Vanderbilt Cup Races

All maps indicate the property in question was not in Wyandanch at all, but north of the Huntington/Babylon Town line.  Hence, in Melville, Huntington, if I’m not mistaken. Can you verify?

From Kleiner's Korner: William Geiger's Motor Parkway Property in Wyandanch

Even though this area is literally impossible to explore in the warmer months, it interests me the most due to portions of the parkway existing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m thinking the farmway bridges were going to be over the parkway south of Conklin/Bagatelle Rd? Guessing Conklin was a narrow dirt road then, and maybe the bridges would’ve spanned over Conklin too. Maybe not, Conklin may have acted as a connecting farm road rather than a strictly north & south thruway.

I’ll have to put myself in that time period and go Scheme B. Whole lot more of dirt and work is required for the slope in Scheme A. Present day explorers would prefer Scheme A, maybe leaving us evidence of the past bridges.

From Kleiner's Korner: William Geiger's Motor Parkway Property in Wyandanch

Driver, Mechanician & Auto:  Walter Christie,Lewis Strang in the Christiemobile.

Date & Location: going by an alike photo within this website, I’ll say their on Guinea Woods Rd, photographer facing northeast in 1906.

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: Driver Walter Christie and mechanician Lewis Strang practicing in a 1906 Christie on Guinea Woods Road

Ariejan, Thanks for the additional information. Always welcome your input.

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing

...and I just found a bunch more Sloane refs on the blog - thank you!

John B.

From Newsday LI Life: High Society -Where the elite on Long Island learned to fly

Great lost airfields of Long Island - Nassau County - here,
http://airfields-freeman.com/ny/airfields_ny_longis_nassau.htm

The chronicler of Early Americana/renowned artist Eric Sloane (1905-85) was also heavily involved in aviation, painting murals, writing books for war effort, lettering aircraft for famous flyers of the day at Roosevelt Field.  He also painted the enormous mural in the National Air & Space Museum on the National Mall.

Thanks, Howard for the great blog!

Cheers,
John

From Newsday LI Life: High Society -Where the elite on Long Island learned to fly

The 1913 Mercer racing rim unlocking system

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing

This is a really interesting post on a subject not often mentioned. Detachable rims were of course common in the US (often an identification feature to determine if a car is American or European), and many types were developed in the US. In Europe detachable rims were only one of the systems to facilitate tire replacement. Michelin was one of the European firms who designed detachable rim systems, which were commonly applied in the years before the Great War.
During the Vanderbilt Cup races of 1909 and 1910 the majority of the participants used Michelin tires in combination with the by Michelin specially designed quickly detachable racing rims. Also the Alco used these, as the contemporanean photos of the Alco racer show. However they probably have been replaced at some moment in the past. These racing rims appear to have been lost almost completely, but one surviving racer is still equipped with them: the 1913 Mercer belonging to the Simeone Foundation.
I added an article in The Automobile of January 7, 1909 with a short description of these racing rims, a few photo’s of the original rim and a photo of the unlocking system on the Simeone Mercer. Of course it would be interesting to research if it would be possible to provide the Alco with this system again!

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing

Brian - yes Kimberly. She came down from CA to NY to marry at St Agnes in Rockville Ctr where she used to sing. The party was at Old Westbury Country Club near Howard’s home. In fact, the limo driver was lost on Howard’s block and I had to redirect him to the club. How embarrassing! Lol We all had a blast

From Mystery Fotos #19 Solved: Old Country Road and Glen Cove Road intersection (circa 1952) and a Volvo that made the news in 1957

I noticed two tunnels that run right next to the Grand Central Parkway. One crosses under Union Tpke. and the other runs under Springfield Blvd. If you go to Potamageton Pond and walk the path towards Springfield Blvd., you hit a wall with a couple small holes in the top. The other side is open. If you go a few blocks north there is an identical tunnel underneath Union Tpke.
  I am curious if you know anything about this and why I don’t see this path on maps of the Long Island Motor Parkway.

From The Lost Bridges of the Motor Parkway: The Wheeler Farmway Bridge in Queens

Great news, Frank! Daughter that lives in California?

From Mystery Fotos #19 Solved: Old Country Road and Glen Cove Road intersection (circa 1952) and a Volvo that made the news in 1957

Modern view of Jericho Tpke and Glen Cove Rd where the mystery photo was taken.

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: Driver Walter Christie and mechanician Lewis Strang practicing in a 1906 Christie on Guinea Woods Road

Ah! One of my favorite drivers and innovators!

Walter Christie with mechanician and future Indy 500 driver Lewis Strang. Seen here in Christie’s Vanderbilt Cup entrant during a practice run on Guinea Woods Rd for the 1906 Races. Unfortunately the car they’re sitting in experienced steering problems, hit a telegraph pole and did not race.

From Mystery Foto #20 Solved: Driver Walter Christie and mechanician Lewis Strang practicing in a 1906 Christie on Guinea Woods Road

Very much still there in its glory!

From The fate of Willie K's Deepdale mansion in Lake Success

Wow, was the Willie K mansion (1902-1910) really demolished? This was a pivotal structure of its time. I’ll have to take a trip up there soon to see the “advanced” replacement. I won’t hold my breath. 
.

From The fate of Willie K's Deepdale mansion in Lake Success

Amazing mystery solved! Sorry could not participate; my oldest daughter got married this past weekend. Loved how the intersection changed over the years. Great job by all! Proceed with caution: There are red-light cameras all over this intersection today.

From Mystery Fotos #19 Solved: Old Country Road and Glen Cove Road intersection (circa 1952) and a Volvo that made the news in 1957

Great post Greg. Amazing info!

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing

Oh ,thanks Howard‼️I’ll take another drive up west cliff dr this time????  My bad???? Janet

From The fate of Willie K's Deepdale mansion in Lake Success

Greg, ....IT’S ABOUT TIME !  Congrats,  good luck and thanks for sharing.

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing

Thanks Brian!
Between Howard, Art, and 13 years of the rest of us following Sam III and Al V., the bar is pretty high!

From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing