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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
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Recent Comments
This is one of my favorite pics as it is .6 miles from where I live. Realizing I was living so close to the Parkway was one reason for my interest over the past 13 years.
Identify the building on the right and its location: New Bridge Hotel, New Bridge Road, Hempstead Plains (Levittown). Operated by Jacob Gaenger. Currently a gas station and homes.
Identify the bridge in the photo. Provide a rationale.
New Bridge Road Parkway Bridge - After the bridge, the road curved to the north. Central Railraod ran directly south of the bridge - a wooden diamond RR sign can be seen under one of the telephone poles.
Identify the racer and the race.: #12 Thomas driven by George Saltzman (1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race)
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
“- - - 1919. It is likely the earliest known aerial of the Long Island Motor Parkway”? “Known”, maybe. “Earliest”? Hate to disagree but that is highly unlikely. Hazelhurst and its fellow LI fields were hotbeds of early aerial photography. Sherman Fairchild didn’t even get into the act until 1917 but his LI predecessors were legion. So, now all that has to happen is that we locate the pix and then find the LIMP on them. I’d suggest starting with auto racing and aviation news in the illustrated newspapers and magazines/journals of the day. Simple, eh? Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick
Sam III, good point, added “to date” to the sentence.
Howard I
From Amazing Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation: #3 The Earliest Known Aerial of the Motor Parkway
Nothing to do with this,just a quick Happy Valentines Day to all.
From Aerial Analysis: East Meadow, Westbury and the Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 12, 1936 Updated 2/15
From Lee Chambers:
In the most recent batch of photos, the Salisbury Club is the building to the west of Merrick Ave., very close to the CRRLI station, correct? But isn’t that building the Meadow Brook Club?
My confusion is in differentiating the Salisbury Club with the Meadow Brook Club. Were they two separate facilities or one in the same? Did the name change at some point? If two, where we they in relation to one another?
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From Howard Kroplick:
The building was always the clubhouse for the Salisbury Country Club not the Meadow Brook Golf Cub. Due to its apparent proximity to the Meadow Brook course, it has often be mistaken as the Meadow Brook’s clubhouse, which was further west nearer to their polo field. See the above added 1923 map and 1938 aerial.
From Aerial Analysis: East Meadow, Westbury and the Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 12, 1936 Updated 2/15
As I realEYEz what’s there now…kinda makes me wanna cry!
From Aerial Analysis: East Meadow, Westbury and the Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 12, 1936 Updated 2/15
I will guess the Thomas Flyer in 1908 in the Vanderbilt Cup Race…...the overpass/bridge #6 traveled over Newbridge Road. The spectators are watching the races in front of and atop the Newbridge Road Hotel.
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Nice shot. This photo gives a good view how these bridges really looked and how steep they were. The only possibility here is the Newbridge Rd parkway bridge in Levittown, with railroad running adjacent and the left curve immediately following. We’re facing west towards Salisbury. Oct 24,1908 / 258mi. VCRace / #12 Thomas 110hp / Driver: George Saltzman / Mechanician: Blancard / finished 5/17. The Newbridge Hotel at Merillon Estates, located just off and east of Newbridge Ave (Rd) is no longer there.
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Hello Howard,
Thanks for giving us an easy one for Valentine’s Day. That’s the Newbridge Road Hotel on the east side of Newbridge Road, slightly north of the LIMP in the Hempstead Plains, today’s Levittown. The LIMP bridge is going over Newbridge Road. My rationale (or research, or some would call cheating) is that it says so on page 90 of your “Vanderbilt Cup Races of L. I.”. The racer is the number 12 Thomas with George Salzman at the wheel during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The mechanician is Blancard (couldn’t find his first name).
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Newbridge Hotel on Newbridge Road East Meadow
Spectators watching from the hotel and grounds
LIMP bridge over Newbridge Road
#12 George Saltzman
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Motor Parkway East of Newbridge Road facing west, as the road turns north toward today’s Levittown, the building on the right was the Newbridge Hotel. Vanderbilt Cup Race- October 24, 1908, The #12 Thomas driven by George Saltzman. I like this location today because it is a good place to park my truck and ride a bicycle east to Deadmans Curve in Bethpage.
