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
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
Nice to see these 1962 pictures of Old Sixteen. Is it still on display at the Henry Ford Museum?
From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 on Display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1962
This article was rewritten from the one I did in 2012 on the now-defunct “Car Lust” blog. On or about 11/15/16, I will post a slightly updated version of my original post on our new blog, “It Rolls.”
Thanks,
—Chuck Lynch
From The 1956 Chrysler Norseman Concept Car Lost at Sea Updated 1/13/16
Steam-powered wagon built by Richard Dudgeon in 1866; now in the Smithsonian. Probably the first self-propelled vehicle on Long Island.
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
It appears that willie k. did not see the accident - according to papers i have found so far he testified that he came upon the accident shortly after it happened. Maybe the following will help…
Ny times - june 16, 1915 - page 8 - about his testimony in the lawsuit mrs. Pell had against the rail road - he was in his “runabout”
Ny herald - aug 6, 1913 - page 1 - the reason he was so far behind pell was partly due to lighting his lamps and to his getting a linen duster out
Brooklyn daily eagle - aug 5, 1913 - page 1- delay / why he was so far behind pell was due to lighting his pipe and to waiting for a mechanic to unlock a locked compartment so he could get out a linen duster
From Willie K's 1909 55-HP Mercedes that Toured From Tunisia to France
I wish I could have been there as well but was out in Chicago at a National Board of Directors meeting of the Classic Car Club of America. I hope you are able to visit this site again and get possible favorable approval from Albany. Is there any way readers of this can contact anyone in Albany to urge them to allow the LIMP Society to see some restoration of this site? Let us know. Thanks, especially to George who rediscovered this.
From Raiders of Lost Underpass
Nice coverage of Old Sixteen!
Keep up the good work,
=rdsieber
From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 on Display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1962
Thanks for sharing this post and for attending today’s event!
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From Howard Kroplick:
Scott, congrats on your outstanding book and wonderful presentation!
From Images of America Book: East Meadow by Scott Ackers
Lots of documentation about this one!
Identify the vehicle and the year it was built: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon, 1866
What powered the vehicle? Steam
Describe its link to Long Island: Builder and inventor Richard Dudgeon moved from NYC to LI (Peacock Point, Locust Valley) to escape complaints from residents. Ultimately was found in a barn and bought by auto enthusiasts who in turn sold it to the Smithsonian.
Where is this vehicle today? Smithsonian, Washington DC.
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
It’s great to see the then and now comparisons, too bad the early photo isn’t clearer.
From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton
That’s an 1866 Dudgeon Steam Wagon built by Richard Dudgeon in Manhattan, NYC. and was powered by steam similar to a railroad locomotive. It was actually his second model, the first having been built in 1855, was destroyed while being exhibited at New York’s Crystal Palace, which burned to the ground in 1858. Due to the noise and vibrations it caused on the streets of NYC, dudgeon was forced by the authorities to move it to his farm on Long Island. It had been on display in the Road Transportation Hall of the Smithsonian Institution but now they have it in storage.
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
Dave - No tunnel access yet, waiting for further approval from Albany. The rusty chain was still in place at the door. Luckily Steve had a ladder and were able to see across to the south side using flashlights through the top opening. Daylight from the south grate at the other end helped to determine distance. The echo in the tunnel was drawn-out and annoying. Also inoperative recessed lighting in the tunnel’s concrete walls. I was surprised to see those.
From Raiders of Lost Underpass
Mystery Friday Foto #46…..The vehicle is a Dudgeon Steam Wagon built in 1866.
As the name implies it was steam powered and could achieve a speed of 25-30 mph. Thanks but I will just watch from the side of the road, thank you.
The Long Island link is that designer/builder Richard Dudgeon constructed the wagon in NYC and used it, as well, on his farm on Long Island.
Today the Wagon resides in the Smithsonian Institute.
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
Another automotive coup! Thanks. In the last photo, the caption says that’s the son of the Peugot brothers in #30 behind the #61 Brasier of de Montais - that’s at odds with your individual photos. The #61 shown above is an open three-wheeler and the one in the lead in the clipping is a closed four-wheeler pictured individually above as either duBois’ #14 or Mayade’s #64 Panhard. Also, note that the most of the cars have solid tires and the paving is Belgian block - what a pounding the vehicles and passengers must have taken (I had to sell my 1948 Jag drophead because I had to drive it daily on Belgian block and it was being beaten to bits)! Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick I
Sam, the previous published captions for this photo in books were wrong. Clearly, the vehicle in the front was the #64 Panhard driven by Mayade.
From Helck Family Collection: The 1894 Paris-Rouen Race- The First "Road Wagon" Contest
O. K. I’ll bite. Wuzzar above Thomas Costello’s head in the #45 Maxwell? Flying saucer? Early Frisbee? Kite? Bumbershoot? Also: “Finished 6th in the Massapequa Sweepstakes, completing 1 of 10 laps”. 6th in 1 of 10 laps? Sounds as if the Stakes was a disaster (not that this ‘09 VCR wasn’t exceedingly rough on the cars). Please tell or link us to the story. Thanks for these fab photos. Sam, III
From John E. Roosevelt Family Photo Album: The 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race at the Massapequa Turn
I cheated, I looked it up.
In 1855, inventor Richard Dudgeon astounded New Yorkers by driving from his home to his place of business in a steam carriage. The noise and vibration generated by the Red Devil Steamer frightened horses so badly that city authorities confined it to one street.
After losing the original in a fire, Dudgeon constructed a second steamer in 1866. After encountering more opposition to the vehicle, he moved his family, and the steam carriage, to Long Island to escape city officials. Here he and his carriage became a familiar site, often with a young boy running ahead to warn travelers of the danger that followed.
Dudgeon ran the steam carriage many hundreds of miles and once covered a mile in under two minutes. Although the inventor claimed the carriage could carry 10 people at 14 m.p.h. on one barrel of anthracite coal, it was too f
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
Hi Howard,
One that always fascinated me and which is now in the Smithsonian (thank goodness). Hey - just thought - President Elect Trump could use it for his inauguration. Beats a Cadillac any day!
It’s the Dudgeon steam carriage. Built in 1866 by engineer Richard Dudgeon who owned a farm on Long Island and he also drove it on the streets of New York.
Think I’ve answered the questions posed.
Great diversion for a Friday lunchtime (here in the UK anyway!) Great website and very entertaining
Ian
From Mystery Foto #46 Solved: The Dudgeon Steam Wagon- The Earliest Road Vehicle Ever Seen on Long Island
Ugh! Can’t keep up with you guys, you’re too much.
From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Frederick G. Bourne at the South Side Sportsman's Club in a 1901 Winton
So when you went down the steps were you able to open the door? Did anyone go in? Did you go over to the south side?
Did you find any other LIMP relevant items at the facility in general while there?
I was thinking on the south side of Union Tpk where the original LIMP was there might be some road remnants/posts in the weeds/trees that are near the south tunnel entry. I’ll have to investigate further one day.
Sorry we couldn’t be with you for this….kids schedules these days never end!!!
From Raiders of Lost Underpass
Fabulous photos. Thank you for sharing them.
From John E. Roosevelt Family Photo Album: The 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race at the Massapequa Turn
Howard, are both sides still in existence and can you walk thru to the other side?
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From Howard Kroplick:
Michael, the underpass is completely intact but closed off in the north by a door and a gated top on the south.
From Raiders of Lost Underpass
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