Vanderbilt Cup Races

Are the young ladies in the distinctive blouses stewardesses, or employees wearing a branded uniform of some kind?

From Beutenmuller Family Collection: The People of the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

From Art Kleiner:
Two more photos of the Renault - this one won the Sept., 1907 Morris Park 24 hour race. The winning driver was M.G. Bernin and Paul Lacroix shown in the photo above as well.  From “Automobile Topics” of September 14, 1907.

From Mystery Foto #26 Partially Solved: Lewis Strang's P46 Renault during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

From Art Kleiner:
As per Dick Gorman’s comment above, Willie K. ordered 10 of the 35/45 hp Renaults for his friends.  Here’s a photo from “Automobile Topics” of August 24, 1907 noting this purchase and where they were intended to be used.  And thanks Dick for the information provided.

From Mystery Foto #26 Partially Solved: Lewis Strang's P46 Renault during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Thanks Howard for the alert on fake plates being sold online. Speechless, and have choice words about the practice. Thanks for the update

From Fraud Alert Update: Guide to Identifying Authentic Versus Reproduced Long Island Motor Parkway and Roosevelt Field Porcelain Plates

Total guesses.

The location: Roosevelt Field. The photographer is looking east.
The road along the telephone lines: Merrick Ave.
The area in the background: just looks like clouds over the Hempstead Plains. (Today’s East Meadow)
The airplane and its pilot: The Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh.
Date: May 20, 1927. Lindy was starting his historic flight.
Connection to Motor Parkway: It ran adjacent to the airport.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

That sure looks like the Ryan NYP “Spirit Of St. Louis” with Charles Lindbergh at the controls taking off on May 20, 1927 and heading east over Merrick Avenue on his way to Paris. The exact place that the wheels lifted off the ground is very close to where the temporary extension of Ellison Avenue was built to connect Old Country Road to the LIMP for the 1908, 1909, and 1910 V. C. Races. It was part of the airfield complex commonly referred to as Roosevelt Field. Additionally, the course for the 1936 and 1937 V. C. Races was built there also. I suppose one could also argue that the photographer was standing in the vicinity of the 1960 course too. I believe the area in the background was owned by Joseph J. Lannin who was in the process of extending his Salisbury Golf Links northward from south of the LIMP. This later became part of Salisbury (Eisenhower) Park.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Happy 4th - Lucky Lindy taking off from Roosevelt Field eastbound and soo full of fuel he almost clipped the wires on Merrick Ave over Eisenhower Park (or the Ladenburg Farm back then).

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Hello Howard,
For my research on Franz Heim I bought several old newspapers of “la vie au grand air” and I found a page that might be interesting for you (file attached) . The book HEIM& CIE is released now (heimpage.de), the german TV even made a short report.
Heim originally came to New York in September 1910 to work for Benz Auto Import, where he oversaw the preparation of the Benz racing cars for the Vanderbilt Cup, Grand Prize and Fairmount Park Race in Philadelphia. After Robertson’s accident during the tests for the Vanderbilt Cup, the accident car was repaired and Franz Heim started with it. He was also intended to be a driver for the Grand Prize, but this was redecided after the race was shifted to Savannah. He became co-driver of Hémery.
(the picture is a scan from No 583, 20 November 1909, page 363. The pictures are at free disposal for you.)

kind regards
Dietrich

From Search: Information and Photos of Franz Heim. Submitted by Kurt Heim (January 9, 2015)

Lindy.  East end of Roosevelt Field.  Merrick Rd.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

Wow, great historic and intricate details Al. Thank you for sharing to all of us. The historic picture is becoming clearer

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Good find!

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Your welcome, Art. I’m always learning something new here!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Maps - Part IV

Thanks Brian.  I’ll update my post and credit you.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Just found this miss captioned image within the photo archive, Art.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Since this re-opened, I should’a named the other Dangerous Place as the crossing of Hempstead-cum-North Village Avenue over the South Shore line of the LIRR at Rockville Centre station.  That was, of course, long before the grade elimination project of ca. 1960.  Wonder why that particular crossing was singled out; I don’t recall it being so bad ca. 1950, when I first started driving there.  Seems to me that the Grand or Milburn Avenue crossing in Baldwin was far worse, obscured by a big store or some such at the NW corner.  Now, closer to the LIMP, who remembers the huge hump of the crossing at the far western end of the OTHER Hempstead Avenue (Route 24, the Hempstead Pike) where it crossed the Main Line at grade immediately south of its Jamaica Avenue (Route 25, the western end of the Jericho Pike) terminus in Queens Village?  LOVE the twists and turns of these threads.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Maps - Part IV

The reasoning for the ‘sand condition at the 25 mile mark’ is clearly explained below.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 3 - Motorcycle Races on the Motor Parkway

    • The location is the historic Roosevelt Field airfield, in or near East Garden City and/or Westbury, Nassau County, NY.  The photographer is facing roughly Southeast.
    • The road along the telephone lines is Merrick Avenue
    • The area in the background is likely a portion of the Salisbury Country Club, later to become Eisenhower Park.
    •  The aircraft is Ryan NYP long distance monoplane, registration: N-X-211, aka Spirit of St. Louis piloted by Charles A. Lindbergh.
    •  The photo was taken on the morning of Friday, May 20, 1927, shortly after the 7:52 AM takeoff.

Link this Mystery Foto to the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races:
    •  The Motor Parkway was located to the west and south of the historic Roosevelt Field airfield. 
    •  For the Vanderbilt Cup Races of 1908, 1909 and 1910, a temporary connecting road was built through the Roosevelt Field airfield property.
    •  Charles Lindbergh was a frequent user of the Motor Parkway entering and exiting at the Garden City Lodge.
    •  The location of the takeoff would later become the site for Roosevelt Raceway and the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Races.
    •  The Motor Parkway’s Meadowbrook Lodge and Merrick Avenue Parkway bridge are in the vicinity of the airfield and the photo.

From Update Mystery Foto #27 Solved: Lindbergh Taking Off from Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927

From Art Kleiner:
Thanks Gary and Brian for educating us on the Peace Monument - interesting that as the following articles indicate there was talk way back in 1909 to have the monument moved due to traffic considerations.  Bergin Avenue has since been renamed Merrick Blvd.  which turns into Merrick Road further east.

Sam, overtime?  Labor of love - lol.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway in Maps - Part IV

Cool history and background of this series. Guardian angels were looking out for the mom, especially the 2 yr old. The LIMP was paved east to Wheeler Rd, Central Islip in 1912. 5 miles from Wheeler to the Petit Trianon was still dirt, going along with the 1912 article. Think the writer meant to say Brentwood, not Bethpage.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 4 - Motorcycling on the Motor Parkway

Hemmings has posted a link to Walt’s article (see above).

From Hemmings Classic Car: Racing in Riverhead-The Long Island Stock Chassis Competition of 1909