to get the current dollar amount Willie would have to pay today.  However, including the cost of inflation against Willie’s original amount would get the figure that you obtained.  FYI - The amount per pound back in 1906 was $.167 and today its around $1.45 as I showed above.

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Art, another great find! Thank you for sharing the article. I’m getting $5,838. in 2021 vs $200. in 1906. I really don’t know who’s correct.

Al, could Mrs. Wooley’s property (approx 1.4 acres) been once situated at Deepdale Estate’s NE corner? I’ve often wondered about this obvious cut in the property line for years. I once saw an elementary school on this property on an old map.

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Art, I always wondered about John Wooley’s hire as as the Superintendent of Deepdale. His wife did not approve of Willie K. She owned a small strip of land on Lake Success that Willie offered a very generous amount for but she refused to sell because it had been her family’s home since the Revolutionary War. I believe that property was the only privately held piece on the Lake that Willie was not able to acquire.

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Ted, you are unforgettable in a good way! Merry Christmas and Happy 2022!

Enjoy,

Howard

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Dee, thanks for the comment. It is agreed by most Renault historians that there is no accurate documentation of the original owners for the extant Renault Vanderbilt racers. i consider this the definitive article on the the subject: https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/article_the_vanderbilt_renaults_by_marvin_mcfalls

Dee, if you wish to share images and information on your surviving car, please forward them to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

From Video of the Week: Jay Leno & Donald Osborne driving the 1907 Vanderbilt Renault Racer to Marble House in Newport

Ted! Glad to hear from you again. Wishing you and yours a safe and healthy 2022 in the sunshine state.

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

This is Willy K’s actual car and that’s him in it.
That’s NOT your car! Please do Not try to rewrite history and make out that your car is the actual Willy K Vanderbilt Renault!
There are many differences i can point out to prove that Willy K’s car is NOT the car you have.
The color for one, the engine cylinders are not painted black like your cars, the wheels are different, the bonnet mesh style/weave is different, all the accessories are different- horns trim spares and details. The suspension is also very different. I won’t go into details on that one, cerfice to say an expert can tell immediately by looking at the two cars.
People are watching. I am the owner of one of the surviving cars. I am not from the U.S
I am in Australia and the car i own has been here for at least 100 years. It is irritating to hear people say only five survive.

From Video of the Week: Jay Leno & Donald Osborne driving the 1907 Vanderbilt Renault Racer to Marble House in Newport

This is Willy K’s actual car and that’s him in it.
That’s NOT your car! Please do Not try to rewrite history and make out that your car is the actual Willy K Vanderbilt Renault!
People are watching. I am an owner of one myself.

From Video of the Week: Jay Leno & Donald Osborne driving the 1907 Vanderbilt Renault Racer to Marble House in Newport

I don’t mean to rain on your parade but your 1907 Vanderbilt Ai Renault is NOT Willys K’s actual car.
How can you claim this???
Willys Car has been missing for decades.
It went missing after he toured Europe. 
Of the surviving cars , No one knows who’s car is who’s, not with absolute certainty because no records were kept. Willys Car was a light colour in any event,  not red i believe. There are more than five survivors by the way.
One in Australia.

From Video of the Week: Jay Leno & Donald Osborne driving the 1907 Vanderbilt Renault Racer to Marble House in Newport

Hi all, remember me? Howard !!
  Hope all had a very Merry Christmas and have a very healthy Happy New Year and I’m still keeping up with what’s going on, enjoying every bit of it

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Great call Greg, Willie K is entitled indeed. All eagle caretakers were preservationists, including Willie K. I believe his intent was to preserve them all, as Grand Central demolition would’ve demolished them all.

From Greg O's Garage; The Grand Central Vanderbilt Eagles

Frank- I would think Willie K is entitled to keep his in Northport. Otherwise, could we still call the house ‘Eagle’s Nest’ if they’re not there, being they were placed during construction?

From Greg O's Garage; The Grand Central Vanderbilt Eagles

Happy Holidays to all!  Here’s how Willie K. wished his employees and neighbors a happy holiday season back in 1906 (from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of Dec. 26, 1906).  Today’s cost would be around $1,470 (vs. $200 that Willie paid) based on a “Food and Wine” magazine estimate between 1.41 and $1.47 per pound (depending on the size of the bird!).  Something to crow about!

From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2024!

1966 Chevrolet Impala station wagon, in front of the Grist Mill.

From Update: Mystery Foto #52 Solved: A 1966 Chevy Impala parked in front of the historic Roslyn Grist Mill in 1967

Photographer is facing North East, the Car is a 1966 Chevrolet Station Wagon, full size unable to identify 100% what specific model it is Impala, Belair or Biscayne, leaning toward Belair absence of the hood split molding, and the stainless rear view mirror indicate from this view it would be a Belair.
Nor sure of the specific connection to the Village of Roslyn and the races are , maybe start finish line?

From Update: Mystery Foto #52 Solved: A 1966 Chevy Impala parked in front of the historic Roslyn Grist Mill in 1967