Vanderbilt Cup Races

Mac, since history is very much in the eye of the beholder, a look at the criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places might be helpful:

To be considered eligible, a property must meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. This involves examining the property’s age, integrity, and significance.

• Age and Integrity. Is the property old enough to be considered historic (generally at least 50 years old) and does it still look much the way it did in the past?

• Significance. Is the property associated with events, activities, or developments that were important in the past? With the lives of people who were important in the past? With significant architectural history, landscape history, or engineering achievements? Does it have the potential to yield information through archeological investigation about our past?

http://www.nps.gov/nr/national_register_fundamentals.htm

In my opinion, based on these criteria, the start/finish grandstand site of the first American victory in a major automobile race, on the first road built exclusively for automobiles, on a property virtually unchanged from 104 years ago, would easily qualify as a state and national historic place.

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

From Mac:

“I think the idea this is some historic site is nonsense to keep the developer from building. Why wouldnt where the initial groundbreaking be historic? It’s like saying Levittown itself is historic and in reality it is so we shouldn’t build. The last race was held there one hundred years ago and what has been done since? Can someone tell me what the historical significance is? With that said spot zoning cannot be allowed a development in that area could destroy the fabric and history of Levittown. This is not what levittown represents are what should be built.”

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

Jerome,

The Queens Greenway built over the Motor Parkway is still in use and considered a treasure by the community:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/tag/tag/queens+greenway

From Original Survey Maps of the Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered!

From Henry:

“Why has preservation of this piece of American History with a park, celebrating the Long Island Motor Parkway, never been discussed? The historic site should not be compromised.

Open common green spaces in William Levitt’s original plan should be preserved. He had the foresight to build around this historic site, as well as other areas that all play an important role in feeding our water supply.  Legally, while the owner is obligated to invite concerned residents to a “public hearing” to express their views regarding the development of the property, there’s nothing truly “public” about a Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. meeting: It’s like winning the lottery for the lot owner and their lawyers. A fair representation of public concern is inhibited by the meeting time and place. The concerned citizens who are affected by the proposal and would like to participate, may not be able to take time off to attend. Also, the location may be restrictive to the disabled and seniors in the area.

It is the property developer’s responsibility to ‘Be a good neighbor’ and create a plan that adheres to the LRPD zoning ordinance, along with respecting the Long Island Motor Parkway historic site and the neighborhood. This rezoning meeting will affect our community’s future. Please attend the Hempstead Town Hall meeting to voice our opposition to this proposal.”

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

Remember long hill at Springfield Blvd. Bridge over same. Alley pond.

From Original Survey Maps of the Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered!

Springfield Blvd. ,Queens County going into Ally Pond Park.Is it still there and had been used by Bikes and walking? west to east.

From Original Survey Maps of the Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered!

Paul,

1. The property was purchased by a developer Josato, Inc for over 20 years ago.
2. The property has never been landmarked.
3. It has been vacant because under the current Hempstead zoning laws it was too small to build any houses.Josato will petitioning to rezone the property to allow a 50-unit condo complex.
4. After the last Vanderbilt Cup Race was held in 1910, the grandstand and press box in the “Hempstead Plains” was taken down in 1912.

One of the first private country club airfield in the United States was adjacent to this property until sold to William Levitt in 1948:

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

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

From Paul:

Interesting story.
I for one love historical sites…
First - Who owns the land now?
Second - Does it have landmark status?
Third - Why did it sit vacant so long?
Fourth - When was the grandstand etc knocked down and was anything else on that site since it was a racetrack?
****

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

I see now that the Horsefield bridge was basically for farmway access to IU Willets Rd. Looks like there was quite a bit of woods before getting to the farmland.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#20 Old Searingtown Road Motor Parkway Bridge in Searingtown

From Cecelia Summers:

“Hundreds of people must show up to protest against this or the birthday cards that have been going to the town of Hempstead will be granted and the people in our town will not have a say ever again about our land and our Levittown”

From Hold the Date 10/3/2012: Public Hearing on Rezoning the Site of the Levittown Grandstand & Press Box

I really enjoy this series.  Thanks to you and everyone who contributes to it!

Ken

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#21 Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in Williston Park

From Kaga1310:

“what beauties they are! i am absolutely amazed about this era of motor racing. “

From The Black Beast and the Red White Featured in the New History Channel Mini-Series

I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk with you much. I thought you were coming down to the exhibit. Well I guess I will see you next time.

Take care,
Maria Hansson

From Stony Brook Mega-Exhibit "America's Love Affair with the Automobile"

Hi Howard. A sign stating “church property” is in the area of the “rectangled spot” near the N Service Rd on the bing map. I driven by there many times, and it seemed like there used to be something in that fenced property.

From The Lakeville Hotel In Lake Success

From Joshua Stoff (Curator, Cradle of Aviation):

“FYI, James Breese’s brother Sydney, produced basic training aircraft for the Air Service during World War One (also in Southampton0. we have the only surviving example in our collection. best, josh”

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi,

About James’ children:
- Sidney will be the “B” of B.L.M. Motor Car Co. (Charles Lawrance and Andrew Moulton).
- James Jr will be the chief engineer of the Curtiss NC4, the first plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean with stopovers in 1919.
- Robert will be in 1911 the builder of the roadster ” Breese Paris “, realized in France with a french engine Ballot.
- and a daughter Frances. (and I think this is her on the picture at Ormond, not her mother)

James always raced on Mercedes (18 hp, 35 hp, and 40 hp). He also owned a 60 hp which he lent to Henri Dolbeau, driver of the B.L.M. engaged in the Elimination Trial of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup. On September 10th, Dolbeau destroys the Mercedes during recognitions of the Long Island course… And what happened then to the B.L.M. in this race is well known…

Best regards

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

From Mark Sink (Great-grandson of James Breese):

“Thank you Howard .. a few years ago it was very very exciting to come across this film and see him walking along the road there. It was like seeing a ghost.
Thank you for thinking of me.

best

Mark”

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi All

When I saw the name Breese the first thing I thought about were the Breese Carburetors of some years back. Maybe James or Sidney had something to do with the development of these carburetors. Any comments?

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

From Jeff B:

“Thank you for this.  Living in Southampton and not too far from this house, it was quite interesting to read the history of its owner.”

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Earl, I believe that was James’ brother Sidney who was part of the BLM (Breese-Lawrence- Moulton) car:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/wednesday_august_25_2010/

From Southampton's James L. Breese and the Vanderbilt Cup Races