Vanderbilt Cup Races

Sam - thanks for bringing up the mystery electronics installation at OBVR once again - I clicked into your page about it and saw you used my material about it from years ago.  I’m sure I knew you had used me as the source but thanks again.  I’ve been back there every few years and my latest a few years back saw that all the equipment had been removed, taken, swallowed up by some govt. agency, etc. 
I actually found my notes about what was there originally - if anybody cares, there was a Radio Transmitter Model 15XLA (make unknown), an Aer-0-Com Automatic something Model ACB, antenna tuner Model ATU-100R, Power modulator Model XLA, a control voltage and a time sharing unit TSC.  I believe most of the equipment was made by Aeronautical Communications Equipment Inc. of Miami Fl.
My sole relic taken as a souvenir is a metal plate stamped with “Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp.  61298”.  I haven’t done any research about it in a while but thanks to you, I’ll be doing some real soon.

From Update2:Mystery Foto #29 Solved:A 1936 Aerial of Mitchel Field,Roosevelt Raceway & the Motor Parkway

Thanks, Les!  NCC it was, not Hofstra.  Morgue?  Oh, yeah; now it clicks.  Google WHPC and WBAU for more on these interesting stations.  O.K., all you experts; on to the Old Bethpage facility (please) [new thread?].  Sam, III

From Update2:Mystery Foto #29 Solved:A 1936 Aerial of Mitchel Field,Roosevelt Raceway & the Motor Parkway

I like the photo of I.U. Willets Road & Lakeville Road the best.  Also Tracy & Poole in the Locomobile.  Sharp detail!

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: The Lakeville Hotel on the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses

Amazing photos of Old 16. Glad they’re still preserved after all this time. Old 16 and Old 8 are tops in the horseless carriage category. Both souped up to outperform their international rivals. And they both succeeded. Amazing both vehicles still exist today after 110+ years!

From Jerry Helck and the Old 16 Locomobile Racer

The modern day educational radio station referred to is most likely WHPC-FM at NCC which since its founding in 1972 has been in the basement (actually the morgue) of the Base Hospital on (where else) Hospital Road at Mitchel Field where I got my start in broadcasting 42 years ago! 

The antenna was originally co-located with Channel 21 WLIW-TV’s tower at the end of West Ellington Ave.  In exchange, Nassau donated space for studios and offices on campus for the educational TV station. 

When 21 moved out further on the Island, WHPC-FM erected it’s new tower on top of the administration building on Nassau’s new campus, which as President of the school from 1965 - 1979, my father oversaw the construction of the entire facility. 

The tower seen in the photos above was long gone by the ‘60’s and was definitely Military, not commercial in nature.

From Update2:Mystery Foto #29 Solved:A 1936 Aerial of Mitchel Field,Roosevelt Raceway & the Motor Parkway

The 50 Merc does not have a Carson top. It has a custom , chopped , operable top , designed and crafted by Rob.

From FuelCurve.com: Ida Automotive Inc- Where Excellence Takes Shape

Howard, could the Mayan Ruins be the start of a railroad-type trestle bridge? I note the abutment walls, the width of the cross-section, and the alignment of the right-of-way fence posts, all suggestive of that bridge type to me, but others might know better.  A trestle bridge in an area where no roads or paths had previously existed in USGS maps as far back as the 1890s would be consistent to an Army/Camp Mills link.

From Femenias Findings: Exploring the Link Between Camp Mills and the "Mayan Ruins" Motor Parkway Bridge

This images speak volumes, past to present.

From Jerry Helck and the Old 16 Locomobile Racer

Hmm, this reminds me that there was (may still be) a radio station in the basement of a Mitchel Field building (over by the rifle range?).  Last I knew (I was in there ca. 1980-90), it was in use by Hofstra.  Might the tower have been for their transmitter?  Also, The B-25 bomber was a Mitchell (with two “l"s) named for Gen. Billy Mitchell and many were stationed at Mitchel Field named for NYC Mayor John Purroy Mitchel (with one “l”)!  Just in case this post catches the right attention, don’t forget to explain the mystery electronics installation just south of the LIMP near Old Bethpage Village restoration <http://sbiii.com/limpenas.html#mystery>.  Sam, III

From Update2:Mystery Foto #29 Solved:A 1936 Aerial of Mitchel Field,Roosevelt Raceway & the Motor Parkway

Driving my bicycle last week near Mayan Ruins noticed two new houses on corner of Transverse and Russell Rd, Garden City.  The house where the Mayan Ruins stood has been knocked down.  In its place there are two new houses.  The contractors must have knocked down the west side the old concrete embankment of the Mayan Ruins.

