Vanderbilt Cup Races

Here you go Sam - the “patch” behind the red course (adjacent o Old Country Road) and the “Prairie” at Nassau Community College - I visited the latter for the first time this past June and imagined most of central Nassau County looking like this at one time.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

*Photo left of Automobile is Powell’s Hotel, Jericho, NY
* Other photo is Beau Sejour Hotel on Central Avenue, Bethpage, NY.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

Labeled the ‘curve of death’ by newspaper writers it was at Jericho turnpike and what we know it today as route 106-107 in Jericho.
I believe the photographer was facing north.
Building on left is the W.B. Powell’s Jericho Hotel.
First turn of the 1904 cup.
Hotel Beau Sejour was on the northwest corner of Central ave and Stewart ave in Bethpage (Central Park) and was a popular stop for motorists for close proximity to the LIMP.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Jericho Turn in Jericho on a Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

We’re getting far afield LIMP-wise but the preserved prairie is at Nassau CC at Mitchell Field, NOT Eisenhower - oops!  Wrong!  There’s a patch “behind the Red Course”, which must be to what Dave and Brian refer.  Mot being a golfer, I don’t know what “behind” means; map, please, someone.  There are some good LIMP aerial pix at the site where I found I’m wrong:  <https://vocal.media/wander/the-last-and-only-eastern-prairie>.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Brian McCarthy has provided an answer to Art’s question regarding Mitchel College.  See at the end of the original post.  Thanks Brian!

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

I’m thinking in general that a bridge footing below ground wouldn’t have to be removed unless it would be a obstruction to new below ground facilities like sewer, water, natural gas or electric.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Carman Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Removal

The aerial photo of Hofstra sure brings back memories, as I attended from 1972 through 1976. And, growing up in Merrick, I traveled the Meadowbrook Parkway and adjacent roads many times. If I had a nickel for every time I went under the Bridge to Nowhere, I’d have enough money to buy a Tucker 48! OK, maybe a pristine ‘57 Chevy…

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Art, with your easy manner and diplomacy, you would’ve had no problem acquiring some of those boundary posts : )

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Carman Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Removal

Yes Dave, I realized my iPhone can do fancy things with these photos : )

Sam III - Think Dave is referring to a protected section of what’s left of the Hempstead Plains ( Wild grasses, etc. ), there’s a marker sign in the area south of Old Country Rd.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Yes Art, very interesting info. Sure your having fun exploring through this area!

Not a surprise for most of us, the motor parkway spur noted on the last image is certainly Quentin Roosevelt Blvd and South St north of Stewart Ave, both once planned to be the Hempstead Spur that would’ve continued southwest to today’s Westbury Blvd.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Wow, NICE FIND Sam! The electric towers look the same and photo quality ca. around same time. Could it be the test line crew? Three toots on the whistle! Fowl and dogs also running madly away behind the farmer. The races are coming!!!

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A Never Before Published Photo from the Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Server was down and thought the problem was on my end. You may receive multiple copies of this comment

Neat stuff Art. In the 1961 Building Schedule, does it also indicate street names in relation to building numbers? I’m particularly interested in Rice Circle and the roadway leading to it. Great hidden info that’s tough to access!

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Correction: Present day Ladenburg Lane is not an original road in the estate. Access to the estate/racetrack were gained via Valentines Rd, Plain Rd, and Westbury Rd, all of which still exists today, including the racetrack that is currently being used as the backyard to East Meadow Elementary School. I rode my bike to the racetrack a few years back and its oval shape, though interrupted at certain points, remains intact

1926 map link below

https://lrv.nassaucountyny.gov/map/?s=17&b=15&l=3B

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Great stuff here Art! I went to Nassau Community College 1970-1972 and had classes in the barracks. Many of the base buildings and remnants of the runways were still there. I drove through the property a few years ago and it’s amazing to me that several of the base buildings are still there now just rotting away. Thanks for the interesting post.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Part 2- Mapping the Motor Parkway, Mitchel Field & Mitchel Gardens

Hope I’m not belaboring the point but I just found that I have a far better and contemporaneous, if unprovenanced, photo of a tower car in use (possibly even on the project in question), attached.  {Hey - that guy in the white shirt could be running madly away from the photog’s cat racing wildly down from the bridge!  :·) }  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A Never Before Published Photo from the Newbridge Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Howard, Not generally known is that the Ladenburgs and the Vanderbilts traveled in the same social circles and were at least acquainted with each other. That well publicized parade of flowered automobiles held in Newport on Sept 7, 1899 was organized by Willie’s mother, Alva. Mrs. Ladenburg participated in the event in a Stanhope driven by Jack Astor.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Dave, all of the north end of Salisbury-cum-Eisenhower Park, i.e. across OCR from Holy Rood Cemetery, between Post-cum-Merrick Ave. and Salisbury Park Drive, has been completely redeveloped.  That’s also far north of the LIMP RoW (some half-mile).  To what preserved section are you referring?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Wow, you guys are incredible w your knowledge / research.

Brian, you’ve been hanging out w frank too much. Your map skills are getting really good.

I love seeing these old Long Island pics. What’s cooler then seeing the space you grew up with before it was developed. There’s history and there’s personal history and seeing these LI locations that I’m familiar with is awesome. I get people that love history of all types but to me this beats the ancient Egyptians or Romans any day of the week!

If you drive on old country road east passing merrick ave and then look to the right (south) they have a section of the park that is preserved and really does look like this.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908

Hi Howard and All:          Re: Grist Mill Project // Water Source
    Please enlighten me as to the route of the water that feeds the wheel that drives
the mill.  I cannot locate a creek or source that feeds it and it would give me the
total picture of its history etc.  A wonderful project and best of luck with it !!!
                    With Best Regards Always,  Ron.
_____________________________________________________________
Hi Ron,
I added several January 10, 2020 drone aerials. The source of the water flow is Silver Lake located south of the Roslyn Grist Mill.

From The Restoration of the Roslyn Grist Mill (Updated: February 27, 2020)

Oops - forgot to reference Mystery Foto #34 of 2 Aug 2015, <http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_friday_foto_33_can_you_identify_tis_section_of_the_long_island_moto>, which documents the Ladenburg property; ditto, to a lesser extent, Bridge Series #35 of 07 Aug 2013, <http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series_35_the_meadowbrook_bridge_in_east_m>; and several others.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: The Motor Parkway West of Merrick Avenue Under Construction in 1908