Vanderbilt Cup Races

Nice work Greg and Dee! If Emmett’s clean up day should come up, count me in. As Greg hinted, heavy machinery will be required to clear out large toppled trees, and others still planted (lots of weight) in the area. A few years ago, the RoW was impossible to follow in some spots, and that was in late winter when foliage/insects were low. Brian and I found some posts still standing (roadway and RoW) on both sides of the roadway. This would be a great nature trail to preserve

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

To answer Art: My interpretation is: SS=solid surface [the LIMP asphalt], hp=high point [the edge of the concrete], CP=control point [reference point], TC=top of curb, bc= bottom of curb. The fences at both ends will have both pedestrian and vehicle gates for access to the parking area and beyond. The other sheets are details for the steps, fences, lights, etc - not so interesting except to the company doing the work.

Attached are photos taken today, 2 August. #1 shows the start of retaining wall construction at west end. #2 shows embankment cut away to install retaining wall to be followed by backfill up to the level of the roadway concrete. #3 shows what appears to be the original grade [dark dirt at bottom] before the area was filled to create the superelevation of the LIMP curve; also a broken concrete post. I have not been told so far of any salvaged whole posts in the work area.

The gravel overlay is called out as 4 inches thick over the entire area, so I guess it can’t be swept off as easily as I thought.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Although harder to find since invasive species have taken over the forest, there is surviving roadway in the area Greg documents. Greg’s pictures shows a bikeway post, often mistaken for a parkway feature.
There is another hidden section that was the southern approach to the North Hempstead Tpke bridge. Today, the bikeway runs west of the parkway there. One can discover parkway by going north from the 73rd Ave bridge and finding the line of posts pictured or going south from the Holy Cow playground and climbing the “hill,” the remains of the southern bridge embankment.  (This hidden area is even more impenetrable than Greg’s and contains spiky vines and poisonous plants.)

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

This one had me stumped for most of the weekend but then I finally remembered a mystery photo from several years ago with a cement wall near train tracks. Could we be looking north in Mineola with Robert Graves’ property on the other side of the wall? Graves had a Mercedes that ran in the 1905 Vanderbilt cup and two more Mercedes that were entered in the 1906 and 1908 races. As to who planted the trees, I’ll guess it was Mrs. Graves; or maybe the new owners of the property after it became a school.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

Let’s do it Greg! Rent a tractor for the day!

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Emmett- It is extremely overgrown there. At this point, you’d need some fairly sizable machinery to clear out what’s there.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Speaking of crying, I simply can’t find my old pix of the Raymond Court segment; I KNOW they were posted!  However, on my LIMP History page 2, at <http://sbiii.com/limphst2.html#kienzle> is a 2002 pic looking down on the GM’s house from the RoW, specifically showing the difference in grade noted above <http://sbiii.com/limppix/limpgc02.jpg> (attached).  Sam, III

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

I’m glad YOU can see anything readily identifiable there!  Is it safe to assume that the blur at lower right is LIRR trackage?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

I’m not sure whether to cheer or cry.  Cheer that some care is being taken.  Cry at one more example of so-called “progress” unnecessarily eroding the LIMP RoW.  Thanks to all who are on top of this.  Sam, III

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

I live in Hollis Hills and use the motor parkway every single day. I would love to organize a team to clear this old abandoned section of the parkway so it could be used as a trail. Thoughts?

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

This is just GREAT!  After all these years, more keeps on turning up!  Thanks, Dee and Greg.  Sam, III

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Added that last question, so actually three questions!

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Thanks Bill - two questions:
1.  What do the markings (SS, hp, CP, TC, bc) on your first survey refer to?
2.  The far west side of the parking area shows a new 6’ chain link fence - will this prohibit walking further west along the old ROW? 
3.  Is it possible to view the other sheets referred to?

Thanks for documenting this unfortunate destruction of the Motor Parkway remnants.  Hopefully something will be left for us parkway enthusiasts.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

No so hidden from me. My friends and I would ride on it BEFORE the Clearview Expressway came in. Indeed, when the Clearview was under construction, we’d climb the earthen embankments with our bikes in hand and cross over.
In the 1938 aerials, PS 162, which was built in 1936, can be seen; 53rd Ave & 201st. Street. I grew up in a new 1953 house on 199th St. on the other side of Francis Lewis Blvd between 53rd Ave and the future 51st Ave and 199th St.; the area can be seen as a large grove of trees.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Correction: the south edge will be 14 feet from the concrete.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

The LIMP ROW is 50 feet wide. The roadway itself was centered and occupied 22 feet including the 3-foot concrete edges, the north edge having been removed for a water main installation. The parking area will extend to the property line and its south edge will therefore be 18 feet from the edge of the concrete. A retaining wall will be installed on the property line with fill behind it to level that area. The whole parking area will be covered with bluestone gravel, including the existing concrete and asphalt. The total width of the graveled area will be 40 feet, or to the north edge of the original roadway. No stall markings will be provided - the area should accommodate about 20 cars parked on the south side perpendicular to the roadway.

Cyril and I tried to have the concrete and original asphalt roadway left uncovered, with a curb added on the north side to delineate the original edge of the roadway, but were not successful. However, the gravel layer will be thin - maybe after the work is complete we can go and sweep it off the concrete.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Good captures, Greg and Dee. As much as I appreciated our last mild winter, it also didn’t allow for the usual taming of foliage etc.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Art - is it okay if you could let it be known at this point if the building is residential or commercial? Appears to be a home.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

Nice tribute, Chris. Brings to mind folk songs from the 1970’s.

From Film of the Week "A Real Fast Ride"- A Musical Tribute to William K. Vanderbilt Jr.

Art- came across this from Automobile Topics in late 1905. It appears even France was possibly in the running for a Vanderbilt Cup Race a couple of years earlier.

From Kleiner’s Korner: Part 2 - California Wants the 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race