Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’m writing a book titled “Cleveland, The Original Motor City, 1897-1906” which of course includes much Peerless history, but lacking biographical data on Charles Burman. What can you tell me?

From In Search of Driver/Mechanician Charles Burman Updated: 10/30/2019

Looking at The original uncropped photo, the buildings across the street from the mystery building on Northern are still there. The building for sale on the opposite corner has a ‘for sale’ sign on the front and I’ll assume this was razed for the Chase bank building there now.

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

Addendum:  No. 6 Little Neck Rd also came up fruitless. The sign likely is pointing to the Great Neck Lodge off Lakeville Rd., and since 45mi of road is stated, this photo must be after 1928 when the western terminus was at Fresh Meadows off Horace Harding Blvd.

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

From Gary Hammond

Above Photo from the Queens Borough President’s Collection, NYC Municipal Archives, NYC Dept. of Records, Digitized photo # bpq_0175-f
Mystery Photo #18 is a cropped version of a much larger photo

Exact location:  As marked on the photo – [photo taken looking] “N.E. on Northern Blvd., 50’ W. of Little Neck Pky.”  The old wood building is now the site of the Doyle B. Shaffer Funeral Home, 45-09 Little Neck Parkway.  Judging by its architecture, this new building probably was built a year or so after the photo was taken, as the current Chase bank on the opposite corner was built in 1927. The most amazing part of the full photo image is that the “modern” brick stores across the street on Northern Blvd still stand today! (see Google maps)

Rationale: On a c.1901 map this spot was shown as the corner of Broadway [aka North Hempstead Turnpike / Northern Blvd] and Little Neck Road.  Under the eaves of the porch, to the right of the Mineola Fair poster is a sign “LITTLE NECK RD”; another sign points to the right, down Little Neck Road towards the “Community Church / of / Little Neck” [which still stands south of Northern Blvd on Little Neck Pkwy, and was Incorporated in 1926, so photo had to be 1926 or later]

Vanderbilt Field: Vanderbilt Field was originally listed as being located in Little Neck; today it is part of Lake Success, located off of Vanderbilt Drive;  The Field was chartered in 1928 as The Vanderbilt Field Association of Nassau County “to promote athletics, especially among the members of the 6th Battalion Association of the United States Naval Reserve of the 3rd Naval District”.  Among the Directors was William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. (of course).  (See The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Sunday, January 8, 1928, p. 25.)  The field already existed by 1924 as it is mentioned as being in use at that time.  (See The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, August 4, 1924, p. 21.) When Wm. K. Vanderbilt died on January 8, 1944 he still owned the field; in his will he gave the property to the Vanderbilt Field Assoc. along with a trust fund of $50,000 for maintenance of the property (See The County Review, Riverhead, Thursday, January, 27, 1944) The property is now the Inc. Village of Lake Success’ Village Park.

Likely Motor Parkway Entrance: Great Neck Lodge

Year of photo: October 7, 1926

What type of business was located in the building: at the turn of the century it was a hotel

SIGNS…SIGNS…SIGNS!!!  What a great collection of signs!
Besides the signs mentioned above:
• “Mineola Fair” – you can barely make out the dates: 15, 16, 17, 18;  The 84th Mineola Fair was held Sept. 14-18, 1926
• “RED LION INN” on an arrow pointing to the right
• ‘SHELTER ROCK / COUNTRY CLUB” which was at Searingtown, but no longer exists
• “CAMP UPTON” with an arrow to the right
• “VANDERBILT FIELD / 1ST TURN LEFT.” with a right arrow
• “Mason’s / PEAKS / 5 CENTS”
• “FOR SALE / THIS CORNER / 135 X 200 / H.S. JOBES / LITTLE NECK / PHONE/ BAYSIDE 2410”; Harry S. Jobes was a prominent real estate agent and property manager in the area
• “MOTOR PARKWAY / AUTOMOBILES ONLY / REACHES ALL POINTS ON LONG ISLAND / 45 MILES LONG” with an arrow pointing to the right
• “VAUDEVILLE / ALWAYS! / AN….INSTITUTION / GOOD …KING [Parking? or Booking?]  SPACE and ALWAYS A GOOD SHOW / PLAYHOUSE”; probably Little Neck Playhouse
• “LITTLE NECK / PLAYHOUSE / AUG. 23 / THE LI… PARADE”

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

Stumped! Only gathered the Vanderbilt Field was located somewhere in Little Neck, Nassau County and was used for athletic and recreational activities, Willie K being a director of the field. Harry S. Jobes was the manager of the Waverly Hills Real Estate Development Company. Hats off to anyone who solves this!

