Vanderbilt Cup Races

Whil(e)(st) you’re identifying the great and near-great, don’t forget that that’s Chas. Addams in his 1927 S Mercedes on the right ca. 0:53-0:54, between Corrigan in Austie’s Duesie and Tracy in the Stanley!  Sam, III

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rog Patterson's Memories of the 1951 Bridgehampton Races

It is the Green Farms estate where the Vanderbilts once had a home. In 1861 Decan F. T. Bradford bought it. His family lived there into the 5th generation. Lucie Bradford married Briggs S. Cunningham II in the 1930s and the garage was home for his car collection. One of Lucie’s aunts married Robert Thurlow Vanderbilt and father was an executive at Standard Oil.

The first car looks to be about a 1910/11 Franklin next is a Brewster bodied towncar likely with a Knight engine. The 4th one is a Pierce-Arrow 66. There are a couple more Pierces farther down the line likely Model 48s.  This must have been about 1913 or 1914.

From Mystery Foto #74 Solved: The C.K.G. Billings "Farnesworth" Garage in Locust Valley

In the garage we see on the left two Delaunay-Bellevilles, probably from around 1910. The other cars all appear to be Cranes of around 1913.
The garage belonged to the Farnsworth Estate at Locust Valley, LI. The estate was built in 1915 by Cornelius Billings, founder of the Union Carbide Company. The year of the photo could well be 1915 also.
Billings, who was a a real “horseman”, nonetheless had a large car park, which he ordered mainly through Brewster & Co., located in Long Island City, NY. Brewster was the New York distributor for Delaunay-Belleville from about 1905. After a large number of Delaunay-Bellevilles and a few Renaults, Billings next bought a series of Cranes, which were also bodied by Brewster. Crane is better known from the name of the merged companies Crane and Simplex. 
Interesting is that all cars but one (a Delaunay) are equipped with Universal Shock Eliminators, a telescopic-like shock absorbing device with two springs inside. The U.S.E. Inc. was located in New York City (Wall Street and/or Broadway) from around 1913. U.S.E. director was Samuel H. Shaw, who was formerly racing manager of the Darracq Automobile Company and who was involved next in the Rainier Automobile Company. Besides, Shaw was involved in the organisation of the Long Island Auto Derby in 1909 and of the Brighton Beach 24 hr race in the same year.
The Farnsworth property was later owned by Standard Oil heir Wallace Clinton Bird, who died in an air crash in 1941. He appeared to have stored in the 27-car garage a large collection of automobiles (consisting of Duesenbergs, Mercedes, Bugattis and Hispano-Suizas), which were auctioned only after more than 20 years, on May 12, 1962.

From Mystery Foto #74 Solved: The C.K.G. Billings "Farnesworth" Garage in Locust Valley

I believe this is the same Rog that wrenches on Chasing Classic Cars show on Velocity network. And that MG in the hay bales was driven by a famous reporter from CBS News. Anyone know who? I want to sat Walter Cronkite but not sure?

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rog Patterson's Memories of the 1951 Bridgehampton Races

Wow, what a garage and collection! Don’t know off hand but hope to come back with more. There’s even antlers hanging on the walls, sheez.

From Mystery Foto #74 Solved: The C.K.G. Billings "Farnesworth" Garage in Locust Valley

That winding trail on the historic right of way looks inviting. I believe it’s open for business. It’s time to rock and roll. Thank you Ted and all for presenting the pics and keeping its status updated!

From Pilot Section of the Motor Parkway Trail Is Under Construction in East Meadow(Updated:June 17, 2014)

Thanks for the memories, Howard. Just a reminder; the 21st annual Rally and Show at the Bridgehampton Museum is Oct. 4, and while we’d love to see you and The Beast there again, we understand if other commitments come first.  However, we’d still like to do something special for Mustang’s 50th anniversary if you can suggest anything.  Mustangs figured prominently in Bridgehampton’s later history during the TransAm and Double 500 days.

Earl Gandel

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rog Patterson's Memories of the 1951 Bridgehampton Races

Frank - couldn’t tell you for certain, but a possibility.

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

A very interesting story lies behind this picture.  Marriage, plane crash, murder, haunted houses.  Howard, I’m sending you some background info. that others might enjoy reading.  Plenty of material on the web also!  Thanks for an interesting research task!

