Vanderbilt Cup Races

When I was a youngster I can remember driving down either Old Country Road or was it Stewart Avenue and seeing garages with flags or signs on them representing the various countries involved in what I guess was the Vanderbuit races.  Can anyone find a picture of those garages?  I guess I was about ten or twelve at the time.
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Howard Kroplick

Dan, how old are you? If you are in your 80s, the flags may be linked to the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Races held in nearby Roosevelt Raceway.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_foto_friday_19_can_you_identify_this_motor_parkway_and_vanderbilt_c

From 1939 Aerial Analysis: East Meadow, Uniondale,Westbury and East Garden City

Howard, Spent the afternoon at the Nassau County Real Estate office looking at deeds. What I found was that Virginia Vanderbilt Jr. purchased the tract of land on the east side of Cedar Swamp Rd. inscribed Mimno on the 1906 Atlas, in May 1913. In September that year she acquired the piece inscribed Mrs. Willett Titus in the same Atlas from a Alfred Ackers in September of 1913. He had purchased the parcel from the Titus family in late 1906. IN Feb of 1914, she purchased the McGunnigle property, abutting the Mimno piece.  I could find no property associated with Willie’s wife on the east side of Cedar Swamp Rd. prior to 1913. As an aside. I came across an article in the May 8, 1914 issue of the Suffolk County News stating that Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt Jr. has leased for the year the home of Mrs. James B. Taylor, at Jericho. The rental is $18,000   Al.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Howard, Let me revise and clarify some statements I made yesterday.  It has been established that Pope designed a country home for Mrs. Wlliam K. Vanderbilt Jr. in 1911. At the time she owned 125 acres of land on the west side of Cedar Swamp Rd.
A 60 plus room “cottage” is completed for her in 1913. In 1914 it is destroyed by fire and burns down the the ground. Articles in both the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and the New York Times clearly state her neighbors at the time were Ellis , Park and Burrill. Two weeks before the fire she purchased a tract of land on the east side of Cedar Swamp Rd.  directly across the way from the property on the west side. Its not clear if this included the property with frontage of Rte 106. In 1915 William K Vanderbilt Sr. is now the owner of the 125 acres on the west side of Cedar Swamp Rd. and builds a country home called Stepping Stones. So, I’m inclined to think Pope designed the the building on the west side of Cedar Swamp Rd. in 1911 and her mansion on the east side of that road is of a later date than 1911 and possibly by some one else other than Pope. Al.
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Howard Kroplick

The mansion on the east side of Cedar Swamp Road is described with a photo in the book “John Russell Pope: Architect of Empire “(see above).

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Steve Beck
I’m not sure if you know of this resource, but Nassau County has a nice mapping tool online.  Here’s a link to a present day lot on the former Virginia Graham Fair Vanderbilt Estate:
https://lrv.nassaucountyny.gov/map/?s=16&b=C&l=161
You can clearly see the wall that remains and the pool where the main building used to be to which Dave refers.

Zoom out one click on the partially obscured “-“ in the upper left, then click on Layers in the upper right, and turn on “Nassau County 1926”

Note the “+” magnification button may be obscured on the site, but double clicking gets you the same zoom-in

If you Zoom out, you can clearly trace the LIMP throughout the county. Easy to see where it matches up to the present roadways.
                                                                                                                           
Keep up the good work on the site!

- Steve

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Howard,  Great mystery photo, have some questions though. Yes, all the books said Pope designed the house ca. 1911. However,  the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in an extensive article in the Dec. 7, 1913 issue states the structure was only completed that year, 1913. They also quote Mrs. Vanderbilt that she did not hire an architect but pretty much designed it herself. This building was completely destroyed by fire the next year, 1914.  Also, the article states her immediate neighbors were Ellis, Park and Burrell. all located on the west side of Rte. 107,  In a related article John R. Hill is mentioned as the builder. Remember him? He built one on the Motor Parkway lodges. Let me play the devil’s advocate here, maybe thats not her estate. Al.
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Howard Kroplick

Birdie also owned property on the west side of Route 107. The remains of an abandoned mansion are still there.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Nice house on spacious property. Incredible art work on the garden lawns!

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

The estate pictured in the mystery photo is that of Virginia Graham Fair Vanderbilt.  She was the wife of Willie K.  She stayed at the estate from 1911 until 1927 when she was separated from Willie K.  In 1927 she moved to Fairmont in Manhasset.

The architect of the estate was John Russell Pope.  Pope was the architect for the many LIMP Toll Lodges and building.  He also designed many of the Vanderbilt’s homes and estates.
The location of the estate would be in present Day Brookville between Hemlock Dr (#161) and Quaker Ridge Dr.  The photo is taken facing generally north.