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Identify the building on the right and its location-
Newbridge Hotel, on Newbridge Rd on the North side of the LIMP
Identify the bridge in the photo. Provide a rationale.-
Looking West at the Newbridge Road ‘parkway’ Bridge in Hempstead Plains. (RR crossing sign on the left seen)
Identify the racer and the race.
The #12 Thomas heading East driven by George Saltzman during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 24, 1908. Next stop; the grandstands!
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
Newbridge Rd bridge of the LIMP.
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: New Bridge Hotel on Newbridge Road- A Favorite Viewing Site for the Races
central island restaurant was purchased 1n 1955 by the borrelli family 60 years later still BORRELLIS RESTAURANT
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Hi Frank, thanks for solving the mystery. I have enjoyed your family’s restaurant for many years!
From Amazing Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation: #2 1955 Mitchel Field and Salisbury Park Updated: 2/13
I could be wrong, but to help clarify the 1954 incident of the boy on the Central Av bridge, the bridge had already been “removed” by 1950. That leaves the assumption that only the center of the bridge over the LIRR was removed, leaving the north and south abutments intact, perhaps to be removed at a later date. The boy, living on Norcross, had climbed the north embankment nearest his home, where it collapsed and fell below, but not over the center railroad tracks. Any thoughts on this is welcomed.
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
Wow! It’s getting tougher to stump the viewers. Lol. Art: I’m surprised the reinforced concrete gave way as it did for the child. Bridge was less than 50 years old. Perhaps due from constant vibration of passing trains below over the years. Are those LIMP concrete posts securing the tracks by Central Av? Not sure if I see the three spiral wires attached to them. Brian: Those photos would be great to see. Definitely another parkway exploration to venture! Best wishes everyone.
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
Good mystery, Frank. I’ll make a point of visiting my old high school this coming weekend to snap some photos of the original Brentwood schoolhouse. Quite a scary accident with the 11 yr old. It could’ve been worse.
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
From Steve Beck:
First off, I love reading all the history and current stories from the site – great job.
Regarding the photo, I’m 99% sure this is the Central Avenue crossing in Bethpage, across from present day King Kullen HQ.
Ironically, when traffic is bad on Southern Parkway, my alternate route Westward to work takes me on Central Ave at this exact spot heading into Bethpage, passing by the southern approach of the very bridge from which the photo was taken.
My reasoning is:
• The shadow is on the left (north) side of the train, indicating a view looking easterly.
• There was a LIMP bridge over Central Ave and the LIRR that would yield this vantage point.
• The LIRR is 2 tracks at this location
• In the distance adjacent to the tracks, you can see a small railroad building on the right, which is still visible from Bethpage Parkway (my normal commute route)
• The RR tracks turn left in the far distance at Bethpage Junction – where the Hempstead line used to connect (west of Farmingdale)
• The telephone/signal wires are on the same side as they are today
• You can see an unimproved road on the S. side of the tracks.
• You can see a road in the upper left on the far side of the tracks running parallel to the tracks which is Central Ave, now Thone Dr east of the SOB Expressway
• The 1953 aerial from http://www.historicaerials.com shows this crossing oblique to the tracks and matches all the features mentioned above
See above images with text/arrows pointing out these items.
That was fun.
Best Regards and keep up the good work !
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
Identify this bridge and the orientation of the photo. Provide a rationale.
Central Avenue bridge, Bethpage looking East. Train is going west with the wooden diamond crossing sign on the south side, along with the outhouse.
Estimate the date of the photo. June, 1949
Bonus for train lovers: Identify the train: G5s #25.
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
Wild guess - Central Avenue in Bethpage. Where else did a LIMP bridge cross both a dual-track main line (the Central Branch) AND an at-grade road crossing? If so, looking west. But it doesn’t look right. Passed this along to LIRR friends. Can’t make out beans about loco or train. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13
Whoops - forgot area coverage at http://sbiii.com/limpmaps.html#mitchel . So many other pages but Meadowbrook Club coverage at http://sbiii.com/lirrcrr1.html#slsbrypl , among those many others. Sam, III
From Amazing Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation: #2 1955 Mitchel Field and Salisbury Park Updated: 2/13
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