Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great presentation last nite. I will hike and explore Trail #3 and Trail#4.I’m 5 minutes away,now the I know what to look for,it will be more interesting. I hope you can make use of that article I gave you to look at.

From Howard Kroplick's Events & Presentations

I would have loved to hear this presentation!  Perhaps you’ll mention some of these opportunities at the Greater New York AACA meeting on Thursday night.  Are we still on your schedule for an 8 pm meeting?  Ellyn Okvist will follow you and speak for a few minutes about plans for a future group ride.

From Special Upcoming Presentation: “Exploring, Biking and Hiking Along the Historic Motor Parkway"

From Andy W:

“Thanks so much for the pics of the Vanderbilt estate.  I grew up in Sands Point and remember the house well.  The “now” pictures actually look pretty much the same as the house looked in the 50’s and 60’s.”

From Then & Now: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Beacon Towers in Sands Point

Levittown, looking east.  LIMP at Left.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

Hi - just about in my backyard!  Location is looking east through Levittown, Island Trees and Bethpage.  The Motor Parkway enters on the left crosses the Wantagh Parkway extension and Newbridge Road, then veers north to the Grandstand area (the straightaway) and then back a little south and east heading to Dead Man’s Curve (can’t pick that out however).  Hempstead Turnpike is on the right side of the photo. 

The photo has to be between 1938 and 1947 as that was the period the Wantagh Parkway extension to the Northern State Parkway was built (so probably closer to 1947 as the extension looks pretty much complete).  Also, no Levitt homes are seen which would have been noticed following 1947.  Also the Aviation Country Club, on the north side of the Parkway which i think is the group of buildings in the center of the straightaway was closed in 1948. 

Vanderbilt Cup Races were used this section in 1908, 1909 and 1910.

Either 5 or 6 Motor Parkway bridges: There was the 1) Westbury Ave. bridge but I don’t believe that’s on the photo (would have been to the left of the Wantagh Parkway).  Then there would be the 2) Newbridge Road bridge, 3) Jerusalem Ave. bridge (just east of the Aviation Country Club) , the 4) Blooomington Rd. farmway bridge, the 5) Wantagh Avenue bridge , and with good eyes or a magnifying glass, 6) the Massapequa/Hicksville Road Bridge.  I’m counting the Wantagh Parkway bridge that I imagine went over the Motor Parkway/Westbury Road. 

As mentioned the LI Aviation Country Club is on the north side of the Motor Parkway and also Grumman Airport is to the east and north.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

Howard, thanks for adding all the times

From Howard Kroplick's Events & Presentations

Ted, times have been added.

From Howard Kroplick's Events & Presentations

This whole area was a favorite stomping ground for me and my bicycle buddies back in the very late 50s and early 60s. The property was in constant flux then and we were able to bike right through the changing estate sites in construction and end up on the small beachfront just slightly southwest of the main property. As kids we always thought the gatehouse WAS the estate!

From Then & Now: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Beacon Towers in Sands Point

Howard Can you let me know what time on Tuesday? it doesn’t tell you,Thanks

From Howard Kroplick's Events & Presentations

Josh, super! Please email it to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

From Then & Now: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Beacon Towers in Sands Point

E. Dean, good typo catch. Thanks!

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: Driver Louis Rigolly in a Gobron-Brillié Racer

This is an easy photo to id.  Looking East, with the Wantagh State Pkwy at the bottom and Farmingdale at the top.  Hempstead Tpke on right, Newbridge Rd on angle at bottom, Motor Pkwy on left with the 2 bends in the road, going past the Aviation Country Club in Hicksville (notice the clubhouse), Republic Airport in distance at the top.  Location of Central RR tracks running across the center on slight angle.  Date pre-1947 - before Levittown, probably between 1939 and 1945.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

Gordon-Brillie? Is it not Gobron-Brillie? I am familiar with the Gobron-Brillie (my Cincinnati shop restored a Gobron-Brille engine a few years ago, but I have no knowledge of a Gordon-Brillie. Restoration of the Gobron-Brillie engine was interesting. These engines have two pistons in the same cylinder. Because the cylinders are verticle, the lower (upside down) piston tends to fill with oil, the result being a lot of smoke. We were able to stop the smoking after experimenting with rings.

