Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’m still very curious about the absence of Chrysler’s side view mirrors and the moving of the front license plate from the left side to the right side.

From Hemmings.com: America on Wheels to Open Streamline Moderne/Art Deco Exhibit

This photo shows the start of the Wheatley Hill Sweepstakes of 1909 with #32 the Marmon of Ray Harroun and with #31 the Marion of Adolph Monsen. This race for stock cars with engines from 231 to 300 cubic inches was run concurrently with the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup and was won by Harroun. Monsen retired after the 2nd round, when his car caught fire.
Ray Harroun would be the winner of course of the first official 500 Miles at the Indianapolis Speedway in 1911.
The name of Monsen caused some confusion with me, as the names of Monsen, Monson and Munson were used in different recent as well as contemporaneous reports. E.g. The Horseless Age of 1909 uses the name Munson in their race report, whereas Motor Age uses Monsen, evidently for the same driver. Monsen however seems to be most widely used, so I guess that must be the correct spelling.
On the left we see William Vanderbilt with his back turned towards us, on the left side of the car probably starter Fred Wagner.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: The Start of the 1909 Wheatley Sweepstakes

I like dogs, and Hupmobiles, but I’ve also owned and driven a 1933 Chrysler for 15 years, so kinda like them too. The Tatra is great, but this is a museum called AMERICA on Wheels, so guess the Tatra would not have been considered for the exhibit even if they could locate one. Unlike Sam, I am impressed.  Everyone has an opinion about what they would like to see presented, displayed, but when it comes down to organizing such an exhibit it takes a huge amount of planning and thought, (this comes from personal experience as a museum exhibits technician) and the ability to get car owners to lend their treasured machines for an extended period of time. I am looking forward to going to see the display when it is open.

From Hemmings.com: America on Wheels to Open Streamline Moderne/Art Deco Exhibit

Oh, c’mon!  That ‘33 Hupp is a dog!  Any ‘33 Chrysler beats it for styling all hollow!  And there were many other cars better “stream-styled” than the Hupp.  Take the ‘33 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow or the ‘33 Tatra just for examples.  For 1934, you just can’t beat the Chrysler Airflow.  I am NOT impressed.  Still, really glad the cars (and the Mack, even though it’s not a Bulldog) are preserved and well housed.  Sam, III

From Hemmings.com: America on Wheels to Open Streamline Moderne/Art Deco Exhibit

This could be the Oct 30, 1909 Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes in Nassau County that had but four racers (#31, 32, 33, 34), with the winning #32 Marmon (Harroun/Heinemann) and 3rd place #31 Marion (Monsen/Hollenbaeck Jr.). Ray Harroun was the only driver to complete all 15 laps of 189.6 miles, averaging 59.7mph, and would later win the first Indy 500 (1911) in the Marmon Wasp, defeating the Black Beast. 100 years after that, the Black Beast (Fittipaldi/Kroplick) would get its revenge at Indy. That may be Willie K with his back turned.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: The Start of the 1909 Wheatley Sweepstakes

These are great pics…one thing about the Queens County Museum though… the LIMP ROW runs through the South and SE area of the Farm, and onto 74th Avenue, which is the approximate ROW…. I was there taking photos in the late 1990’s and there were still clear patches of cement ( I stlll have the pictures) i have a 1946 Hagstroms with LIMP still in it ...no 74th Avenue yet. Also the entrance to a school off of Commonwealth IS the ROW as well…to be honest don’t know if the school is still there.

From Remnants of Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered in Queens

Lynbrook Annual Salute to Veterans Car Show and Ceremony. Includes lunch all for $10.00 Fun for all, music by Bobby Blues and his All Stars. Festivities start 10 am, non judged event.

From This Sunday's Three Car Shows on Long Island

LET’S GO METS!!!!!!

Rog

From Remnants of Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered in Queens

Have to do this now,no time the rest of the weekend.This is my answers. Car #32 driven by Ray Harroun a 1909 Marmon and the #31 driven by Louis Disbrow. I think they were competing in the Wheatley Hills Sweepsteaks and #32 won the race.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: The Start of the 1909 Wheatley Sweepstakes

This is another one I might get,that might be three in a row,I’m on the roll,it’s about time,I have more time to research now.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved: The Start of the 1909 Wheatley Sweepstakes

Great discovery Eric. Was the first Creedmoor photo taken just beyond the curb line?  If so, I found this strip lines up directly with the right of way. Sending Howard a photo.

From Remnants of Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered in Queens

It’s amazing what you can find. You probably never thought that remnants would be found in those places. Good catch Eric,thanks. To bad I’m not in living in New York,I would check it out for myself.