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

Harold,
There were two Robert Moses bridges built over the Northern State Parkway. One just West of Lakeville Road and one just West of New Hyde Park Road.

This is the bridge near Lakeville;
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/newsday_1954_motor_parkway_ghosts_haunt_northern_state

This was the bridge near NHP Rd.;
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_friday_foto_65_can_you_identify_this_long_island_bridge

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

The building was located at the south east corner of Little Neck Parkway (then Little Neck Road?) and Northern Blvd. The sign indicating Vanderbilt Field (Vanderbilt’s naval reserve base) is currently the Lake Success Village Park. The “first left” indicated by the sign would be at what is now Bates Rd. The photo was taken between 1921 and 1927. Camp Upton closed in 1921 and the Village of Lake Success was incorporated in 1927.
The Motor Parkway entrance would be Great Neck.

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

From Rick Jorgensen:

  Congratulations on the Motor Parkway Show!

  You have done so very much to bring forth interest and knowledge of the Parkway and those who raced for the Cup and those who built the Parkway.
Most Sincerely,
Rick A. Jorgensen
Founder of Golden Era Automobile Association

From Smiles and Thumbs-Ups at the First Car Show Ever Held on the Long Island Motor Parkway

I am confused with the bottom photo #3.  I remember as a young boy..the bridge over the Northern State Parkway was just West of New Hyde Park Road…not Lakeville Road.  The LIMP crossed Lakeville Road just North of the Sperry Company and that bridge was down many years before the bridge over the Northern State.  The toll house is still standing on the East side of Lakeville road..although vastly modified now.  I used to have a bag lunch on the bridge over the NS on my many bicycle excursions of the LIMP.  It was only a few hundred feet from the New Hyde Park Road bridge…  The section of the LIMP where the bridge near NHP road was became the exit ramp of the Northern State Parkway after it was widened.  New Hyde Park Road ended at Powerhouse Road…which is now the LIE….which is not at all in keeping with this photo.  Is it possible this photo is mislabelled???  It appears that the NSP was already widened and went under this bridge….whereas the bridge was torn down to make way for the widening…

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

I feel that our road has its own theme song. It just kind of synchs up. It’s Blue Oyster Cult’s “Dancin’ In The Ruins,“from their 1985 album Club Ninja. The band formed in 1967 at Stony Brook University and still plays to this day. Why the college doesn’t put up some sort of monument to them I’ll never understand.

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

I’ve spent enough time on this one and giving up to guesses. Here goes nuthin’!

-What is the exact location of the building and the orientation of the photographer? Provide a rationale using evidence in the photo.

I’m guessing this building is on the South East corner of Northern Blvd 25A and Little Neck Road (now Parkway) in Little Neck Queens. Photographer is on the South West corner looking East at the building.
For me, signs pointing to the Community Church of Little Neck and Motor Parkway were the clues. It’s difficult to make out, but the street sign for Little Neck Road can also be seen by the Mineola fair poster. Making a right there would bring you to the newly established Community Church down and on the right and proceeding further down Little Neck Rd/Pkwy would bring you to the 1st left (present Bates Rd/Horace Harding) towards Lakeville Rd. as the Vanderbilt Field and Motor Parkway signs suggest. The building also appears to sitting catty-cornered, I’ve noticed in a 1924 aerial, there is a building sitting in that position on that corner.

-What was Vanderbilt Field? Where was it located and what is on the site today?
Maybe the land/fields Vanderbilt owned south of Marcus where present day Long Island jewish Hospital is.

-What was the likely Motor Parkway entrance that the sign was pointing to?
Great Neck Lodge.

-What was the approximate year of the photo? Provide a rationale.
Great Neck Playhouse posters can be seen. Live theater was there from when it was built in 1925 to the very early 30’s. Also, the Community Church in Little Neck was established around 1926. My guess here would be sometime around 1926-29.

-Bonus: What type of business was located in the building? Who was its owner?
I’m unclear, but I’m sure someone will come up with Harry Jobes Real Estate sales records or Queens property records with some answers. A quick guess, judging from the Mason’s Peaks sign, which was a popular chocolate coconut candy bar in the 20’s, would be this was a candy store or general store of some kind.

