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
Website by Eric Miller Design
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Recent Comments
I don’t think concrete made in that era here on long island had crushed bluestone in it. Pretty sure they used native gravel.
From Exploring and Uncovering the Motor Parkway in the Hempstead Plains (Levittown & Bethpage) Updated
Is Smithtown Stop N Shop still alive? I hear rumbles that it’s no longer going on.
From 2019 Long Island Cruises (Updated: July 26, 2019)
Sigsby Avenue Williston Park
June 2017
From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City
Forecast for Sat is rain. Good time to tackle this one at the local library. Nice image, Art.
From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City
Wed nights is really nice crowd at Milleridge Inn. Great cars and mature crowd. It’s now free to all.
From 2019 Long Island Cruises (Updated: July 26, 2019)
I’ll guess this is in Garden City where residents along Pell Terrace and Russell Rd. could opt to extend their property into the Motor Parkway roadway.
Judging by the foliage, the trees growing through the parkway and the boy’s clothes, this looks to be 1958.
From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City
Photo looks in the 1950’s. I am going off the way the kids are dressed. As for location….. The Albertson/Williston Park border in the back yards of Schley Ave or William St…. or maybe from Hillside to Jericho in Mineola…. or perhaps Garden City. All of these answers are based on way the road looks to be going through back yards. In Manhasset Hills there are were not fences over the road. I will be awaiting the answer.
-joe
From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Motor Parkway Remnants Between Russell Road and Pell Terrace in Garden City
Sure I speak for all…..so looking forward to viewing these documents that Roy placed in the right hands, Howard. My next search on the Detroit site will zero in on “Road Construction”. There is so many images on that site, perhaps I’ll come across this area. Mr. Lazarnick was quite the photographer. Many thanks to his passion/dedication.
From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Great observation Joe. I believe this long abandoned RR was a single track. Also, I recall reading somewhere a while ago that the LIMP was deliberately curved here to make use of an existing RR bridge, to save money instead of building a new one.
From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Good eye Tom, orientation could be N NW (the leftmost gentleman’s right arm shadow on same arm, left arm shirt’s shadow on left arm, and head shadow on his left chest). Could this be the west embankment captured here?
From New Photo Discovery: The Eastern Embankment of the Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge
The second photo looking north dates from the early to mid-1940’s judging from the car in the foreground.
From New Photo Discovery: The Eastern Embankment of the Willis Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge
The current Bell Blvd bridge of the current LIMP biking/jogging greenbelt trail was built after the parkway closed. I believe reading somewhere it was built in 1940. At this time the parkway was straightened out, so to speak. Prior it took an “S” like turn, swinging south (as you drove east), then turning northeast so that it could cross over a steel railroad bridge at a 90 degree angle. Then the LIMP turned southeast and then gently east. This was so the LIMP would not cross over the railroad at any strange angle. Rather it would cross straight. This RR line was already not in use. And connected with the main line in Floral Park. This line has the bridge over Jericho Tpke in Floral Park just before it connected with the main line. You have even posted pictures from and of this bridge from the 1904 race.
My Point? Was this a single track? Was this why WKV wrote this letter? Is the RR crossing that this letter was written to address?
-Joe Oesterle
From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
What about the railroad bridge built over the abandoned track of the Central LIRR near Bell Blvd? Could this have been a single track?
-joe
From Malverne Treasure #1: A Letter from William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.
Hoo, sibling; did I ever mess up (and Walt fell into my unwitting trap)! Howard’s Chrysler is most definitely a full Classic; so sorry, Howard. [Thanks, Walt, for identifying the William Dohm (not Doehm) car; I amended my web page accordingly.] Sam, III
From Classic Car Club and Nassau County Historical Society Visit Waterfront at Roslyn
Whoops! Completely forgot the skating rink and the old Island Inn - best known “in the day” for “hot and cold running maids” (there was a huge scandal of some sort there - errant housewives turning tricks, as I recall). Yes, Steve, Murray the K did just that. We all missed the segments of LIMP RoW through Salisbury (now Eisenhower) Park and along adjacent Salisbury Park Drive (partly restored). I also forgot the 1960 race (mea culpa) - I vas dere, Cholly, and snuck my XK-120M Jag onto the course and did a lap after the race had ended before being chased off. What a great thread - thanks, Howard! Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961
I’m not surprised at all that Art Kleiner would somehow find out the actual date, good going; Art.
Don’t know what to make of my finding in the NEWSDAY archives ( my 2nd comment ). If I was at the local library researching this, any past articles are freely available, unlike my home computer. Oh well, thought I was onto something.
_____________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick
The historic Newsday database are usually available online by going to your library’s Internet database.
From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961
I agree with Sam’s comments, (the Franklin and Packard are the only classics). No that Franklin is not the one owned for decades by the vet under the bypass. His was a 1933 Olympic sedan, this is the one that used the same body/fenders/chassis as the Reo Flying Cloud. the last I knew the vet’s car was in Mass.
From Classic Car Club and Nassau County Historical Society Visit Waterfront at Roslyn
This is a nice aerial photo of the new Roosevelt Field Mall. The photo is taken facing east towards Garden City, Carle Place and Westbury.
You can observe the remains of the old Roosevelt auto raceway which held the 1936-37 Vanderbilt cup races.
The LI motor parkway remnant section can be observed just east of the current Merchants Concourse (present location of Covanta and Tracom)
The 3 hangers can be seen on the S/S of Old Country Rd just east of the Meadowbrook Parkway. The amusement park is on the north central section of the mall next to the future Gimbels. The apparently unfinished Island Inn with the famous John Peel Room can also be seen just south of Old Country Rd By Zeckendorf Blvd.
The newly completed stands for the Roosevelt Raceway harness track can also be observed.
I would date the photo was taken in 1957. The Macy’s department store opened in august of 1956 and the raceway stands were completed in 1957.
From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961
Don’t count me out yet, Howard. I may have the answer to the Bonus Question!
Did a FREE SEARCH ( Abstract ) on the NEWSDAY website. I first searched “Kroplick” between 1960 to 1970. Only 1 Article came up…...Family Doctors Defended: They Do Their Duty Pg. 18 July 29 1961. I then searched “Richard M Nixon” along with the July date, and the same article came up. So my answer to the Bonus Question is 7/29/1961. Knowing this, I’ll need to change my previous guess concerning the Aerials Date/Rationale. My guess now is 1958. I read that the Island Inn officially opened for business in 1960. The Inn is clearly seen in the aerial, but still in the building stages I guess. And what’s to become Gimbels looks to be in the early phases of construction. 1958 seems like a safe guess for the Aerial. I feel “complete” now, even if my answers to this Mystery Foto aren’t 100%.
From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961
Roosevelt Field looking east
Top right is Roosevelt Raceway, site of 1936 Vanderbilt Cup race
Old Country Rd. On left vertical with 3 old Roosevelt hangars
St. Brigid RC church steeple at top left
Salisbury Links across top
Meadowbrook Parkway snaking through in center
Year: 1960
The Island Inn on Old Country Road
From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: An Amazing Aerial of the Open-Air Roosevelt Field Center Circa 1961
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