Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hammond’s Historical Happenings:

This photo is from Newsday, June 9, 1959, p. 17
The actual photo caption states:
“Historic Hike is completed as Vincent Belafiore of Explorer Scout Post 429 helps dedicate marker commemorating construction of Motor Pkwy.  Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John J. Burns officiates at ceremony at parkway and Old Country Rd., Mineola.  Belafiore was one of 30 Scouts who hiked from Queens line to marker as part of ceremony.  They retraced route of old roadway.”
John J. Burns (1913-2000), a resident of Sea Cliff, served as Mayor of Sea Cliff, as NYS Assemblyman, and as Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay.  The John J. Burns Park in Massapequa is named for him.
This marker was dedicated on June 6th, 1959, and was not an “official” cast iron NYS style marker.  It probably was made of plywood, as was the Boy Scout logo sign below it, both attached to a square wood post.  I would assume this marker no longer exists.
1st error - the commonly used “Vanderbilt Motor Parkway”, not the official “Long Island Motor Parkway”
2nd - the total length of the LIMP
3rd – the “completion” date

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

The Marker was around Old Country Road in MINEOLA/Garden City. Where the Parkway cross over Old Country Road

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

.....a bit of the inaccuracy is noted here “the Motor Parkway was designed as a toll road as well as a race course, and contained 12 tollbooths along its 43-mile route.”....so 48 miles is a bit of an exaggeration.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

Knowing very little of the LIMP I can only do a search and this was the first link I found…... http://www.freewebs.com/limparkway/oldcountryroad.htm saying “The Motor Parkway crossed Old Country Road on the border between Mineola and Carle Place, west of Roosevelt Field and Glen Cove Road. “

As far as errors in the sign perhaps it being known as the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and not the Long Island Motor Parkway?  Since the Vanderbilt Cup race was run in 1908 on the LIMP I’d have to guess the start time at least of 1908 was incorrect, perhaps the finish date also. 

As far as why it was taken down, perhaps the historical facts were deemed incorrect and it was removed as inaccurate.  But as always I’m just guessin’.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

Well its the sign at Old Country Road at the Old Motor Parkway, dedicated by the Boy Scouts in the 1950s, historical mistake is that it was not the complete 48 miles by 1911, the parkway made it to Queens by 1926. From what i heard the sign was stolen by hooligans and is missing to this day, I’m surprised that they did not replace it by now, but i pass it every morning on my way to work and can still see the old guideposts working their way down one after another toward the old underpass. I wonder if they destroyed the bridge or if they simply filled it in with dirt…that’s my question. Oh BTW it wasn’t the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, it was called the Long Island Motor Parkway. Maybe the hooligans removed it because they were offended by the historical inaccuracies.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

It would have to be the Mineola, Carle Place, Garden City border, where the LIMP crossed under Old Country Rd.  The marker clearly states it is Nassau County.  The marker seems to be dated June 1959.  The Parkway was not completed in 1911, but was expanded until at least 1926.  As for where it is now?  I look forward to finding out.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

1./  The location would be at the Mineola-Carle Place line.
2./  Removal probably due to highway improvement.

    This is the best I could do !!!!    Cheers and Best,  Ron

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

Ditto Ted. Those cars are impeccable.

From Chrysler's Chrysler Honored at the Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance

Congratulations Howard! Wish I could have been there for that show. Especially since I love Chryslers from the 1930s and 1940s. Hope to see you again soon!

From Chrysler's Chrysler Honored at the Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance

Howard   Thanks for the info on that

From Chrysler's Chrysler Featured on the Cover of the December 2015 Issue of Hemmings Motor News

All of them should have won something

From Chrysler's Chrysler Honored at the Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance

This scene, painted by Peter Helck in 1938, shows Robertson during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup being pursued by Willie Haupt in Chadwick ‘Black Bess’. The 1944 painting by Helck for the magazine Esquire with the title ‘Robertson Comes Through’ clearly is based on this one, although the Chadwick has been replaced by the Isotta of Herb Lytle, and much more background has been added. Best location for the scene seems to be Woodbury Turn.
As indicated on the painting, Helck gave it to Robertson. Maybe it did help in the purchase of the Locomobile racer, which he acquired in 1941? But I doubt if this could have had any influence on his career.