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

Thanks,Howard. Now,I’m trying to remember when this all started,can you help me out on this?I know you mentioned it a few times. It had to be before I met you,which I think was 2008 and you had the Black Beast,never will forget that day.You showed up for nothing,if you remember,the event was postponed and you had the whole parking lot to yourself to drive around and this was the first time I saw the Black Beast,this is what started me following VCR

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

I think the photographer is facing east at the intersection of Northern Blvd. and Little Neck Road (Parkway) with the building being on the southeast corner. If you were to turn right (south) on Little Neck Road and follow the directions on the large white sign, you could get to Vanderbilt Field by taking the first left onto Bates Road. Vanderbilt Field was a Naval Reserve Training Center on the south side of Horace Harding Blvd. just slightly west of Lakeville Road. It is now the site of the Lake Success Village Park. The Motor Parkway sign is probably pointing to the Great Neck Lodge on Lakeville Road. I believe the photo is from about 1918 since Camp Upton was active then and was dismantled within 2 years after that. I think the building could have served as a candy/soda/cigarette store because of the large sign advertising Mason’s Peaks (similar to today’s Mounds). I’ll assume the owner was H. S. Jobes since his (or her?) name is on the for sale sign.

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

That view looking South and North #4 exit 39 LIE Glen Cove Rd is where you live,right and that’s what got you started on this whole thing? Knowing that the Motor Parkway was right their amazed you
________________________
From Howard Kroplick
Ted, your are correct!

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

Additional info. sent to Howard.
What is the exact location of the building and the orientation of the photographer?
Provide a rationale using evidence in the photo.
I’m not very good with this type of question, but here goes.  Based the arrows of the signs for the Red Lion Inn (located corner of Lakeville and IU Willets), Vanderbilt Field (which says to make the first left), Camp Upton and the Community Church of Little Neck I would put the building on Lakeville Road (west side), between I.U. Willets (also shown as Lakeville Road on some maps) and the Motor Parkway. All points of interest line up nicely, but having to make the first left to get to Vanderbilt Field, makes me think the arrows are pointing north.  And the Motor Parkway arrow could be pointing south.

What was Vanderbilt Field? Where was it located and what is on the site today?
Vanderbilt Field was a park/athletic area in the 20s, 30s and 40s that was on Willie Vanderbilt’s Lake Success property (later off of a road aptly named Vanderbilt Road).  It was often used by various groups (particularly the 6th Battalion of the US Naval Reserves)  for picnics and athletics events.  Willie K. bequeathed the property to the Vanderbilt Field Association in 1944 to promote athletics among members of the 6th Battalion and funded a trust fund of $50,000.  Located just south of what sometimes was shown as IU Willets Road and sometimes Lakeville Road and just west of the Deepdale Golf & Country Club as shown in a 1939 map.  Today the areas is the Lake Success Village Park.  Nassau tax records show the property transferred as a gift in 1944 with Willie K. on the property record. 

What was the likely Motor Parkway entrance that the sign was pointing to?
Would assume the Great Neck Lodge and entrance.

What was the approximate year of the photo? Provide a rationale.
Between 1927 and sometime in the 1930s when the Red Lion Inn burned down.  Unless the sign on the building was never taken down. 

Bonus: What type of business was located in the building? Who was its owner?
Hotel, garage maybe?  Did see it was for sale by H.S Jobes, real estate firm organized in 1915. 

From MysteryFoto #18 Solved: An Abandoned Hotel on Little Neck Parkway and Northern Boulevard in 1926

Attending my first meeting left me with great impressions.  A great bunch of people.  Howard is so cool and a great host.  Hope to attend many more!

From Presentation: The History of New York Registration, Licensing and License Plates

Several of these photos also show the beginning of construction of Great Neck South High School and South Junior High School, on the south side of the LIE, east of Lakeville Road.  These two schools, joined by a central cafeteria building, opened to students (including me as a junior) in the fall of 1958.

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

Back in the early 1950’s my folks looked to buy a house on what would become the north service road just west of Lakeville Rd. When my Dad learned of the Expy coming that was the end of that purchase.

Thanks for these photos.

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

A very nice set of photos—thanks for posting them.

Ken

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success

This view shows construction of the hospital that I was born at in 1981 alongside our sacred road. Another place I will take a lady to someday, and she will earn being called Princess Zelda and Lady Of The Vanished Overpasses.  Hoping that she will get it as to how important this is. And if she says “Inuyasha, SIT!!!” on any portion of the road, I will consider it a marriage proposal. Hoping that her family will pay for the wedding which I want to have on the road itself. And I even developed a romantic-gesture toll payment system a few years ago but haven’t had the chance to use it yet for a female hiker.

From Exclusive: 1956 Aerial Views of the Construction of the Long Island Expressway in Lake Success