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
Sorry but that album cover was NOT for the contents, the race; it was for the 1908 AAA Tour, a VERY different and far more extensive event (presumably the “Glidden” Tour of July 1908. Your cover may be of great value in its own right! Regardless, what a find! Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick
Sam III, excellent observation. All the photos in the album relate to the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. My assumption is that Spooner & Wells had a spare blank leather 1908 AAA Tour album and used it for these photos.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive:The 1908 Race Album of William Luttgen & William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Ed, I will offer a theory about the 1927, based on the picture. the front end does match the Chrysler autos of that year. However, There is no apparent pump on the rig. Looks like it is being used as a hose wagon, when not used as a racing team truck. I think that a civilian Chrysler was converted to a racing team vehicle. I am a Life Member of Kings Park and reside in Pa. In our history, we had a Lincoln touring car that was cut down and modified for tournament racing, around 1931. It also served as a truck to carry brooms etc. for brush fire fighting. The modification looked nice and had nice pipe handrails running along the back. Most departments, back in those Depression days did not have too much money to buy fancy rigs for Tournament competition. With ingenuity, the volunteer firemen worked with what they had. Just my guess on its employ. Bob
From Saturday Search Findings: Walter Chrysler's Chrysler Fire Truck (Updated: 12/25/14)
Heshy!
You never fail to please. I had a silver split window coupe in ‘63 (Sonny bought it for me in college), but my favorite was the ‘62 before that, bought at cost from Sam Luby for $3,680. in exchange for Granddad’s getting him a box at Hialeah. What grand old days.
Stay well,
H. Robert Greenbaum
From Video of the Week "Willie K. in an Auto Boat Race on the Hudson"
Thank you for all the weekly updates, very sad to learn about those stolen gates, i hope they are found. Could you send me a mailing address, I have some 1920’s photos from Oyster Bay that i’d like to send you copies of. Best wishes for 2015. Bob
From Summary of Saturday Searches
I had to take a break from the mystery photo this week, I was on it for about 2 hours, I think I narrowed it down to 3 bridges, but they’re so near one another. I can’t tell which one it is, very easy to make a mistake, I’ll get back to it tomorrow, I had enough of it today. That film of the Vanderbilt Race was great, that hairpin turn is the best, it shows more of what a struggle it was to make that turn, how they bounce and slide around it
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive:The 1908 Race Album of William Luttgen & William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Another great mystery with many possibilities.
This LIMP highway bridge under construction, c.1908, where the Motor pkwy ran under the bridge, is most likely located in Nassau or Suffolk with wide open fields. There appears to be a slight bend in the roadway veering towards the left, and it’s possible the LIMP further down is being prepared for construction that will turn to the left?
The straightaway under the Powell Ave bridge in Bethpage also appears to veer slightly to the left, but the landscape doesn’t seem to match the mystery in either direction.
Second possibility could be the Jerusalem Ave bridge in Hemp Plains heading west, but the grandstand site after the bridge would’ve been too close to the bridge before the road turns to the left.
Then in Queens, the roadway heading west before the Commonwealth Blvd bridge was a close match with proper road bends, but Commonwealth was a parkway bridge and was disqualified.
This could be the Wheatley Hills golfway bridge looking north (westbound) in East Williston, future site of the Midland Golf Cub established 1913. This location has a close match to the environment as well.
This mystery is difficult. Waiting anxiously for this week’s answers once again. Thank you Art for the challenge and all the fun that followed. HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR TO ALL!
From Mystery Foto #100 Solved:The Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Under Construction in 1908
Another guess here, but I’m going with it being the Jerusalem Ave bridge since the LIMP is very straight through to the highway bridge. This could be looking East from the grandstand location.
From Mystery Foto #100 Solved:The Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Under Construction in 1908
Hello Howard… i dropped in to see there is some recent comments .. my email has updated ..to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .. best Mark
From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Carmen Ave
From Mystery Foto #100 Solved:The Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Under Construction in 1908
Howard, That game looks like it would be a lot of fun. I’ve always loved board games and wonder if it would be popular if it were reproduced.
Actually, it would probably only be popular with people of our age. Young people are married to their electonic devices. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Roger
From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game
Its possible that the photo might have been taken after the Parkway closed. The sign board that listed the rates to use the Parkway is missing in the photo, it was usually attached to the brick column behind the couple. Also missing is the Bethpage Lodge sign, usually located in the peak area above the porte-cochere . Al
From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers
Ok I think its looking west at the Wantagh Avenue Bridge because it is being built over a street and it is a straightaway so that is my guess.
From Mystery Foto #100 Solved:The Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Under Construction in 1908
Jerusalem Ave. bridge looking east in Levittown.
Flat terrain and straightaway road.
From Mystery Foto #100 Solved:The Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Under Construction in 1908
I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas. This weeks mystery is a tricky one and I see why you need help with it. Thanks for the hint, it’s going to help alot
From Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2015!
Check out my memories of flying out of the Aviation Country Club, Hicksville, Long Island in the 1940s.
http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/flying-metaphor-business-39350/1
From Then & Now: The Long Island Aviation Country Club on the Motor Parkway
Nice job on the bridge guys! It may be used someday enroute towards Lake Ronkonkoma. Who knows? This ought to be good!
From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #52: The Old Bethpage Motor Parkway Bridge
Check out those old utility poles, that really looks like an old country road. I’d give 10 schillings just to spend a day there with my modern auto and a fully charged camera.
From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917
This was a very good one this week and thanks for all the extra info Frank and Art, the photos were great. What guess work Greg, expecting to be wrong with no research and me expecting to be right with no research was wrong
From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917
Looks like I’m getting this one wrong since I didn’t have time this week to research and figure this one out, so I’ll just give some quick off the cuff guesses…
- Where was this Motor Parkway sign located?
Old Country Road. (although closer to the Nassau Boulevard airfield in Garden City wouldn’t be a bad guess either)
-Where was the arrow on the sign pointing to?
Clinton Rd towards the Garden City Lodge
-What is the likely year of the photo?
The toll on the LIMP was $1 from 1917-1932. My guess is the early 1920’s.
-What was the Wright Flying Field and who owned it?
Curtiss-Wright
-What automobile company was owned by the parent company of the flying field?
-How was this automobile company linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
Looking forward to the correct answers!
From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917
I have seen only 1 or 2 vague references to this ever having been called ‘Wright’ Field. It was certainly never official. We have a letter from an army pilot dated 1917 that refers to the ‘Old Wright hangers’ there, so I suspect it was only called that sometime during the 1912 - 1917 period.
From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917
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