From Mystery Foto #7 Solved: Driver Louis Rigolly in a Gobron-Brillié Racer

we have a great color photo of a plane flying over it if you want

From Then & Now: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Beacon Towers in Sands Point

Some great pics of Beacon Towers whch like you, is one of my favorites, but I’ve always felt that C.P.H. Gilbert always designed some of the most beautiful estates, with De Lamar’s Pembroke and Guthrie’s Meudon being my absolute favories.

From Then & Now: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's Beacon Towers in Sands Point

this area looks like levittown-bethpage area with grumman in the background.  i think that part of it was used as the grandstand during some of the races although i can’t really give you dates….the major road with the cloverleaf is the wantagh parkway built in 1927 so my guess for the photo would be in the late 20’s - early 30’s…i can see at least 3 motor parkway bridges…my husband rob helped me with this shot…

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

Love this aerial. Hempstead plains/Levittown looking East. LIMP at left, LIRR at center, Hempstead Tpke on right, Wantagh pkwy section is running horizontally at bottom is only 9 years old here. Early 1947 just before levitt houses were built. Long Island Aviation Club airport on north side of the motor pkwy. Grandstand is gone, from west to east, Wantagh Parkway pkwy bridge, Newbridge Road pkwy bridge, Jerusalem Ave hwy bridge, Old Meridian Road farm hwy Bridge, Wantagh Ave pkwy bridge, Broadway pkwy bridge, Stewart Ave pkwy bridge, Dead Man’s Curve can be seen. Central (Bethpage) Park in the top left. I think ’08, ’09, and ’10 races ran through here when the grandstand was built 1908. Amazing, this area just 6 months later—>http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/images/blog/80509d_Levittown_Nov13_1947_ThAirview-2.jpg

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

If I. was in. the. Aircraft,  I would. be. overseeing. Levittown. in. 1947.  The. LIMP   is. evident. from the. bottom. left. of. the. aerial.  It. heads. east,  then. curves. northeast; then. east. again.  The. 1908, 1909, and 1910 races used. the LIMP. section. seen..  Not. sure.  If. the. LIMP. was abandoned. when. the. Wantagh. St. Pkwy. was. built.,  but. there’s. a. bridge. overpass (Future. Salisbury. Park. Dr).  East of. that. is what. looks. to. be. a. bridge. over. Newbridge. Rd,  then.  Jerusalem. Ave. bridge. The. Farmway bridge. near. Bloomingdale Rd. and the. Wantagh. Ave. bridge are. in. the. far. distance. I’m. sure.  The. Long. Island. Aviation. Club is. also. evident.  The. DOTTED. PATH. that heads. west. from. DIVISION. AVE. seems. to. follow. the. present. direction. of. SCHOOLHOUSE. RD

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

Hello Howard,
The photo appears to be looking east over what in a few years will become Levittown. The grandstand area is visable which served as part of the course for the 1908, 1909, and 1910 races. It is probably early 1938 since there are a few LIMP bridges still functional (I think I can see 4) and the northern extension of the Wantagh Parkway looks almost ready for traffic but didn’t open until December, 1938. I think I can see Grumman’s Bethpage airfield and the old Aviation Country Club field.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

This is an aerial view looking east towards Levittown. The year is 1947 as there are no Levitt houses built yet and the Wantagh Parkway can be seen at the bottom of the image. There are 3 ““Motor Parkway “” bridges in the photo, 2 of them, the Jerusalem Avenue and Newbridge Road bridges were used in the 1908,1909 and the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races. The 3rd bridge is the one going over Wantagh Parkway that was built later.The Long Island Aviation Club hangars are to the north side of the L.I.M.P. towards the top of photo.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947