Vanderbilt Cup Races

“Congrats to Al Prete, Greg O. David Miller, Brian McCarthy, Frank Femenias and Steve Lucas for correctly identifying the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway.”

Huh???
_________________________________________

Howard Kroplick: Oops, sorry Ernie..I missed your correct answer. Corrected congrats above.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

Another connection is Alva Smith Vanderbilt (Willy K’s. mother) being born in 1853 in Mobile, Alabama.

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 1 - The Vanderbilt Connection and the Rise of the Automobile in my New Home State - North Carolina

The location and orientation of the photographer
- Looking north over Bethpage State Parkway and Merritts Road

The parkway under construction, major roads, railroads and golf course
- Again, Bethpage State Parkway and Merritts Road. Hempstead Turnpike
running L-R forking into Conklin and Fulton roads.

The LIRR Bethpage Crossing is visible along with the spur to the Bethpage
brick yards.

The golf courses of Bethpage State Park can be seen.

Relate the aerial to the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway
- Dead Man’s curve is just out of view to the left (west). The LIMP is snaking
just north of the gold courses.

The approximate year of the Mystery Foto
- The Bethpage Parkway was constructed between 1934-36
(http://www.nycroads.com/roads/bethpage/). I’d put this image towards 35
as the overpass at Hempstead Tpke is completed, but not the terminus at the
State park.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

Please tell me when the Tucker grand children program will be.

From A Preview Look: Tucker 1044 on display one week before the opening of the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia

Frank, Doubt thats Nibbe by the bicycle. He most likely had an automobile. He was wealthy enough given that he had two live in house servants at the time.

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The J11 Chalmers-Detroit at the Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Central Park (Bethpage) on its way to winning the Jericho Sweepstakes

We’re looking north over Farmingdale / Bethpage. That’s the Bethpage State Parkway under construction. Among the roads are: Hempstead Turnpike / Conklin Street; Fulton Street (109); Merritt Road; Central Avenue; Round Swamp Road. Three branches of the LIRR can be seen: Main Line; Central; Bethpage cut-off to the brickyard. The golf course is the Lennox Hills Country Club which, along with other surrounding properties, evolved into the three courses at Bethpage State Park. The LIMP went through this area and was part of the course for the 1908 V. C. Race. The date should be around 1935.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

The Studebaker Avanti was the first production car to reach 170 mph. With its supercharged 289-cubic-inch engine, the Avanti broke 29 world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the early 1960s.
I have attached a couple of pictures of a Supercharged 1964 Avanti.

From In the Black Beast Garage: The 1963 Studebaker Avanti

This looks like Bethpage State Pkwy being constructed at the lower left (one of Robert Moses’ last accomplishments). The road in the middle heading straight up north is Merrits Rd in South Farmindale. Hemp Tpke/Conklin St is diagonal at upper portion of the photo. Motor Pkwy, including Dead-Man’s-Curve is at upper left and out of view, likely in the dark-tree area. The 1908-1910 VCR races ran through here at the Dead-Man’s-Curve in Bethpage. CRR also not visible in this photo

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

I would rather own a Tucker, or and Alco, or a 1940 Buick Roadmaster conv sedan or a 1930 Packard touring car .

From The "Flying Mustang" 1965 Shelby GT350 Prototype sold for $3.7 million at the Mecum Auctions on Saturday

My attempt to answer this mystery with the foto.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

It’s amazing how much higher this computer chip and supply chain issue has pushed up the used car prices these days.

*inserts tongue firmly in cheek

From The "Flying Mustang" 1965 Shelby GT350 Prototype sold for $3.7 million at the Mecum Auctions on Saturday

The photographer is facing north and is hovering over the east end Boundary ave.  The parkway under construction is the Bethpage parkway.  From the bottom to middle center of the photo is Merrits rd.  The overpass being built on the left side of the photo is for carrying Hemptead tpke over the Bethpage pkwy.  In the center of the photo you can see the divergence of LIRR lines between the Bethpage and Farmingdale stations.  They split here where one veers southeast to connect to the Babylon line, and the one going east is the Ronkonkoma line.  The top center of the photo is the Bethpage state park with its numerous golf courses.  Top left of the photo is part of the Motor Parkway that includes “deadman’s curve” where the Motor Parkway veers to the north.  The photo was taken sometime during the Bethpage parkway’s construction between 1934 and 1936.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

Looking North at Bethpage and the construction of the Bethpage State Parkway with the Bethpage State Park golf course in the background. Conklin Street can be seen along with what was the Central RR at that time.
The Motor Pkwy and Vanderbilt Cup races ran through Bethpage.
The Bethpage State Parkway is still under construction so year would be 1935.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

The railroad lines gave this one away. The location is Farmingdale, south of Bethpage State Park. The photographer is looking north. The parkway under construction (lower left corner) is the Bethpage State Parkway. In the picture can be seen Merritts Road (lower center), Fulton Street, Conklin Street, Fallwood Parkway, and Motor Avenue. Railroads are the Main Line and the Central Branch of the LIRR. The spur that went up to Alexander Stewart’s brickyard is still there, curving to the northeast. Thomas Powell Blvd. occupies the space of the old spur.

Photo must have been taken between 1934 and 1936, when the Bethpage State Parkway was being built. The golf course must be the present-day Green Course, the original course in the park.

The Motor Parkway went around the western/northern end of the park. I can’t see it in the Foto. Motor Avenue in Farmingdale is not near the route of the parkway. I suspect some connection on account of the name, but I don’t know what the connection is.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Bethpage State Parkway under construction in 1934-1935

Interesting that the body was made by MFG, which I knew as a company that made fiberglass boats.

The article spells the name of designer Raymond Loewy incorrectly.

From In the Black Beast Garage: The 1963 Studebaker Avanti

More amazing details Al; thanks for sharing!! Seems that Motor Pkwy was making amends by purchasing the “damaged” lot - refilling the hole later was likely difficult in 1908. I’d bet the borrow pit became additional parking spaces for later races

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The J11 Chalmers-Detroit at the Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Central Park (Bethpage) on its way to winning the Jericho Sweepstakes

Howard, Since no one asked, there was a kerfuffle regarding the Parkway/Nibbe relationship. The Parkway had purchased a 100 foot wide strip almost 1200 feet long from Nibbe for the ROW. At the same time they leased a half acre plot fronting on Powell Ave. as a staging area for construction purposes. Without permission, some earth was excavated from the site and used for ramping purposes. Nibbe was understandably upset and the Parkway ended up purchasing the plot and used it as a borrow pit.

From Mystery Foto #2 Solved: The J11 Chalmers-Detroit at the Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Central Park (Bethpage) on its way to winning the Jericho Sweepstakes

Thanks Al. This section is now on private property. No way to access unless granted permission.
It’s been 10 years since the LIMPPS visited Arlene and Carmine’s place. Perhaps another visit will happen soon.

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: A 1940 view of the Motor Parkway at Half Hollow Road in Dix Hills

Great findings Art!

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 1 - The Vanderbilt Connection and the Rise of the Automobile in my New Home State - North Carolina

I have friends living in Southport and visited them about 5 years ago. A very nice town with some stately old homes near the beach. I can see why they chose to stop there. Let us know if you identify the McCormicks. Hope you’re enjoying your new home Art!

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 1 - The Vanderbilt Connection and the Rise of the Automobile in my New Home State - North Carolina