Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard,  Thanks for posting those terrific photos of the day at your place in Roslyn.
I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it due to a conflict.  Congrats on a great day!
Roger

From Updated: VanderbiltCupRaces.com's Open House at Waterfront at Roslyn Draws a Great Crowd

Howard,
Thank you for once again hosting a very enjoyable day of automotive history and making new friends. Meeting Mike, Sean, and Ty was a pleasure in itself, one we were glad to be able to share. My brother Tom and I had a great time, and I look forward toward a return visit to the Waterfront Garage sometime in the future.
Thanks again for the invitation, and enjoy the holiday weekend!—Ernie :>)

From Updated: VanderbiltCupRaces.com's Open House at Waterfront at Roslyn Draws a Great Crowd

Thanks, Walter,
Along with everything else Austin did; he was a board member of Bridgehampton Road Races Corporation which acquired the land for and developed the Race Circuit in 1955-56.  In 1971, my group, Bridgehampton Racing Group, were given a lease by them to run the track, which we did until 1984. The “glory years” were in the ‘60’s, but a lot of people got their racing training and a lot of memories at “The Bridge” right up to the end in the ‘90’s.

From Hemmings Daily: Site of former Long Island Automotive Museum sells decades after it closed

Another relic gone.  I remember the huts.  Sad.  Mitch

From Hemmings Daily: Site of former Long Island Automotive Museum sells decades after it closed

Thank you again Howard for sharing your wonderful collection and stories Rita has a photo book for you when we meet again JeRita

From Updated: VanderbiltCupRaces.com's Open House at Waterfront at Roslyn Draws a Great Crowd

Identify this section of the Motor Parkway: Old Bethpage east into Melville approaching Route 110

Identify the Motor Parkway bridge(s) that still can be seen in this aerial.
Claremont Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge
Farmway Bridge going into the Old Bethpage Restoration Village
Clody Farmway Bridge
Route 110 Bridge

Identify the location of Motor Parkway bridge(s) in this aerial that had been taken down.  Don’t believe there were any.

Which Vanderbilt Cup Races were held on this section of the Motor Parkway?  None - Races ended at Round Swamp Road, just west of the beginning of the Motor Parkway in this area.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

-Identify this section of the Motor Parkway
The current Battle Row campgrounds are on the very left edge of the photo, to just slightly East of present day Route 110

-Identify the Motor Parkway bridge(s) that still can be seen in this aerial.
Only the Old Bethpage and Clody bridges (now within the sand pits) are in the photo, and still presently there.

-Identify the location of Motor Parkway bridge(s) in this aerial that had been taken down.
Of the 4 bridges within the borders of this photo; East to West- Claremont St PW Bridge/Old Bethpage PW Bridge/Clody Farm PW Bridge/Broad Hollow Rd Bridge- The Claremont and Broad Hollow bridges were gone by 1950.

-Which Vanderbilt Cup Races were held on this section of the Motor Parkway?
None! The 1908 came closest. The Bethpage lodge was just beyond the left border where the 1908 course turned North.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

Greetings all,

I really enjoyed the article on the Cantrell Brothers. I became aware of them when a friend showed me the header board from his 1924 Dodge Canape truck with their logo on it. Does anyone know where I could get a clear image of the logo to reproduce as a decal for his truck? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jim Hughes
Coventry, Conn

From From the Hugh Nutting Collection: Insight into the Woodies of Huntington's J.T. Cantrell and Company

This is Bethpage. The LIMP is going through the restoration and the bridge there is visible, moving east through what is now the sand pit, proceeding east to 110.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

Twelve years after the parkway closing, this is the Nassau/Suffolk border between Old Bethpage and Melville. All bridges in this aerial were built in 1910.

Left to right:
Claremont Rd parkway bridge appears intact – now extinct
Old Bethpage parkway bridge (Town of Oyster Bay/Huntington border) – still there today
Clody farmway bridge (Melville sandpits) – still there today
Broad Hollow Rd parkway bridge (Rt 110) appears removed.

No races ran through here. Edith K. had a farm nearby off of Broad Hollow Rd.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

The section between Round Swamp Road and Route 110
The 110 bridge had been removed but the Clody bridge in the sandpit is near top right
As well as the Old Bethpage bridge on the left side with a path leading up to it
at far left was the Claremont Road bridge
None of the Cup races were held here, or anywhere east of Round Swamp Road

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

Motor Parkway east of Round Swamp Road. We see the Round Swamp Road bridge, the Claremont Road Bridge and the Bethpage State Park Farmway Bridge, as well as the Melville Sandpit Bridge - the only 2 left are the one in BSP and the sandpit. I dont think any cup races were held there, but maybe some endurance runs.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

Lee C:
I remember seeing that History series in 2012.  Had I only known it was you driving!

From History Channel: The Alco Black Beast in "Cars That Built America: Part I"

Gary M:
I saw that show, that was you and your car. How cool!

From History Channel: The Alco Black Beast in "Cars That Built America: Part I"

Albertson? Between Searingtown rd and Willis Ave?

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

Nassau Suffolk Border, starting just east of the Bethpage Lodge on the right to Route 110 on the left.  Bridge in the back of Old Bethpage Village and (in part) inside the sand pits still stand.  The bridges over Clarmont Ave and over Broad Hollow Rd are gone today. 

From Updated: Mystery Foto #35 Solved: A 1950 Aerial of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage & Melville

The photo of the crowd near Round Swamp Rd appears to show 2 of the Long Island Auto Club’s signs placed in 1901. These seem to be slightly different though as they show direction to 3 locations rather than the 2 locations seen on other signs.

Last weekend’s mystery photo was supposed to be the only known photo to show the signs in their original locations. Could this be a second photo, or am I incorrect?
——————————————————————-
Howard Kroplick

Greg, great catch! See above.

From Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Races Featured in New Book on Plainview-Old Bethpage

Frank K:

Thanks for the memories. You are a special guardian for such a fine automobile collection. Having the Tucker decedents in attendance certainly enhanced my experience seeing the 1948 Tucker and understanding it’s historical significance. To commentate this day, I propose the Town of Roslyn be known as Tucker Town today!

From Updated: VanderbiltCupRaces.com's Open House at Waterfront at Roslyn Draws a Great Crowd

Great job with the photos, Frank. Good to see Roy K. in 1 of the images ( he stands out in the crowd ). I bet he’s a gentle giant.

From Updated: VanderbiltCupRaces.com's Open House at Waterfront at Roslyn Draws a Great Crowd

Interesting map find Brian. It appears on the Birch Hill/Buckram intersection you can make out the Inn, front porch, side yard, three wood poles in front where the mystery road sign is attached, and the house directly behind the Inn.

I checked a 1906 Belcher-Hyde and all main roads between Bayville and Jericho remain the same today. The shortest distances from Birch Hill Rd/Buckram Rd were 7.3 and 4.0, and from Bayville Rd/Buckram Rd were 7.6 and 3.3.  LIAC were rounding their signs to the nearest mile.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #34 Solved: A Historic Photo of a Road Sign in Front of Max Levi's Hotel