Vanderbilt Cup Races

I think we’re looking east on Jericho Turnpike at the intersection with the road to Oyster Bay (today’s route 106). Powell’s Jericho Hotel is on the left. Behind the hotel appears to be D. F. Maltby’s Automobile Garage, headquarters for the Locomobile during the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The 1905, 1906, and 1908 races used this section as part of the course. As the sign indicates, the Hotel Beau Sejour was located 6 miles south in Central Park (Bethpage) on the N/W corner of Central Avenue and Stewart Avenue. Since it was one of the better hotels around and quite close to the LIMP, it was a popular gathering spot before and after the races. As for the vintage automobile, I’ll leave that for the “Brass Era” experts.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Whooie; what a trip down memory lane!  Even found I’d missed myself (#17).  Now, as to #19, I.U. Willets Road Motor Parkway Bridge in Searingtown, I thought I knew that area pretty well but go to the triangle between Old Searingtown Road and “new” Searingtown Road, opposite the VFW and library, and look NW at Old Homestead Road.  I don’t remember any such (it may well not have been there back then) but it sure looks to be the LIMP RoW (see attached).  Anyone know more about this location?  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documentation of the First 15 Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges in Nassau County

Howard: Congratulations on retirement from your second assigned career.  Best or luck in your new task to complete the restoration of the Roslyn Grist Mill yet another project of pride for you, and the people of Roslyn to have pride in.

From Newsday: Ready for HIS STORY

Thank you for this series on the LIMP bridges. Please note that the caption for bridge #16 should indicate the location as Manhasset Hills/North Hills rather than as Searingtown.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documentation of the First 15 Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges in Nassau County

Frank,

The long gone roadway running across the former Camp Mills which ran from West to East roughly between 7th and 8th Streets, cutting through the future Hospital, proceeding across what would become the Parade Grounds, going directly through the future Commanding Officer’s Quarters at the center of Rice Circle and terminating at East Road evaporated with the Base Reconfiguration of 1927-1932. 

Looks like these documents are from after that time frame.  Art?

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

I’m with Brian; the abutments are “structure” and would have been removed under the contract.  The south side of the triangle does not appear to have been actually realigned so much as the triangle was simply removed from the parcel.  I well remember “liberating” a post from the CR67 widening operation just west of Harned Road, ‘way back; whoo - was that ever heavy!  I was still strong then but could only lift one end at a time.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Carman Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Removal

The Carmen Ave. bridge is where the photographer stood on the bridge took the photo of the 1907/08 Buick on the Motor Parkway with view looking west of the vast Hempstead Plains beyond, taken in Sept. 1908, appears on the cover of the Arcadia Pub. The Long Island Motor Parkway, co written by Howard and Al Volocci.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Carman Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Removal

Hicksville?  For the Beau Sejour location, see my LIMP Maps page 1 <http://sbiii.com/limpmap1.html#BethCent>, “(formerly) at the NW corner of Stewart and Central Avenues, long reputed to be, or contain part of, a LIMP Toll Lodge [highly unlikely - the Beau Sejour mansion was built in 1847 and sold to Harry G. Wilson in 1918 when it became a restaurant hosting the carriage trade from the LIMP - it was sold and demolished in 1973 - per Central Park Historical Society].”  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Thanks, Art; that’s exactly where I assumed Dave meant but I was in there many times over the past 70 years and, unlike the Mitchel patch, there’s NOTHING original about it.  It was barren, ‘way back.  Prairie grasses and such may have re-established themselves, along with shrubs, but “original”?  No way, Hose A!  Back to the LIMP, anyone?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

[Somehow this got lost in the shuffle - it wasn’t posted:]  “Affluent”?  Sorry to rain on your parade, Tom.  The 1908 Buick 10 Runabout was priced at $900 specifically to compete with the Ford Model T Runabout at $825.  You got a lot more for your additional $75.  Found a contemporary Buick 10 pic with all three people aboard, attached.  - - -  // - - -  Added now: - I’d love to see a similar side view of the S&W Buick, itself.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A Never Before Published Photo from the Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge

The road is Jericho Turnpike, just west of Woodbury Road. The photographer is looking east (rationale: the sign pointing to the right). The building is W. B. Powell’s Jericho Hotel. This was part of the VCR course in 1908.

The sign says “Central Park” which was the old name for Bethpage, so Bethpage is where the Beau Sejour Hotel was. I found that it was at the NW corner of Central Avenue and Stewart Avenue. Built in 1847, torn down in 1973. (Google Maps calculates 6.6 miles via one route, not too far off from the sign in the Foto.) The connection to the LIMP is it hosted the carriage trade that utilized the parkway. It was known for its fine dining.

Cars of that era all look like carriages with a motor where the horse used to be. I have no clue about the car. The logo on the radiator might be a clue for someone.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

For more on the bridge to nowhere see book-Hidden History of Long Island by Richard Panchyk

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Brian, I have the Hempstead spur further east, about where the hotel/inn is on the north side of Stewart Ave. Some have it where there is a railroad crossing east of Quentin Roosevelt Blvd. between the Post Office depot and Mitchel Field.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Identify the road and location of the Mystery Foto. What was the orientation of the photographer?
-Jericho Tpke, Jericho looking Northward.

Identify the building on the left and the automobile.
-Jericho Hotel. But more importantly, just beyond the hotel, you can see a sliver of the D.F. Maltby Automobile Garage. The garage was the Locomobile headquarters for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Unsure about the auto and no time for research.

For which Vanderbilt Cup Race(s) was this section part of the course?
-1908

Where was the Hotel Beau Sejour located? Link this hotel to the Long Island Motor Parkway.
-The Hotel Beau Sejour was located in Central Park (today’s Bethpage) until its closing in 1974.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Here you go Sam - the “patch” behind the red course (adjacent o Old Country Road) and the “Prairie” at Nassau Community College - I visited the latter for the first time this past June and imagined most of central Nassau County looking like this at one time.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

*Photo left of Automobile is Powell’s Hotel, Jericho, NY
* Other photo is Beau Sejour Hotel on Central Avenue, Bethpage, NY.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Labeled the ‘curve of death’ by newspaper writers it was at Jericho turnpike and what we know it today as route 106-107 in Jericho.
I believe the photographer was facing north.
Building on left is the W.B. Powell’s Jericho Hotel.
First turn of the 1904 cup.
Hotel Beau Sejour was on the northwest corner of Central ave and Stewart ave in Bethpage (Central Park) and was a popular stop for motorists for close proximity to the LIMP.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

We’re getting far afield LIMP-wise but the preserved prairie is at Nassau CC at Mitchell Field, NOT Eisenhower - oops!  Wrong!  There’s a patch “behind the Red Course”, which must be to what Dave and Brian refer.  Mot being a golfer, I don’t know what “behind” means; map, please, someone.  There are some good LIMP aerial pix at the site where I found I’m wrong:  <https://vocal.media/wander/the-last-and-only-eastern-prairie>.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Brian McCarthy has provided an answer to Art’s question regarding Mitchel College.  See at the end of the original post.  Thanks Brian!

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

I’m thinking in general that a bridge footing below ground wouldn’t have to be removed unless it would be a obstruction to new below ground facilities like sewer, water, natural gas or electric.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Carman Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Removal