I took photos but can’t upload to this website.  Andy

From Femenias Findings: Exploring the Link Between Camp Mills and the "Mayan Ruins" Motor Parkway Bridge

Great work but -.. The Transverse Road abutments are dated 1911 or so and WWI wasn’t even a glimmer on the horizon, let alone any Camp Mills or a base hospital for the 42d!  An I recall me aright, the Transverse Road bridge was required as a condition of the conveyance of the surrounding land to the LIMP and the provision (as with several other such planned bridges) was never enforced.  The company used every trick in the book to avoid constructing anything it could get away without.  Mayhap we need Al’s scholarship here.  Sam, III

From Femenias Findings: Exploring the Link Between Camp Mills and the "Mayan Ruins" Motor Parkway Bridge

Nice Job it makes perfect sense that bridge would have serviced the hospital from the airport at Mitchel Field .

From Femenias Findings: Exploring the Link Between Camp Mills and the "Mayan Ruins" Motor Parkway Bridge

Obviously Alva is second from right!

From Mystery Friday Foto #31: Consuelo, Birdie and Alva Vanderbilt and the daughters of Gertrude Whitney

Identify the women from left to right and their relation to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Consuelo Vanderbilt (Willie K’s sister), Virginia, nieces Consuelo and Muriel Vanderbilt (daughters of Willie K’s brother, William II) and Alva Vanderbilt (Mrs. OHP Belmont, Willie’s mom).

Where and when was this photo taken? Newport, RI August 29, 1914

Identify the building in the background Marble House Mansion (Vanderbilt’s Newport Mansion.  The newly opened Tea House.

Kudos: What was the special event that drew these five women together?
Alva hosted the Congressional Union for Union Suffrage (CU) conference at Marble House on August 29, 1914 and opened the organization’s summer HQ.
The event also coincided with the opening of the tea room and Consuelo’s return from England.

From Mystery Friday Foto #31: Consuelo, Birdie and Alva Vanderbilt and the daughters of Gertrude Whitney

Not too sure about some of the identities but here are my guesses: Conseulo, Willie K’s sister; Virginia, his wife; Alva Belmont, his mother; Muriel, his daughter. I think the youngster in the foreground is Barbara Vanderbilt but can’t determine a relationship. I believe this photo was taken on the steps of the Chinese Tea House that Alva had built on the grounds of her “cottage” Marble House in Newport, RI. on the occasion of the first “Formal Tea” on July, 10, 1914.

From Mystery Friday Foto #31: Consuelo, Birdie and Alva Vanderbilt and the daughters of Gertrude Whitney

Wow Frank. I’m impressed. Your cartography skills are amazing.

From Femenias Findings: Exploring the Link Between Camp Mills and the "Mayan Ruins" Motor Parkway Bridge

Identify the women from left to right and their relation to William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

-Consuelo, his sister Duchess of Marlborough, Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Alva his mother, and Barbara Vanderbilt. Unsure of the woman in the center.

Where and when was this photo taken?
Identify the building in the background
What was the special event that drew these five women together

-On the steps of the Chinese Tea House at Marble House in Newport prior to a suffrage event, 1914

From Mystery Friday Foto #31: Consuelo, Birdie and Alva Vanderbilt and the daughters of Gertrude Whitney

I’M TRYING TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON A COUPLE OF BRONZE AWARD ITEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE IN THE 1904-08 RACING PERIOD. VANDERBILT, SAVANNAH?  THESE MAY BE PARTICIPANTS PLAQUES?  MAYBE ART NOUVEAU STYLE?  THE FIRST ONE IS 2 3/4” BY 2 1/4 HAS CHAIN DRIVEN RACER WITH SUNBURST UPPER LEFT CORNER WITH A REPOSED FIGURE HOLDING A TORCH. REVERSE SIDE HAS AN EAGLE ABOVE A RACE CAR WITH AN ENGRAVING BLOCK BENEATH. THE OTHER IS SIMILAR BUT WITH A TRAPEZOID. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANX
________________________________________________
Howard Kroplick

Please email me jpegs of the plaques at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

From Helck Family Collection: Peter Helck Recalls the Greatest Vintage Car Event in Long Island's History

Great multi views of the hotel. The additional photos help show how it really looked on the corner. Willie K’s Deepdale property was just across the street on the southwest corner

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: The Lakeville Hotel on the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses

As a longtime friend of Bob and Rob, I can verify that every word of this article is true. More importantly both are absolute gentlemen and overall wonderful folks!

From FuelCurve.com: Ida Automotive Inc- Where Excellence Takes Shape