Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Howard:

  The best on this venture and I certainly there in spirit for all of our LIMP people !!!

                Cheers and Best !!!!!  Ron

From Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission Recommends Landmarking of a Motor Parkway Bridge

This was the 1919 landing of the British R34 rigid airship after its cross-Atlantic voyage from England.  It was a copy of a German design, the L33 class.
Landing was at Roosevelt Field, adjacent to the Motor Parkway.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

British dirigible R34 landed at the Mineola flying field (near the LIMP) on 06 July 1919 after first west-east Atlantic crossing and left on the 10th to return to England for first two-way crossing.  George Dade built a gigantic model of R34 in his Glem Head basement which should be at the Cradle of Aviation Museum (also near the LIMP RoW).  First I knew of the mural.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

Something’s very wrong with that color postcard; there was no “boulevard” to the left (north) of the hotel!  Even if the image (not the text) was reversed, Shore Road-cum-Prospect Avenue doesn’t curve east uphill until some ½-mile north and Glenwood Road-cum-Kissam Lane weren’t adjacent to the cottage.  Better ask Sally.  Sam, III
_______________________________________________________

From Howard Kroplick I

Sam III, a small section of Karatsonyi’s Hotel bordered on Kissam Lane. The hotel’s overlook is still there.

From Mystery Foto #9 B Solved:The 1905 Darracq Team Headquartered at the Hotel Glenwood, Glenwood Landing

Out of context, a link to a superb 4-part video of another great historic event at the field, Lindbergh’s take-off and Paris arrival.

http://www.airportappraisals.com/contact/

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

Hadn’t a clue. This is 1 of 2 murals painted by Peppino Mangravite in 1937 located at the Hempstead post office at 200 Fulton Ave, depicting the British Army’s 643ft dirigible R-34 in a WWI scene with soldiers and ammo, including postal truck indicating aircraft’s airmail capabilities, is a rendering of the airship’s historic arrival at Roosevelt Field, Mineola from Scotland on July 1919 after a 4.5 day journey, the first airship to cross the Atlantic and first airmail delivery. It was one of nearby Motor Pkwy’s busiest days yet. Sending pics Howard.

http://livingnewdeal.org/projects/post-office-murals-hempstead-ny/

http://wasahockey.github.io/Mangravite/pages/hempstead.html

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/sunday_january_31_2010_views_of_roosevelt_field_and_the_motor_parkway

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

From Wayne Marr:

The WPA mural is in the Hempstead Post Office on Fulton Ave, across the street from the Verizon Building. The picture was of Mitchell Field?  The mural on the other side of the post office shows early settlers, Indians and corn.. The post office should keep better care of these treasures.
Thanks

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

Very interesting mystery photo this time.  Enjoyed researching it and finding out much more about Long Island’s history.

-What was the historic event depicted in the mural?
Great Britain’s Dirigible R34 on Roosevelt Field, Long Island in early July of 1919.  The dirigible took off from Scotland and landed on the island on or around July 4.  It is known as the first transport of airmail. 

-Where is this mural currently located?
Hempstead, NY Post Office.  I took a field trip there yesterday and saw the majestic mural in the lobby, unfortunately I believe almost no one there would know the significance of what the mural represents, or even that its Roosevelt Field. Then again, most people probably wouldn’t think of Roosevelt Field as being anything but a place to shop!  Perhaps a historical plaque would be most appropriate.

-Who was the artist?
Peppino Mangravite, who was commissioned by the Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Arts (created in 1934) to create murals in conjunction with the section’s goal of selecting art of high quality to decorate public buildings if the funding was available.  In this way art would be made accessible to the general public.

-How was the Long Island Motor Parkway linked to this event?
The section of land between the Motor Parkway and Stewart Avenue was designated by officials for use by the general public for viewing the dirigible. 

More to be submitted to Howard for Kleiner’s Korner.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

A note about Cantrell’s production. One of the reason for their survival rate is that all the wooden parts were dipped in a chemical something like ‘Woodlife’ before assembly. They bought it in 55 gal. drums, and could be smelled in the plant. Many of they woodies were the work of a single craftsman from start to finish.

From From the Hugh Nutting Collection: Insight into the Woodies of Huntington's J.T. Cantrell and Company

Great image! It sent me researching… What a great story!

Seems to be a WPA era mural by peppino mangravite in 1936/1937 that was placed in the Hempstead post office in 1937, commemorating the first east to west transatlantic flight. The flight landed in Mineola in july 1919, and according to a comment in 2012 on the venerable vanderbiltraces.com lol the r34 was visible from one of the limp overpasses.

The r34 carried special mail both ways.

An article in the july 2 1919 brooklyn daily eagle compared the expected crowds for the r34. and excitement with what they would see with crowds at vanderbilt cup races.