Based on the photos from Mynassauproperty.com (1926 and 1950) and a photo from Old Long Island .com (sometime before 1926), I would speculate that photo was taken from around 1934 to 1935.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Mystery Friday Foto #47… Virginia Graham Fair Vanderbilt, first wife of William K Vanderbilt Jr., was the owner of this estate. The architect was John Russell Pope who designed six of the LIMP Toll Lodges. The estate was located in Jericho or possibly in Brookville.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Happy to see that your Tucker is getting new paint. I’m sure it will look spectacular when it’s done. Instead of putting the pictures and videos on this site before completion I would suggest doing so after an unveiling of the completed work at your garage. That would make for a very fun event don’t you think?

From Update: Tucker will be a Featured Marque at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Identify the owner of this estate and the relationship to William K. Vanderbilt Jr.
Estate was the residence of Virginia Graham Fair (Birdie), wife of Willie K. who lived there during their separation between 1910 and 1927, when they were officially divorced.  After 1927 Birdie moved elsewhere and the estate changed hands a couple of times before finally being sold to developers in the early 1950s for housing starting at around $50,000.

Link the architect of the estate’s residence to the Long Island Motor Parkway
John Russell Pope was the architect who also built many of the Motor Parkway Lodges.

Identify the location and orientation of the aerial.  Brookville, area near today’s Cedar Swamp Road and Hemlock Drive.  North, northeast.  According to oldlongisland.com, part of a wall of the estate remains on the property of 7 Hemlock Drive (see photos being sent to Howard separately). 

What is the approximate date of the aerial?  early - mid 1920s. 

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Will you do video episodes of the work being done ?
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Howard Kroplick

Definitely!

From Update: Tucker will be a Featured Marque at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

What are those circles in the left half?
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Howard Kroplick

I believe these were paths in the original Alley Pond Park

From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: A Spectacular 1940 Aerial of the Rocky Hill Lodge & the Gatekeeper's House

Nice!

From Video of the Week: Car vs. America- The Vanderbilt Cup Race Episode

Virginia Fair Graham Vanderbilt estate in Brookville.
She was the ex of William K (Jr.)
It was off Cedaar Swamp Rd (107)
Photo about 1927

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

I used to teach sailing at the old Jacobsen’s Shipyard, Oyster Bay, NY.  Along the southern portion of Shore Rd is a similar house with high pitched roofs. The home is only visible from the bay. I would scare and tease my students by telling them the house was haunted. Whenever we got close the wind would suddenly gust up. Of course the wind was only a result of the shape of the hills in the harbor but it sure scared the heck out of those that heard the “Sailors yarn”!

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Actually a question:
Where will the Tucker be sent for painting ?

From Update: Tucker will be a Featured Marque at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

This is the Virginia Graham Fair Vanderbilt Estate in Brookville designed by John Russell Pope, built in 1911 which is now between Hemlock Drive and Quaker Ridge Drive. The estate was demolished. A portion of the formal garden wall still remains. I know this because I’m crazy. Somebody’s pool basically sits exactly where the estate stood.

Prior to her separation from LIMP Willie K’s dad, she lived in Deepdale in Great Neck. After splitting up, she had this nice little cottage built in Brookville. This was ok for about 15 years when she then purchased Fairmont in Manhasset and lived there until she died in 1935. Not a bad trio of residences!

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

Stan R:

Wonderfull!  Great history. Thanks.

From A Tribute to a 1906 Hairpin Turn Landmark in Old Westbury

This photo is looking east from the Shelter Rock Rd, toward the Vanderbilt Strathmore property, in Manhasset.  There were many prominent owners, and part of the property was meant to resemble the original Petite Trianon in France.  The vast estate once included what is now the old Jock Whitney estate.  The original building still exists today, but the lawn and gardens are now suburbs.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt

That’s the Brookville estate of Virginia Graham Fair (Birdie) Vanderbilt, first wife of Wiilie K. Jr. It was built around 1911 not long after their separation and designed by John Russell Pope who also designed the first six toll lodges on the LIMP (Meadow Brook, Massapequa, Bethpage, Garden City, Great Neck, and Roslyn). I believe Birdie stayed there until shortly after her divorce from Willie K. was final (1927) then moved to Manhasset while her new home on East 93rd. Street in Manhattan was being built. So I’ll guess the photo is from around that time: 1927-1928. Also a guess but I think we’re looking north or northeast.

From Update: Mystery Foto #47 Solved: Long Island Estate of Virginia "Birdie" Graham Fair Vanderbilt