Vanderbilt Cup Races

Looks like I’m getting this one wrong since I didn’t have time this week to research and figure this one out, so I’ll just give some quick off the cuff guesses…

- Where was this Motor Parkway sign located?

Old Country Road. (although closer to the Nassau Boulevard airfield in Garden City wouldn’t be a bad guess either)

-Where was the arrow on the sign pointing to?

Clinton Rd towards the Garden City Lodge

-What is the likely year of the photo?

The toll on the LIMP was $1 from 1917-1932. My guess is the early 1920’s.

-What was the Wright Flying Field and who owned it?

Curtiss-Wright

-What automobile company was owned by the parent company of the flying field?
-How was this automobile company linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?

Looking forward to the correct answers!

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

I have seen only 1 or 2 vague references to this ever having been called ‘Wright’ Field. It was certainly never official. We have a letter from an army pilot dated 1917 that refers to the ‘Old Wright hangers’ there, so I suspect it was only called that sometime during the 1912 - 1917 period.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

Fabulous game!  I would buy one!

From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game

Yes, they should reproduce this nostalgic historic event, it’s a popular thing now and would be good for this generation of people

From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game

This is fantastic! Sure wish someone would reproduce it. I have tiny lead race cars slightly similar to this handed down to me from my dad. I’ve always wondered what “game” they might have come from.
There was a company called Shackmann’s back in the 70s that reproduced old games and cards and paper toys. they would have been perfect for a reproduction of THIS sort of wonderful play nostalgia.

From The 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race Board Game

Thanks Jeff Payne. I enjoyed those photos and watching those races at the Bridgehampton Raceway. I never had the chance to go to their, so it was really something to see, even though it wasn’t live

From Summary of Saturday Searches

My guess is Old Country Road at Clinton Road.  Curtiss/Wright Field later renamed Roosevelt Field.  About 1918.  A portion of the LIMP was used for testing of a “flying bomb” atop a Marmon automobile.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

Kleiner’s Korner documentation to be sent to Howard separately.
- Where was this Motor Parkway sign located?
I believe it was near Clinton Road and/or Old Country Road in Garden City adjacent to the Hempstead Plains Aviation Field (i.e., Moisant Field, Curtiss Field, Hazelhurst Field, Roosevelt Field).

-Where was the arrow on the sign pointing to?
The Garden City Toll Lodge and the Motor Parkway entrance.

-What is the likely year of the photo?
The toll was reduced to $1 in 1917 so anywhere around that time.  Probably no later than 1920.

-What was the Wright Flying Field and who owned it?
The Wright Flying Field was 665 acres of the Hempstead Plains leased from I believe the above mentioned Hempstead Plains Avaition Field.  Among other users, the US Govt. used it for training of aviators and testing of Army machines.  It was originally owned by the Wright Company (i.e., Wright Brothers) of Dayton, Ohio but when that company merged with The Glenn L. Martin Company it fell under new leadership.  The connection (at least one I’ve found) between the Wright Company and the Motor Parkway/Vanderbilt Cup Race is found with Harry Payne Whitney being a director of the Wright Company (and later the merged company), a 1st VP of the Motor Parkway and a judge of the 1909 Cup Race.

-What automobile company was owned by the parent company of the flying field?
The Wright Company bought the Simplex Automobile Company in order to control the manufacture of a high quality aeronautic motor, which it believes was similarly accomplished in the Simplex’ manufacture of automobile engines. 

-How was this automobile company linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
Simplex autos raced in the 1904, 1909 and 1910 races (two in 1910).  Unfortunately none finished high in the results.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

1920, intersection of Clinton Rd and Old Country Road looking SE, pre Curtiss Flying Field, Motor Pkwy sign is pointing south at Clinton Rd, towards the Garden City Lodge entrance on Vanderbilt Court. God bless us all, everyone!

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

There was indeed a tunnel of sorts under the main straight. I posted a photo of my wife and brother exiting the infield side of the tunnel during the Double 500 race in the early 1960s. Go to http://www.bridgehamptonraceway.com and check the old photos section where you will find a link to several photos of the track I had taken in the 60s

From Summary of Saturday Searches

This is a wild guess, but I’ll take a crack at it. The minute I saw he picture. I said to myself . that has to be Route 109 in Farmingdale by Republic Airport, it’s a straight road and there’s an open field, perfect for a airport. What’s with the sign? it’s not facing the road, It’s pointing to the Motor Parkway, I’m assuming. I also see 1 or 2 early 1900 cars that were involved in a Vanderbilt Cup Race, but don’t remember which one

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

My uneducated best guess is that this is the entrance to Roosevelt Field (Curtiss Field) at the corner of Old Country Road and Clinton Avenue. The Motor Parkway sign would be pointing south toward the toll gate entrance further south on Clinton Ave. Couldn’t guess the car affiliation, but the year is probably in the late teens to early 20s when the price of toll went down from 2 bucks to $1.50, now $1.00.

From Mystery Foto #99: The Wright Flying Field in Mineola Circa 1916/1917

Nice shot! Great to see the never before seen photos. More info to inspect and gather of this significant event of Long Island history.
Thank you Ron for pointing out the plate. Didn’t know about Nassau and Suffolk but I do remember in the 60s-70s, the city plate’s boroughs were identified by letters in the first position: Q-Queens, B-Brooklyn, X-Bronx, .... This photo was fun. Thanks to all!

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

Howard:  Another great presentation by and most enjoyable !!!!!!

                  Cheers and Best !!!!  Cordially,  Ron

From Two Videos: Mission to Cuba and The Classic Cars of Cuba

Hi Sam III. My first driving experiences were also unforgettable. Good times! I’m sending Howard 2 pics of the SSP around that time and hope it brings back good memories. Frank

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

Great photo! A dollar per day, wow. When you think about it, the lodgekeepers and others employed to maintain the parkway probably spent their careers doing it. The stories they would have to share.

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

With the gentleman (gatekeeper?) standing next to the Pembroke Estate entrance, you can appreciate just how large the gate structure is. With the updated photo of just the gates, they appeared to be leaning against an old tree trunk. And the large chain probably just keeping the gates together, maybe secured to the old trunk? However these were stolen, it could’nt have been a quiet event. Some type of crane or forklift was probably used to get them on a bed of a truck, etc. Cutting the gates in smaller sections would’ve taken too much time/effort.If the thieves are never found, you would hope the gates would be renovated anyway. I wish you luck, Mr DiStefano.

From Summary of Saturday Searches

Hi Howard and ALL:  The license plate appears to read as:

                    1 R 3 7 - 1 or 4 ?      which is a Nassau County issue and perhaps
owned by the Damiano’s in a posed photo…...The Auto appears to a   Model A Ford.
                                Ron

From Rare View of the Bethpage Lodge and Its Lodgekeepers

These comments reminded me of my earliest driving on Southern State in my ‘39 Chrysler in 1950 when the speed limit was all of 35mph!  All the LI parkway gas stations were open and there were NO dividers!  Sam (I’m SOOOO old!), III

From Robert Moses' 1931 Planning Map for Long Island Parks and Parkways

I remember my first visit to The Bridge in 1979.  The tunnel was just a concrete culvert.  It disappeared in 1980-81.  Arents turn was named after the first racer to crash there.  George Arents.

From Saturday Search Findings: A Map of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit