Vanderbilt Cup Races

I often wonder if any of the new residents living on the newly-built cul-de-sac know the historic significance of their neighborhood? The Grandstand, Official’s stand, and Crew Pits once populated this same cul-de-sac! 

Art Kleiner - The “Road to Grandstand” from Jerusalem Av, was the key to accurately position the Grandstand’s location in Levittown on today’s map.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

Looks like the photographer is standing somewhere in today’s Cul-de-Sac!

I’d bet the photographer was standing in between the Grandstand and the west Crew Pit, focusing NW while omitting the Official’s Stand. This is not confirmed. Photo below.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

That’s the M-35 Allen-Kingston Racer, driven by Hughie Hughes, in the 1908 Meadowbrook Sweepstakes. Hughes went on to win the event. The pits were on the LIMP in the Hempstead Plains, today’s Levittown. This photo was probably taken at the western end of the pits since there’s no officials stand in view across the road, maybe in the vicinity of today’s Orchid Road and Skimmer Lane.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

Racer: Allen-Kingston driven by Hughie Hughes in the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes in advance of the Vanderbilt Cup Race.  Finished 1st averaging 52.6 mph.
 
The location of the pits were in front of the grandstands, opposite the press box.
Photo of Hughes from Nov., 1911 as found in Wikipedia.  And the location of the pits as documented in vanderbiltcupraces.com

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

M35 Allen-Kingston racer driven by Hughie Hughes. Finished 1st, averaging 52.6 MPH during the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes on Oct 10 1908. The photographer is standing on the ground,  just north of the Levittown grandstand seating, facing NW in 1908.
I’d bet photographer was standing by the west crew pits (there were two crew pits, east and west of the Official’s Stand ), looking northwesterly and just west of the Official’s Stand and Press Box. Photos below

Found the answers within this same comprehensive website. Nice 5-star website!  ***** Great job!

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

The racer is an Allen-Kingston and the driver is Hughie Hughes.  The race is the 1908 Meadowbrook sweepstakes.  The pits are located in the Hempstead Plains, today’s Levittown.  West of Crocus lane, between Blacksmith and Orchid roads.  The absence of the Officials/Timekeeper’s stand or scoreboard in the photograph means that the photographer is standing at the west end of the pits or they weren’t built yet.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

I grew up on 198th Street, close to 73rd Ave.  Spent many memorable times playing with friends on the path over 73rd Ave and on the bridge.  At that time, (1950’s) none of us knew that it had been a motorway, but I suspected it might have been more than a bike path at one time, judging from the remnants of a white line and fragments of side-posts. Back then there was no protective fencing on the bridge and on a clear day you could look West off the bridge and see the Empire State Building in the distance!

From The Motor Parkway in Hollis Hills, Queens

#M35 Allen-Kingston in the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes driven by Hughie Hughes. Finished 1st, averaging 52.6 MPH. The pits located at the start/finish line.

Seen below in the 1909 Readville Races and an A-K in touring form.

From Mystery Friday Foto #41 Solved: The M-35 Allen-Kingston, winner of the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes

We all have known about 2 uses - racing and transportation.  First I’ve ever heard of this use - for testing cars.  Thanks!

From Kleiner's Korner: Speed Trials on the Long Island Motor Parkway

Thanks John!

From Mystery Fotos #19 Amost Solved : Eight Amazing 1928 Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation Archives

F appears to be the Peters property along South Franklin Street & East Graham Avenue in Hempstead. I grew up on the street one block north (to the left side of this picture), Elizabeth Avenue. I remember the last row of greenhouses & the smokestack from my childhood, as my friends & I walked to Franklin School. The Peters family lived in the house at bottom left, shown in the picture. The first street shown at left, perpendicular to East Graham, s Hudson Place. I lived off of Jefferson Place, (not shown) which is three blocks east of Hudson. Peters Avenue is far right in the picture, perpendicular to South Franklin St.