From Remnants of Long Island Motor Parkway Discovered in Queens

From Gary Hammond

As can be seen above, the view shown in Mystery Friday Photo # 42 is not a full photo, but has been severely cropped, eliminating some great detail.  This photo was taken by the well-known Freeport photographer, Stafford, as can be seen by his signature in the lower right hand corner “Stafford / ‘08”.  A head on view of the business, taken about the same time, is shown in Nassau County, Long Island, in Early Photographs: 1869-1940, by Bette S. Weidman and Linda B. Martin, Dover, 1981, p. 124-5, photo # 173, credited as being from the collection of the Freeport Historical Society.  Another photo dated 1917 shows the Henry St. side of the building with autos lined up for repair; an earlier photo of G. Bennett Smith’s previous store shows it attached to Thomas Johnston’s Pharmacy with a window display of Edison phonographs and wax cylinders, along with a stack of tires (bicycle or auto?); and this photo can all be found in the Long Island Memories website under the Freeport Memorial Library digital holdings from the Freeport Historical Society, when looking under “Bennett Smith”.  In additional, a great ad from August 1900 in a the Methodist Episcopal Church booklet, also available on this site, advertises Smith as having “A full line of Golf Goods / High Grade Bicycles / Sundries / Special Attention given to repairs / Fulton Street / Freeport”, obviously before he had started his automobile business.
The Freeport Garage was owned by G. [George] Bennett Smith, and was located at 23 E. Merrick Road in Freeport.  The Nassau Daily Review, Saturday, January 2, 1937, p. 9, carried an extensive biographical article about G. Bennett Smith.  Born in East Rockaway, his family then lived in Bellmore, with him finally settling in Freeport.  His first interest was bicycles – circa 1895 he was the state champion bicycle racer, and he would even compete against Charles M. “Mile-A-Minute” Murphy.  He established his bicycle shop in Freeport about 1896.  In 1900 he bought the first automobile ever owned in Freeport – a Locomobile Steamer – as a result he would then wind up selling 5 Locomobiles that year – claiming to be the first automobile dealer in Nassau County!
This photo was used on the “Aero View of Freeport, Long Island, N.Y., Hughes & Bailey, Pub., N.Y., 1909.” (see https://www.loc.gov/item/75694775 - listed as “Aero View of Freeport, LI, N.Y. 1909.”)
In addition, an entry for the business under the aerial view states: “Freeport Garage, The.  Automobiles, Storage, Repairs.  Phonographs, Bicycles.  G. Bennett Smith, Prop. 23 E. Merrick Road.”  A close examination of the “View” shows an accurate rendition of the building on the corner of Merrick Rd. & Henry St.
The Nassau Daily Review of May 7, 1915 (p.6) listed him as an “agency for Cadillac – Studebaker – Dodge Bros. – Ford”.  In 1918 he would have a new “Auto Show Room” built – 1 story, 40’x35’, on Merrick Road near Main Street.
The Google Maps street view, dated January 2013, shows a vacant lot where the building once stood on the NW corner of E. Merrick Road and S. Henry Street.
As to the details in the photo : 
• Altogether 7 autos appear in the photo, with the automobiles on the right appearing to be Model N Fords. 
• The banner overhead advertises “Wm. P. Miller’s / Quick Operating Grease Gun / For Sale Here.” 
• The windows are lettered “BICYCLES / AND / SUPPLIES” and “G. BENNETT SMITH / AUTOMOBILES.” 
• Sign “GASOLINE / 18¢ / PER / GALLON” 
• Next door was a “POOL / AND / BILLIARDS” Hall. 
• Metal “U.S.M.” mailbox with padlock on side mounted to a metal post
• Motorcycle standing behind fire hydrant
• Sign next door “PLUMBING & GAS FITTING”
• 2 metal signs - Bell Telephone “TELEPHONE / PAY STATION”
• Striped cloth awnings attached with cords
• Signs in store window on left – “…CLAMS”, “…CRABS”, “Bluefish”, “Codfish”, “ORDER / taken a.. / Deliveries..”
• 4 American flags on wood stick handles
• Bicycles in the left windows
• Signs “Hartford Tires”
• Sign “Fiske Tire Agency”
• Electric streetlight on top left corner
• Gas or electric light over the door
• Glass electrical insulators on pole and building
• Sign “DANGER / Busy Crossing /SLOW DOWN.”
• Oil cans in the windows!!!  Cone top and regular tins, including Gargoyle and Vacuum Mobil Oil
• Trash in street
• One of the men in the doorway appears to be holding a grease gun

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo

Found Vanderbilt cup race 1st place trophy cup -last date 1958-who was it awarded to?
———————————————————————
From Howard Kroplick
John, not sure. Please send a jpeg to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

From ESPN.com Article "Past champions raise the bar at Indy"

The original photo, found by Art Kleiner in the Freeport Library Archive, shows another ‘cool’ thing, which could not be seen on the mystery photo: on right hand side of the photo in the background, behind indeed two more model N Fords, a 1907 model E Locomobile.
The 1917 photo shows next to the model T Ford what seems to be a 1915 Cadillac under repair, and in the background a 1917 Overland. The roadster in the foreground needs some more investigation!

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo

One final guess while I can squeeze it in. That looks to be a Pope-Hartford on the left edge of the photo, but couldn’t narrow down the ‘cool’ motorized bicycle and cars on the right.

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo

I forgot to add my one guess at the car in front as an American Underslung.

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo

I think 18 cents for gasoline is about the coolest thing in this photo or anywhere else!
Spotted a few things but looking forward to the comments on this one!

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo

Sam III - yes, those posts just north of Old Country Road are still there. I have the pics/proof. If you send me your email I’ll forward to you. I’d say there are 4 of them or so.

Frank - YES—-enjoy this Mets run. It’s been 9 years since we last smelled the playoffs so enjoy this! With this pitching anything is possible. And Murphy found Jesus at the right time apparently! I don’t care who he thanks after each HR as long as he keeps hitting them!!
__________________________________________________

Dave, I have added your photo of these posts. Thanks!

From Sam & Dave's "Excellent Motor Parkway Adventure" V: East Williston to Mineola

Here’s some other things that I found. They sold bicycles,next door is a pool hall and there’s an advertisement for Wm P Miller quick operating grease gun. That’s not all . On Henry Street is the Duryea House & Tenny’s Sheet Metal Mill and also Hicks family house.

From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Vehicles and Many Cool Things in this 1908 Freeport Garage Photo