Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great Story Greg! Nice to see that a couple of them returned to Grand Central Station and that all of them have been preserved so well.

From Greg O's Garage; The Grand Central Vanderbilt Eagles

Frank, your thoughts on why the ‘parkway’ to ‘highway’ bridge combo here makes sense was my thought as well.
The Bellmore bridge was dangerous enough on its own, with Harold Stone nearly killing himself when his Columbia went off of it at the top in the 1910 races. Coming to 2 ascension peaks on turns that close together would have been true carnage.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Great addition Gary. Interesting as this was the exact time when McLane started his research. Possibly the 11th or 12th eagle.

From Greg O's Garage; The Grand Central Vanderbilt Eagles

Mineola Middle School was designed c. 1927 by Tooker & Marsh with decorative elements by the Federal Seaboard Terra Cotta Co. Photo courtesy of “Pencil Points”, April 1930.

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

Thank you Howard for posting this rare historic Motor Pkwy photo in Salisbury, LI

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Thanks Al, amazing Motor Pkwy history info. 10 cents an hour in 1908 is equivalent to about $2.85 today. Besides provided housing, I’d bet the laborers were fed as well, as nearby diners didn’t exist back then.

Al, I agree the engineers planned the Stewart Av dirt for the ascent/descent ramps on the Newbridge Av bridge. Planning over and under bridges also best suited the short distance between them (0.15 miles), on reversing curves no less!

Photo below shows a similar scenario but less treacherous, of both Jerusalem Av parkway bridge and Massapequa Rd parkway bridge in Massapequa, just 0.2 miles apart. A real roller coaster ride.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Back in 1965 when the Middle Island Museum was sold, one of the items auctioned off was a metal “eagle with a nine foot wingspread from the old Grand Central building in New York City.”  What became of it or who bought it is unknown, nor do I know how or when it came to be in Middle Island.

From Greg O's Garage; The Grand Central Vanderbilt Eagles

Greg O., The guy with the wide brim hat is actually the multi lingual foreman of the “gang” (as they were referred to).  All the laborers were Italians or Italian Americans and for the most part spoke little and understood even less English. The engineers would tell the “Caposquadra” what they wanted and he relay the message in Italian to the gang. His salary was $1.10 per day. Regarding his first girl friend from high school, he never had one because he didn’t go to high school. After the sixth grade he sold newspapers or shined shoes on street corners. As he got older, he probably worked in a produce store and then, a little later got in to construction work. Regarding a girl friend, most likely never had one. His mother one day would casually mention a daughter of one of their paisian’s and one day marry one of them.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Frank, Your comment about the horses carrying the dirt away. Notice the direction the horses are facing. The excavated material is being brought to the Newbridge Ave bridge site and used to built the 300 foot long ramps taking the Parkway over that road. This part of the Parkway has always intrigued me because I have never been able to discover the reason for building the Parkway UNDER Stewart Ave. All the other Parkway road crossings east of Old Country Rd. are either at grade or over the roads. Is the Stewart Ave bridge truly a bridge?  Its more like an underpass like the ones at Jericho Tpke. and Old Country Rd.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Frank, The laborers at first were paid 10 cents per hour and worked a ten hour day Monday thru Friday and a half day on Saturday at straight time, (no overtime pay.) The Parkway provided sleeping accommodation in barracks like buildings that were built on skids so they could be towed to where construction was going on charging the laborers 50 cents per week. Most of them would go home for the short weekend taking the LIRR back to the City. See next comment

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

These laborers are digging deep and long during the summer heat of June 1908. Not even the horses could help with this task, except to carry the dirt away from the pit. Horrendous work conditions pre excavators. I only hope they were paid appropriately for their efforts

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Ok Al, so that’s not Mrs. Ladenburg, but could you please identify the individual on the left side of the photo wearing the large brim hat staring directly at the camera? Also, his occupation and the name of his first girlfriend from High School?

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Another great rare photo Howard. Thank you for sharing Motor Pkwy history!

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Howard, The photographer is facing west. The laborers are excavating the last bit of soil for the Motor Parkway ROW under what will be the Stewart Ave. bridge, I believe this section of the Parkway- between this bridge and the Newbridge Ave. bridge- was where the most serious race related accidents occurred. Although the photo was taken in front of her estate, that is not Mrs. Ladenburg checking out the activity while tending to one of her horses at the top right side of the photo.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Possibly the flat Hempstead Plains in Salisbury, Long Island. These workers were engaged in extensive manual labor. Hats off for their efforts and dedication in making the Motor Pkwy possible! (most of them surprisingly looked at the camera shoot!).

Based on the shadows, this photo is likely looking NW. I believe they are digging out the LIMP under Stewart Ave, where the Stewart Ave highway bridge will soon be constructed overhead, then re-connecting Stewart Ave RoW. Emily Ladenburg’s “Oasis” estate with windmill (unseen) is at the top right corner of the photo. Today’s Eisenhower Park is the stretch at the top left of the photo. The year is 1908 when Motor Pkwy construction began. This stretch of Motor Pkwy was used during the 1908-1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races on Long Island. The photo area is encircled in red below.

Happy Holidays to all!

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow

Howard,  It appears that one very pleased group of the newly paved portion of the Parkway ROW are the bicyclists, Last week at the historic marker near Springfield Blvd. overheard three of them talking about ” now really being able to make good time”

From The reconstructed section of the Motor Parkway in Queens from Springfield Boulevard to Winchester Boulevard is officially open

Another concept for Long Island - a trolley for transporting bicyclists and their bicycles.  From “Cosmopolitan” of Nov., 1895.

From Kleiner's Korner - Trains, Trolleys, Buses and Bicycles on the Motor Parkway

Thank You to ALL involved, Great Work.

From The reconstructed section of the Motor Parkway in Queens from Springfield Boulevard to Winchester Boulevard is officially open

Great coverage of the Queens LIMP reconstruction Howard! Much thanks for the information

From The reconstructed section of the Motor Parkway in Queens from Springfield Boulevard to Winchester Boulevard is officially open

I think this photo shows excavation work being done for the LIMP roadway to pass under the yet to be built Stewart Avenue bridge in East Meadow / Salisbury. It looks like the photographer was looking generally west. After construction was completed, this section of the LIMP was part of the course for the 1908, 1909, and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races.

From Mystery Foto #51 Solved :The Motor Parkway under construction in 1908 at Stewart Avenue in East Meadow