From Mystery Fotos #19 Amost Solved : Eight Amazing 1928 Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation Archives

This view is looking East on Union Turnpike from Bell Blvd. The Motor Parkway is on the left side. You can see the old S route of the LIMP before the city built the new bridge at Bell Blvd. I always wondered what was the oval track just east of Springfield blvd bridge on the left.Howard, would you know? Thanks,Gene

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

This is in Queens, NY. Aerial photographer was looking East. Know there’s the Farmway Bridge East of Springfield Blvd, near the Bungalow Lodge Home. Then the Parkway Bridges at Springfield & Bell Blvd ( curve where the RR abutments were utilized ), then at Hollis Ct. Guess this is about 1942. Toll Booth East of Springfield Blvd looks to have been removed. The present day Bell Blvd Bridge and the straightened bike path hasn’t been created yet. Think that was done around 1950?

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Neat never-before-seen photo of Motor Parkway stretch between Alley Pond and Cunningham Parks looking east. This section is currently being resurfaced with completion expected next summer.

Major roadways:
From bottom;
Hollis Hills Terrace (Queens Rd), Bell Blvd, CRR RoW, Springfield Blvd (Rocky Hill Rd), Grand Central Pkwy, Winchester Blvd.
From left;
Motor Pkwy, Richland/Kingsbury Aves, Union Tpke, 82 Av, 85 Av.

Motor Parkway structures;
Hollis Hills Terr parkway bridge (1926-present), CRR parkway bridge (1926-1944), Springfield Blvd parkway bridge (1924-present), Wheeler Farmway west bridge (hidden under the Motor Parkway).

Date;
The CRR bridge (1926-1944) appears intact. The Rocky Hill Rd Lodge (1928-1940s) appears removed. The race track north of the Rocky Hill Rd Lodge existed in 1938.
The newer Winchester Blvd bridge (1932-1940s) after Union Tpke expansion appears to follow the new LIMP RoW in the photo.

With new Hollis Hills housing sprouting up in the photo (1935+ [most in the photo are 1940s]), I’d guess the photo date is very close to 1944

Fantastic photo Howard, thanks for sharing! 

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Just a guess. But it looks like where I used to ride my bike on the Vanderbilt Parkway from Fresh Meadows to Creedmor in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.. Looking eastbound from just west of the parkway bridge over what was then Hollis Court Blvd. The GCP is visible to the right, which cuts across Union Turnpike, which is just south of the Vanderbilt. The picture must have been taken before the War, given that the lands along Union Tpke haven’t been built out yet. However, I’m probably wrong because I don’t remember the curve and running track.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

Sandy Hollow Fire Dept—
I remember that from when I was a little boy—
Really neat !!!

From Mystery Friday Foto #39 solved: Henry Austin Clark, Jr's Sandy Hollow Fire department captain badge

Two articles from “The Automobile” magazine reporting Oldfield’s attempted suicide and retirement from racing.  (July 11 and August 15 issues).  Obviously both were incorrect.

From Greg O.'s Garage: From the Helck Family Collection- Barney Oldfield and the "Green Dragon"

Queens.  Union Tpke is center.  LIMP is lower left, heading east.  Hollis Ave bridge, the swerve at the old railroad tracks, (today’s Bell Blvd).  You can see the spot where the tolls used to be at Springfield Blvd.  The Grand Central passes over Union Tpke.  Making this picture most likely in the late 1930’s/

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

The photographer was over the Fresh Meadows / Hollis Hills area of Queens looking east. Major roads include Grand Central Parkway, Springfield Blvd., Union Tpke., Hollis Hills Terrace, Bell Blvd., and of course the LIMP. Structures include LIMP bridges over Springfield, Bell, Hollis Hills Terrace and under GCP (hidden). Hard to see but the toll lodge at Springfield Blvd. might be there also. Bell Blvd. was built on top of the old abandoned Central Railroad R-O-W. Since the LIMP appears to not have any cars on it and Union Tpke. looks like it has been completed, I’ll place the date around 1941.

From Mystery Friday Foto #40 Solved: A 1941 aerial over Hollis Hills, Queens

One more report of a new automobile race course to be established on the Hempstead Plains.  This one in “The Automobile” of October 3, 1907.

From Kleiner's Korner: Long Island's Other Proposed Motor Speedways