Vanderbilt Cup Races

Turns out Dr. H. B. Baruch, owner of Bagattele Nursery mentioned in the comments above was also an auto enthusiast.  From “The Automobile” of August, 1901.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part V - Motor Parkway Maps and More

Here’s a smiling Willie K. in the 3 mile Race 5 (“Special Class of Five Horse Power Voiturettes in Ordinary Running Trim”).  From The Automobile, Oct., 1901.

From The 1901 Newport Automobile Races

Wow! Just wow! What a photo! Where did this come from?
The western LIMP terminus looking East Down Horace Harding Blvd in Fresh Meadows. The closer, larger of the two signs is the LIMP entrance sign “50 miles of….” I’d assume this sign was repainted and changed many times, but while the lattice and frame of the billboard are the same as the McCamish plow photos, the wording and artwork is different.
Historic for a few reasons. First, other than the McCamish photos, there really haven’t been any ground level photos of the Fresh Meadows entrance and sign. Second, this is showing an entrance that I know I’ve never seen since I believe this to be within a year of the LIMP closure.
The copy of the smaller billboard clues us in on the date.
The billboard was advertising an new housing development called Sterlingshire built facing the Grand Central Parkway at Hollis Court Blvd close by. I spotted a Brooklyn Eagle article from Feb 19, 1939 stating that after some unsettled weather around Lincoln’s Birthday, sales were good. It also states that the winter was fairly mild. In the photo, we see no foliage, damp muddy ground and an overall winter ‘feel’ so it may be safe to assume this may have been taken around the time of the article- Feb 1939

From Updated: Mystery Foto #40 Solved: A Historic 1938 Ground-Level View of the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Thanks, Art & Gary! Wish Suffolk County Land Records had the exact format as the Nassau website. Suffolk is limited compared to Nassau. I was already aware of the old maps, but the detailed history is a nice surprise.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Hi Frank - I’ve noticed with several of the past LIMP bridges in Queens that were built with RR specs, the abutments were constructed in a way that made them “step like”. A person could scale either side to reach the top. Authorities didn’t want anyone doing that. Besides the wires above, abutments became a hindrance & eyesore.

From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge

Great documentation Art. I’m late here. Will chime in soon.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Commonwealth Blvd under the bridge used to be called Clinton Ave in 1924, before construction of the Cross Island Parkway. The opening in the fence on the left is the approximate location where old Marvin Rd once traveled, connecting Clinton Av to Alley Rd (today’s Winchester Blvd). These are great photos recording history that has been lost in time.

From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge

Great zooms on the photo Howard!

From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge

Based on the photo, the bridge before removal seems to have sat about 20ft below the power lines, power lines that were installed after the roadway was built. A safety violation today I believe, they had no choice but to remove her. What are your thoughts Brian?

From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge

Brian, as Gary notes the Nassau County site is very useful - I use it all the time.  Besides searching by address or section, blk, lot you can also go into the overall map and zero in to where you are looking.  My mouse control zooms in and out.  As you zoom in actual lots appear and you can just click on the lot you want more info. about.  If you don’t know the address or blk info. it helps a lot.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Brian, Here’s the website address: https://lrv.nassaucountyny.gov/.  I find having a Sect / Blk / Lot to be the easiest way, as the address doesn’t always seem to work for me.  But you can also access the 1926 and 1950 aerial photos this way.  The more you use it, the easier it becomes.  It took a bit of work for me to get the above information, but well worth it.  When I worked for the Nassau County Museum, I did both title and surrogate searches in Mineola - back then the Clerk’s Office had hard copies of deeds, maps, the property cards, and microfilm of the Queens Co. Deeds.  The Surrogates gave you the original files - wills, etc. to go through.  I love examining original documents, but the convenience of searching from home is also appealing - can be done 24/7.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Amazing info, Gary. I’ve looked through Suffolk County Land Records ( County Clerk website ). There’s no need for a username/password, just have to prove your not a robot : ) lol. If your looking for older records, a trip to Riverhead is needed. Is the Nassau County website easy to explore?

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Know they wanted the steel girders for WW2, but were also quick to remove the sloped roadway on both sides ( obvious at the west abutment, need for a ladder on the east side ). Great photo!

From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge

Brian, The Nassau Co. Land Record Lookup states that the Good Luck Discount Store (#155 Jericho Tpke; S/B/L 9 405 156) was built in 1908, and the restaurant just to the west (#157-161 Jericho; S/B/L 9 405 158) was built in 1913.  I had thought #153 (S/B/L 9 405 105) the Mineola Eye Services might be the site of the Mineola Motor Car Co., but listed as being built in 1930.  How accurate these dates are is unknown to me.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

I’m back again, Art. Don’t know why I didn’t think about this before, but the birds eye view below is more telling. All the buildings within the {    } have a brick facade. The ‘Good Luck Discount Store’ has a long peaked roof. Perhaps the Auto Garage is part of this newer building?

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Thanks for the additional info.!

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

I know you figured out the location of the garage Gary. In Art’s 1910 photo viewing East, there’s the tree on the NS of Jericho ( obscuring Krugs ). The same tree is seen in your image viewing west. Below is a 1914 map showing   McCord as the garage owner. Had trouble screenshoting a current street view, but there’s a long brick faced building on the SS of Jericho, no hint of the past garage.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Mr. Bellmer, thank you so much for responding, I sincerely appreciate it as I believe many others will as well. It is absolutely wonderful to read that you did voice your opinion as to what could have been done for this unique piece of property . It gives many of us a better perspective of what is/isn’t going on. thank you again.

From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot

To answer Walt Gosden: I’m the Village Historian. I had a meeting with the Village officials involved and presented a plan that would have kept the original surface where it existed. The plan was not implemented. Hopefully, per Al Velocci’s post, something can be done of historic value west of the parking area.

From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot

Another fab. thread.  Hmm; don’t even remember the Skyfarer!  Art’s second aerial, the Groenhoff photo, shows a DC-2 or -3 and Lockheed or Beech twin and TWO high-wing 2-motor amphibians (Dolphin?  Grumman?) plus a float-plane and a weird bird-wing plane I recognize but can’t name.  The car in the obviously-posed succeeding publicity pic seems to be a 1930-32 Cadillac V-?; the plane, mfd. by Travel Air (founded by Cessna, Beech, and Stearman), is probably the 1929 Model 10.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Long Island Aviation Country Club (Circa 1940-1945)