Vanderbilt Cup Races

The film of then and now says it all. Add a picture of a future housing development and you have the current story of Long Island. Add a bike path and park and you have a swell of pride worthy of this area’s amazing history. I’m a Queens kid at heart, from the border town of Floral Park. Shocking to think that the areas preserved in Queens put the rest of Long Island’s counties to shame. I now live in FP, Nassau. Let’s get it together: Preserve the Vanderbilt.

From LevittownPatch: Historical Site May Halt Senior Housing Development

Howard,
I can only imagine the sheer enjoyment you had just sitting behind the wheel of your “new” Chrysler.  Looking at the video, you looked like a kid with a new toy.
I can’t wait to see the car in person. 
All the best.
Roger

From Video: Local Historian Picks Up Chrysler’s Chrysler

From Ron Richer:
“The attorney for the developer stated: “That parkway hasn’t existed for decades… The Vanderbilts and people of that ilk would use it as some form of raceway, but it doesn’t exist today.”
I’d suggest he do two things:

•  Study the history of the Parkway
•  Take a course in sensitivity.  “…people of that ilk?”  Good grief!”

From Video: Local Historian Picks Up Chrysler’s Chrysler

Hi Howard,  I think I recognize a member of the team of experts that moved the Chrysler at the Vanderbilt Museum.  It was the old guy moving the chocks!  Glad you got the car and will restore it. I never saw the car at Harry Gilberts place, as his garage was full at the time I went there.

From Video: Local Historian Picks Up Chrysler’s Chrysler

I’m all in favor of progress and change, but not more housing when we’re already in the middle of a housing crisis… more inventory is not the answer. Instead of just pushing back at the developer without an alternative, let’s push for the paved greenway project instead! http://www.vhb.com/limp/

From LevittownPatch: Historical Site May Halt Senior Housing Development

very cool-I expect a ride when it’s finished

From Video: Local Historian Picks Up Chrysler’s Chrysler

From Mike:
“The developer josato ( terra homes) is at it again . We need to stop this . We need to keep some history in this town . I live on Orchid rd and Heron . I love the little open space that is left . There is a meeting on this on tue may 8th @ 1 Washington St Hempstead N.Y.@1030am for more info on this please go to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or reblack72@ gmail.com . Any help would be great   Thanks mike:-((( “

From LevittownPatch: Historical Site May Halt Senior Housing Development

The developer josato ( terra homes) is at it again . We need to stop this . We need to keep some history in this town . I live on orchid rd and heron . I love the little open space that is left . There is a meeting on this on tue may 8th @ 1washington st Hempstead n.y.@1030am for more info on this please go to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or reblack72@ gmail.com . Any help would be great   Thanks mike:-(((

From Film "The Levittown Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstand"

Local government in most cases has the power, if not the will to prevent this sort of thing.  Unfortunately the pressure from builders and their attorneys(yes, yes I know they are just “doing their job”) all too often prevails, as I have observed since I moved to Long Island back in 1952.  You can imagine the changes that I’ve seen. And yes, I’ve heard the continuous rants that housing is needed for the old, the young and ...name your own favorite group.  Hopefully local residents can organize well enough to stop this one.

From LevittownPatch: Historical Site May Halt Senior Housing Development

Is there no better place to build?  Why build over a part of Long Island history?  Queens   preserved a large part of it as a bike trail.  Suffolk county preserved it as a roadway, and found it important enough to keep it NAMED.  Yet here in Nassau county, folks keep trying to build over it.  This portion has historical significance.  Why is it so important to build here?  For profit?  Thanks, but no thanks.  There are plenty of other places to look in Nassau county. 

When my son is old enough to understand, I’d rather explain the significance of this area from a park than pointing through the buildings of a 55 and over community. “Yes, Son… the roadway used to come right up through here and go up that way… past that building… between those dumpsters.”

From LevittownPatch: Historical Site May Halt Senior Housing Development

Only pope of Hartford I know of is sitting on the floor at triple a on farmington ave in west Hartford I believe it is 1908.

From Can You Help Find This 1908 Pope-Hartford Touring Car?

Howard, Some of the club house buildings are still standing in another place in Hicksville, At lease ten years ago, they were.They moved them many years ago. Take care Howard, Good job       Joseph(motorpky)DeBono

From The Long Island Aviation County Club, the Motor Parkway and a Hangar

Thanks so much for the positve vibes!!

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

Dear Howard,  You are a real pip!  a wonderful pip!
  Hooray for you and the Black Beast.  Cathy

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

My Great Grandfather Harry Grant would be so pleased to see how you’ve kept the “Black Beast” in such wonderful condition…..you’ve brought history to life Howard….Wonderful !

I hope to meet you and participate in one of your events soon….Be Well and thank you for having such a passion for racing and history !

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

Enjoyable post.

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

Great going, Howard !
Wouldn’t it be neat if someone could FLY BY the site and snap a dated photo of the bridge?

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: New Evidence of the Melville Sand Pits Motor Parkway Bridge

From Noel G:
“Just a quick note to thank you for a wonderful lecture——you must have taken too many history electives at the Brook!!!! Great use of visuals which add so much to any lecture—-great content and factual data to soothe the heart of any traditional historian. Oh—-Thanks for the ride in the Black Beast—-a real treat. Fine job Howard—just a fine job—-wonderful end to the conference.”

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

From Rick R:
“Thanks for a great presentation at the APHNYS conference—and for a ride in the Beast!  “

From New York State Historians Give the Black Beast a Big Thumbs Up!

In the interest of preserving such an important part of Long Island’s increasingly fascinating history it would be hoped that the owners of the sand pits allow more access for some photographic documentation by key members of The Vanderbilt Cup Races principles.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: New Evidence of the Melville Sand Pits Motor Parkway Bridge