Other reports i’ve found indicate there were several festive dinners at the garden city hotel after the r34 british airship landed in mineola, with lots of important people there honoring the event and the crew.  Would love it if willy k was there, but haven’t found any indication of that yet. Will keep looking…

Airship flew over times square before it headed home a few days later.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

Howard,
It’s about time that Cantrell is given the recognition that it deserves.  Thanks for putting Cantrell into the antique auto spotlight.
Roger

From From the Hugh Nutting Collection: Insight into the Woodies of Huntington's J.T. Cantrell and Company

The WPA mural is in the Hempstead Post Office on Fulton Ave, across the street from the Verizon Building. The picture was of Mitchell Field?  The mural on the other side of the post office shows early settlers, Indians and corn.. The post office should keep better care of these treasures.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

The event depicted is the landing of the British dirigible R-34 at Roosevelt Field on July 6, 1919. It was the first airship to make an east-to-west crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and made the first delivery of airmail from Europe. A few days later it became the first airship to make a roundtrip crossing. The artist is Peppino Mangravite and the mural can be seen at the Hempstead Post Office. The LIMP link is that the parkway was very close to the landing site and there are several photographs showing both the R-34 and the bridge over the LIMP connecting Stewart Avenue to Roosevelt Field.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

The 1926 aerial is a gem..Shore Rd is obvious. I’m thinking the curved road in the upper left corner is Kissam La. When I was working in 2012, the Glenwood Power Plant was beginning being decommissioned.

From Mystery Foto #9 B Solved:The 1905 Darracq Team Headquartered at the Hotel Glenwood, Glenwood Landing

Commemorative mural of the first air mail, 1919, Paris to Roosevelt Field.
Featured in the Hempstead village post office since 1937.
Painted by Peppino Mangravite.
The R-34 Zeppelin was seen in photographs taken in 1919 showing its proximity upon landing to one of the LIMP bridges.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

it was the east to west mail-carrying flight of HMS r-34.  First e-w transatlantic flight of an airship.  It was the first time a Brit had parachuted onto US soil from an airship.  Our ground crews weren’t sure how to handle the airship and needed help, so an officer parachuted from the ship to help. 
The mural depicted was painted by Peppino Mangravite, requested by the U.S. Government.  It resides in the Hempstead Post office.  The Long Island Motor Parkway traveled right past this Mineola airfield.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

-What was the historic event depicted in the mural?
I had remembered this event from the #33 LIMP Bridge series entry from May 28th 2013. In July 1919, the British Army’s 643-foot dirigible R-34, was the first airship to cross the Atlantic Ocean coming from Scotland to Roosevelt Field in Hempstead in four and a half days.(also becoming the first airmail delivery)
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series_33_the_roosevelt_field_motor_parkwa

-Where is this mural currently located?
Hempstead Post Office

-Who was the artist?
Peppino Mangravite. Painted in March of 1937. Some interesting reading about the artist, mural and history of the event can be found on this link below.
http://wasahockey.github.io/Mangravite/pages/hempstead.html

-How was the Long Island Motor Parkway linked to this event?
As I’m sure we’ll see the photos posted again here, the Roosevelt Field LIMP bridge was used for access to the field and there are many photos taken from the bridge viewpoint of the R-34 landing.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

What was the historic event depicted in the mural?

• The mural depicts the historic arrival of the British dirigible R34 at Roosevelt Flying Field, Mineola, NY, on July 6, 1919; completing the first east/west non-stop transatlantic air crossing (and carrying the first transatlantic air mail).

Where is this mural currently located?

• The US Post Office at Hempstead NY

Who was the artist?

• Peppino Mangravite (1896-1978).  Mangravite was active in New Deal art programs, and executed murals for the Department of Labor, D.C., and post offices in Hempstead, NY, and Atlantic City, NJ.

How was the Long Island Motor Parkway linked to this event?

• The Long Island Motor Parkway ran adjacent to Roosevelt Flying Field and the R34’s landing site, which was not far from the Roosevelt Field Highway Bridge.  The LIMP Roosevelt Field Highway Bridge provided a position to view and photograph the R34’s arrival, as evidenced by surviving photos of the event taken from the bridge.
• Mangravite began painting the mural in 1936 and it was installed in 1937; the same years that the Vanderbilt Cup races were revived at Roosevelt Raceway, adjacent to the Roosevelt Field landing site.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: Mural of the British Dirigible R34 Landing in Roosevelt Field in 1919

Identify this section of the Long Island Motor Parkway and its bridges:
• The Queens section of the LIMP, in the Little Neck area.
• The photo shows the Commonwealth Boulevard and Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridges. 
• The Winchester Boulevard Bridge would have been at, or just outside, the left edge of the photo.

Identify the major roads:
• Union Turnpike runs west/east from the left to right across the lower portion of the photo frame.
• Cross Island Parkway runs north/south from the upper middle left to lower middle right.
• Grand Central Parkway runs west/east from middle left to upper right.
• Douglaston Parkway/Winchester Boulevard weaves north/south over the Cross Island Parkway and under the Grand Central Parkway, along the left side.
• Commonwealth Boulevard runs north/south from the upper right quarter of the photo to the middle-right side.

What are the buildings in the lower section of the aerial?
• The Creedmoor Hospital complex

Identify the golf course:
• The North Hills Golf Club, now the Douglaston Park Golf Club

What is the approximate date of the aerial?
• October 1941, after completion of the new bridges over Winchester Boulevard and the Cross Island Parkway, 3 years after the closing of the LIMP.

From Mystery Foto 2013#5 Redux:Creedmore Hospital and Commonwealth Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1941

Missed the first question;
-Identify this section of the Long Island Motor Parkway and its bridges
Queens near Creedmore, The Commonwealth Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge was still standing in the middle far right.

From Mystery Foto 2013#5 Redux:Creedmore Hospital and Commonwealth Boulevard Motor Parkway Bridge in 1941