Where is the garage located? The garage was part of the Farnsworth Estate in Matinecock and still exists today as a private residence. 

-Who built the garage?  The garage was built for C.K.G. Billings of Union Carbide by Guy Lowell in 1915. 

-Who later owned the estate and stored his large car collection in the garage?  Estate was later owned by Wallis Bird, a Standard Oil heir, who stored his car collection there.  After Bird’s death in a plane crash his wife moved abroad but continued to own the estate and the cars remained in the garage.  After her death (in which her Dr. was found guilty)  the cars were auctioned off in 1962.  One car was actually purchased by Austin Clark for $1750 - a 1928 Bugatti two seater.  And in 1966 the estate was demolished, but the garage was spared and lives on today (but not as a garage)! 

-What year was the photo taken? Let’s say 1962, the year of the auction.

-Identify the automobiles - I’ll let others exactly ID the cars but those sold at auction included the Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Hispano Suizas, Dusenberry Model J, Stutz Bearcat, and an Alfa Romeo. 

Hope everyone had a good topic this weekend!

From Mystery Foto #74 Solved: The C.K.G. Billings "Farnesworth" Garage in Locust Valley

My 92 yr old father gave me a scrapbook of newspaper clippings from Cincinnati started before the Civil War plus a photo of a race car in an old frame. His mother, Myers, moved to Los Angeles in the early 1900′s. I did some research and believe it is an ALCO, #14 which I cannot find any info about. Any ideas?

I can’t attach the photo to show you in this comment section.
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rom Howard Kroplick

Ann, thanks or the email. Please send the jpegs to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we will see I we can identify them.

From Mystery California Alco Racer Identified

Howard- Slight error here, this is Mystery#74
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From Howard Kroplick

Ted, good catch!

From Mystery Foto #74 Solved: The C.K.G. Billings "Farnesworth" Garage in Locust Valley

Hi Art: Looking at your 2005 photos and the 1938 aerial, there appears to be a circular driveway going back around to Broadway. Is it possible the posts served as a perimeter for a circular driveway? I’m guessing the Tea Room may have been very busy and an alternate route was needed back to the parkway.

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

What a nice rolling tribute to the craftsmen of yesterday and today ! Perhaps you will pick a Big Band Theme song for it…maby Benny Goodman…..

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle XI: Countdown to Pebble Beach-Two Months

Nice sleuthing Gary! Didn’t know that magazine even existed.

From The Motor Parkway House in Central Park (Bethpage) Updated: June 25, 2014

More photos of the posts on and near the property.  Taken in 2005 when I met the previous owner.  http://www.freewebs.com/limparkway/bethpagebroadway.htm
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From Howard Kroplick

Art, super photos!

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

Yes, I met the new owners of the house a short time after they moved in last year - they were cleaning out the yard and I noted the significance of the concrete posts.  Very hospitable people who appreciate the historical significance of their property.

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

What do you know , I’ve passed that house lots of times too

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

I have been conducting investigations (paranormal explorations) at this location currently called Harbor Mist which is a restaurant. I am surprised to read of the early photo with the women on upper balcony were of the Ausdall family. So many stories documenting that these were local woman who were working as prostitutes.. And the building was used as an Inn/Brothel at that time. There are some stories of murder and suicide that go along with that time (late 1800’s). So is there any truth to that or is it just made up myth/legends?
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From Howard Kroplick

The women were members of the Ausdall family. All the other stories were pure myths!

From Mystery Foto #59 Solved: The Van Ausdall's Hotel in Cold Spring Harbor, NY Circa 1914

I know the house, I pass it every so often when we visit some friends on Arthur Ave, it is right the on Broadway here in Bethpage at the end of Arthur Ave which runs along the Motor Parkway. I think it was like a drive in restaurant of sorts I believe when the Motor Parkway used to go though the area I heard they served sandwiches and coffee to the motorists who passed through. I do not know the name of it but I have seen some pictures before of it as well besides yours shown here.
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From Howard Kroplick

Colleen, thanks! If anyone has a photo of the Halfway House Tea Room while it was active on the Motor Parkway, please send it to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?

This is really neat. I’ve passed this house many times not knowing it’s significance. Whoever resides here now must know the LIMP is right outside their window.
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From Howard Kroplick

The house was sold last year. The new owner does know the history of his new home.

From Was the First Parkway Fast Food Restaurant Located in Central Park (Bethpage)?