From A Salute to the Mets & Mystery Foto #44 Solved: A Gift to George Robertson From Peter Helck

Which race was being depicted in the painting?
1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Identify the race cars, drivers and mechanicians
#16 Locomobile/George Robertson -Winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Mechanician: Glenn Ethridge

#4 Chadwick/Willie Haupt
Mechanician: E.A. Lindquist

What were possible locations for this scene?
Left onto Jericho Tpke from Woodbury Rd or the hard left off Jericho Tpk onto Westbury Rd in Westbury

Who did Peter Helck give this painting to and why?
Jerry Helck, the son of Peter Helck, has told me that this painting was important for his father’s career. Can you explain why?

Looking forward to hearing the history on this one…

From A Salute to the Mets & Mystery Foto #44 Solved: A Gift to George Robertson From Peter Helck

Congrats, indeed!  Couldn’t happen to nicer guy.  You took a kinda stodgy old mess and transformed it back into a joy to behold, for which we in the pld car field, especially those of us who have seen the car in it’s various stages of glory, decay, and renewal, are beholden to you.  [Ditto Bête Noir, of course.]  Sam, III

From Chrysler's Chrysler Featured on the Cover of the December 2015 Issue of Hemmings Motor News

Snatched from the edge of neglect to front page ....Well Done !!!!

From Chrysler's Chrysler Featured on the Cover of the December 2015 Issue of Hemmings Motor News

I noticed that you now have side view mirrors,now for the two things on the running board,by chance are they trophies? Can’t make out what it says on them.
_________________________________________________

From Howard Kroplick

Side view mirrors were only off for the Pebble Beach Concours.

Those objects are the two Hemmings Concours trophies; Best in Show and Best in Class.

From Chrysler's Chrysler Featured on the Cover of the December 2015 Issue of Hemmings Motor News

From Edgar Masters:
Hi Howard – I enjoyed seeing the mystery photo; here are some comments, subject to errors:

The race depicted is the Vanderbilt Cup Race held on Long Island in c. 1905/6.
The car is a Locomobile and one of the operators was George Robertson(?)
The location is a famous turn on the course.
Peter Helck became a famous commercial artist doing ads in the Saturday Evening Post and many other magazines and this painting was one of his signature works.

For years Peter Helck had a home in Boston Corners, NY, a hamlet about five miles south of Copake Falls, NY, where I live. Decades ago the Helcks came to visit my parents, driving this car, which Peter owned for years, to our residence. As we live at the top of a long hill, to this day I recall the roar of Old Number 16 rumbling up the hill to park in our driveway. What fun to see it up close! The next day my job was to remove the oil and grease spills from the ground over which the car was parked.

When Peter died, I believe the car was sold to the Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, and I believe I saw it there when attending one of the CCCA Classics in the area.

Thank you for recalling these memories. Edgar.

From A Salute to the Mets & Mystery Foto #44 Solved: A Gift to George Robertson From Peter Helck

From Florence:
Congrats on the cover story of your Chrysler.

From Chrysler's Chrysler Featured on the Cover of the December 2015 Issue of Hemmings Motor News

Thanks

From Two Car Shows on Long Island This Sunday

Great action painting. At first glance this reminded me of the mystery below, the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. So I’m betting on the winning Old 16 Locomobile (Robertson/Ethridge ) heading south on Ellison Ave after taking on the No.4 Chadwick (Haupt/Lindquist) at the Westbury curve from Jericho Tpke (background fits the description), with the spectators obliviously standing in the most dangerous spot on the course. This scene was not the final homestretch because the Chadwick finished 10th , though the painting could’ve been used that way.
This painting may have been important for Peter Helck’s career because the image was distributed throughout the media at the time, becoming popular and iconic for depicting the first American car to win the international Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Also possible that Helck gave the painting to George Robertson for his major achievement.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_photo_friday_four_photos_of_the_1908_vanderbilt_cup_race

From A Salute to the Mets & Mystery Foto #44 Solved: A Gift to George Robertson From Peter Helck