About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
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Recent Comments
In the foreground it looks like Horace Harding Expressway (today aka 495) which heads East/West in Fresh Meadows. The perspective is looking to the South East. 188th Street is the road running north & south with the two traffic circles. The northern most (nearest) traffic circle is the Edward G. Holmes, Jr. Oval located at 64th Ave. which heads East and West. This is where the group of two tall buildings is located on the south east side of the oval. The further traffic circle is at 69th Ave. The area with the trees in the background is Cunningham Park (today the Clearview Expressway or 295 cuts through the middle going North/South) which is bordered by Francis Lewis Blvd. on the West Side running North/South. Union Turnpike which runs East/West is near what appears to be a ball field or open area in Cunningham Park on its Western End.
See this link for what the Oval at 64th Ave and 188th street looks like today.
http://www.google.com/maps/place/Edgar+G.+Holmes,+Jr.+Oval,+Fresh+Meadows,+NY+11365/@40.7388434,-73.7859659,15.25z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89c260687214fcc3:0xdd2d5178902cf0e9
From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950
i may of hit the unsubcribe by mistake. dont pay any attention as i love this site . i found a old hagstrom map 35 cents that has the motor parkway in it i would like to send it to you.email me a address.
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Howard Kroplick
Paul, thanks for the feedback and map offer. My mailing address is 33 Wren Drive, Roslyn, NY 11576.
You are back on the weekly newsletter mailing list!
From Updated 1/24/2018: Profile Series: Tucker 1029 Preston Tucker's Tucker
Identify the location of the aerial and the orientation of the photographer:
Fresh Meadows, looking northeast
Identify the Motor Prkway bridges in the aerial:
73rd Avenue Bridge, North Hempstead Turnpike Bridge
What is the approximate year of the Mystery Foto?
1948
Who is the source of the aerial and why was it likely taken?
The source is the New York Life Archives, based on Howard’s Blog post of Jan. 7, 2009 titled “A Fresh Meadows view of the Western LIMP Terminus”. New York Life bought the property of the Fresh Meadows Country Club for just about $1 million in 1946 and developed a major suburban housing and retail complex. The photograph was taken by Bill Thomas Sr., of Thomas Airviews in 1948 and was probably used to promote the development which opened in 1949.
In 1972, NY Life sold the property to Harry B. Helmsley for a price reported to be more than $50 million. I’m no accountant, but even with inflation and future cost of funds, I would assume NY Life did pretty well. Maybe some of our number crunchers out there can figure what their rate of return turns out to be for the 26 years they had owned the property. Helmsley later sold to a foundation in 1997 for $215 so he also probably did okay! And that group sold for a reported $250 - $300 not so long after that too!
The photograph also appears in a research study issued by the Macauley Honor College of CUNY.
https://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/vesselinov09/articles/f/r/e/Fresh_Meadows_48b6.html
From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950
The view is in Fresh Meadows. We see the LIMP western terminus, and the beginning of the ROW moving south towards 73rd Ave. We see the old Nassau Blvd bridge and the 73rd Ave bridge. We also see the bridge over Francis Lewis Blvd that was built by the parks department to connect the LMP/Greenway bicycle trail. Somewhere hidden in the trees is the Hollis Ave Bridge.
My date for this picture is the late 1950’s, due to the development in Fresh Meadow, and the absence of the Clearview Expressway soon to dissect this picture.
-joe o
From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950
Identify the location of the aerial and the orientation of the photographer
Over Fresh Meadows Looking SouthEast at the old Western terminus of the Motor Parkway.
Identify the Motor Prkway bridges in the aerial
N. Hempstead Tpk bridge, 73rd Ave. bridge, Hollis Ct Blvd bridge unseen through the foliage
What is the approximate year of the Mystery Foto?
1948
Who is the source of the aerial and why was it likely taken?
According to VCR website, the caption for this mentions ‘courtesy of New York Life Archives. Unsure of the reason for the aerial, need further research.
From Updated:Mystery Foto #2 Solved:An Aerial of Fresh Meadows from the New York Life Archives Circa 1950
I agree with Roger, fantastic discovery and photos!
From Updated 12/7/2022: Then & Now: The Very Elusive Clody Farmway Bridge in the Melville Sand Pits
Anon. - there probably was a heavy-duty truck road there; you couldn’t drive over the sand. As to the firing range, it never occurred to me that the range was in the Picone/110 Concrete property but the gunfire was still quite audible from the OBVR well into the MP Panel time, 1999-2011.
Incidentally, folks might have a look at the Panel’s projects list on my old Panel page, <http://sbiii.com/limpanel.html>.
