About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
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Recent Comments
Roosevelt Field is no longer sacred to me. They also took out my favorite store. The only one I ever went to in there.
From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot
Even though the cost of entering a car would’ve been paid by the manufacturer, $500 was a high price back then!
From Kleiner's Korner: Part 5 - A Proposed 2 Day 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race on LI
This is an excellent plan! Can’t imagine the Village of Garden City having an issue with this. Posts that remain through out LIMP ROW are a constant reminder of the past, especially when the roadway is not apparent.
From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot
Two thoughts. First, posts and wire is a great idea (assuming they’re not vandalized right off the bat). Secondly, we had the stretch from Clinton in “polished”; if it’s overgrown now, we have no one else to blame. Keep up the good fight, LIMPers! Sam, III
From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot
Certainly a logical proposal to restore the historic significance of this section of the Motor Parkway. I also will donate a few posts and pieces of roadway if needed (albeit from the Levittown section).
From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot
I think that’s an incredible idea to recreate the posts and wire! Extremely generous of you and Al! It’s the least Garden City could do considering they didn’t keep their end of the bargain to preserve the parkway.
From Update: A Proposal to the Village of Garden City To Restore the Motor Parkway Concrete Posts Near Their Parking Lot
correction - i see guns on the plane and we are a block north of the polo fields so ill say its 1918 and i take back the polo field comment
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway
Looking east from over Roosevelt Field we see the Merrick Ave Bridge, the keyhole entrance and the Salisbury Golf Links on the left. its definitely late teens or 1920s before the Meadowbrook Polo Field or its bridge. Maybe the plane was an airmail or flight instructor plane and the nearby road was the shortcut to the Meadowbrook lodge (now merchant concourse).
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway
East Garden City/Westbury looking east. Motor Pkwy, Merrick Ave bridge, and Meadow Brook lodge at the intersection at top right, the starting point for the 1908 - 10 Vanderbilt Cup Races. Salisbury Links (today’s Eisenhower Park’s Red course at the top left. Year of photo is 1923 - 1936, when concrete posts were first introduced in 1923, and pre construction of Roosevelt Raceway in 1936. Special road is the smooth-curved dirt road linking Motor Parkway to Ellison Av during the 1908 VCR, and linking Old Country Rd during the 1909, 10 VCR. Planes are heading north from Mitchel Field during a fly-by. The gunner at the nose has nerves of steel! Tons of concrete posts everywhere in this fantastic foto.
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway
I had added a photo of the Curtiss Bomber at Michell which may be the same plane, although the resolution on the mystery photo can’t let confirm with the registration number. The give away to the location was the ‘M’ on top of the hangar
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway
Speaking of “duh” - that was dumb - I should have posted the image for all. Here ‘tis. Sam, III
From Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
Al P. - Aha! No link; never occurred to me to right click. Bingo! Excellent comparison. Thanks. [Of course, trying to get the full images ended up fruitless; they aren’t full - well, duh!] Sam, III
From Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
This Queens photo sure stirred up a lot of info and discussion!
From Updated: Mystery Foto #40 Solved: A Historic 1938 Ground-Level View of the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows
-Identify the location of the Mystery Foto and the orientation of the photographer.
The plane is flying due North and the camera is pointing towards the East. Below, the keyhole entrance of the Meadow Brook lodge can be seen at Whaleneck/Merrick and the LIMP
-Relate the Mystery Foto to the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races
The the LIMP is seen below and this section was utilized during the 1908-1910 races.
-Identify the airplane and it relationship to Long Island.
Curtiss B-2 Condor introduced in 1929, in service through 1934, of which only 13 were built. Curtiss/Wright had a large presence here on L.I.
-Identify the golf course.
Salisbury Links
-What is the year of the Mystery Foto? Provide a rationale.
1929 when the Curtiss B-2 was introduced
-Kudos question: Identify a special road seen in the Mystery Foto.
The temporary road for the 1908-1910 Cup Races
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: A 1929 Curtiss B-2 Condor Bomber Flyover Over Roosevelt Field, Merrick Avenue and the Motor Parkway
Howard, The bridge over Commonwealth Blvd. shown in the photo dated 1942 is not the one built by the Motor Parkway in 1912. The bridge in the photo was built in 1931/1932. ( See correspondence between Borough President of Queens and the Parkway dated May 5, 1932)
From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge
Gene, according to the blog, the Commonwealth Blvd. Motor Parkway bridge was build in 1912.
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series_10_commonwealth_boulevard_bridge_in#
From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge
HI Howard, Does anybody know what year the Commonwealth Blvd Motor Pkwy bridge was built? I grew up in Glen Oaks in the 60’s and as a kid we used to ride our bicycles past the sole surviving eastern wall. I remember seeing a date ,but cant recall the numbers. Great stuff guys. Thanks,Gene Perry
From Documentation of the 1942 Demolition of a Queens Motor Parkway Bridge
Sam - Right-click in the vicinity of the Triumph sports car and select “Save As” if you’re running Google Chrome. It’s a PDF file.
From Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
I wish Mitch Kaften and Roy Warner would chime in on this mystery photo. Both were residents in the area, and would know exactly how it went.
From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard
Al P. - thanks but I fail to find a download link. Sam, III
From Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
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