Sam, III
From Updated 12/7/2022: Then & Now: The Very Elusive Clody Farmway Bridge in the Melville Sand Pits
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From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
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From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Actually, if one is to look up the history of Joseph Picone and Son, as I recall they have been occupying that site from as far back as when the bridge on Broad Hollow Road was still in existence—the next bridge East, remembering, that until the mid-fifties, Broad Hollow Rd and Route 110 were the same two lane winding road, with the 110 we know today taken from the route of the Cross-Island Trolley. Aerial wise, anything focusing on the Church in the Wildwood should also show the route of the LIMP, with the LIMP following the North side of Ruland Rd and Hi-tension LILCO lines until it crossed eventually following the Southern side of Colonial Springs Rd, again Googling the area will show the remnants of the LIMP.
From Updated 12/7/2022: Then & Now: The Very Elusive Clody Farmway Bridge in the Melville Sand Pits
Sam III, I remember when I was little seeing the PALL signs out front. Cool that you were in there. The backyard still has formal gardens, not taken care of very well, -a few very overgrown statues and such but a lot is still there. I have lots of pics. There is a great tree line on the west side of the house which leads to a gate. I recently learned that there was once an amphitheater on the property, on the southern portion of the property. Did you ever see this? I have to check this out but I highly doubt there will be anything to see at this time but did you ever see this?
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Frank, no there was no other visible concrete on the west side. But if you look at the “THEN 2013” aerial that Howard posted, this is the exact stretch that we saw. I haven’t looked for old aerials but it should be visible if the LIMP did in fact that a little southerly curve before heading northwest. Not enough people are chiming in on this one. I thought there would be more opinions on this. If this is original LIMP it has never been documented and it’s amazing that it’s still there. And if it’s not LIMP why does it look so much like LIMP pavement?
From Updated 12/7/2022: Then & Now: The Very Elusive Clody Farmway Bridge in the Melville Sand Pits
Dave - re Winfield - that’s because the formal gardens were (what’s left is) out back; the front “only” has the majestic 250’-long double driveway and the portico. I only just now learned of the fire - I worked for and with Pall Corp. and know the building quite well. Well, Howard IS the North Hempstead historian and most of the rest of the Gold Coast IS in his bailiwick. Hmm. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Great old pics of the estates. The Falaise and Pembroke pics are the better ones as he got the best view of these. Strange how he got the backyard of Winfield / Woolworth - which is such an amazing house and still stands, it seems like upon my last look the renovation from the recent fire has taken place. He also got the back of Keewaydin. The Meudon pic doesn’t do that estate justice. It fails to capture the magnificence of that place which I believe is one of the most beautiful Gold Coast estates of all time. You don’t read as much about this one, but it was amazing. Perhaps we can discuss more on Howard’s new Gold Coast web site? Coming soon??????
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Another fantastic aerial. Thanks Howard again for sharing these gems.
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Howard Kroplick
Franks, thanks for your Femenias’ Findings. Much appreciated!
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Mark Lieberman seemed fairly set on restoring the car. What caused him to completely change course, not restore and sell the car?
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Howard Kroplick:
Greg, excellent question. Mark needed the resources to expand his restoration business.
From Book "Motor City Barn Finds": Obsession with a Barn-Find Tucker
East Garden City looking north over Mitchel Field. Much details in this aerial. Sending attachment
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
A aerial photo of Mitchell Field air base looking towards the northeast
The LIMP bridges in the photo are the twin bridges(polo field and Roosevelt raceway), Meadowbrook Rd Merrick Ave and Meadowbrook Lodge.
Mitchell army air base, Meadowbrook Polo fields and golf course, LIRR Central branch, future Roosevelt field raceway.
The year of the photo I would say is 1933(5-2-33 ?). The photos of the field on 9/29/31 did not have the tops of the hangers painted. The photo on 5-2-33 had the hangers roofs painted. The photo on 7/30/36 had concrete aprons in front of the hangers which was not in this photo.
The collection of aerial photos I would say is from Stony Brook University digital archives
The flying biplane is in the lower right center of the photo.
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Hello to all.
*Location/Orientation: E Garden City, Westbury, East Meadow. Northeast view.
*LIMP bridges/structures: Bridges…Merrick Rd Pkwy Type, Roosevelt Field Hwy Type. Meadowbrook Club Bridge over LIMP, and Central RR Trestle over Meadowbrook Rd. Meadowbrook Lodge ( LIMP )
*Historic Properties: Meadowbrook Golf Course/Polo Fields, Mitchel Field, and Salisbury Links.
*Aerial Year/Rationale: Early 1930’s ( Runways on Mitchel Field not built until 1938 )
*Digital Collection/ University: Hofstra University Library Special Collections, Hempstead NY.
*Biplane location: shadow on Mitchel Field ( towards bottom of image, more to the right than left. Looks like Batman symbol.
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: 1932 Aerial of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club from the SMU Ritchie Collection
Howard, thanks for the plug on the book. I can’t wait to see that car again when its restored!
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Howard Kroplick
Tom, keep writing these wonderful books!
From Book "Motor City Barn Finds": Obsession with a Barn-Find Tucker
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