Vanderbilt Cup Races

David, FANTASTIC PHOTO!!! I hadn’t begun to search for that photo of the sign. I had assumed the north billboard signs were located within the bridle path. Not so as the photo clearly reveals. The ped/bike overpass on the map shows detailed locations where Motor Pkwy/Peck Ave/overpass once resided together. Amazing finds!

From Updated: Mystery Foto #40 Solved: A Historic 1938 Ground-Level View of the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

The “500 Feet Ahead” sign from a damaged negative dated 4-17-34. On bottom of sign one can see the word TICKETS.  NHT was 2000+’ west of LIMP, so a sign placed 800’ E of NHT would be more like 1000+’ from the LIMP—false advertising! Note the horseback riders in the unpaved north side HHB, marked as “bridle path” on the survey map.

HHB was never “expanded.” The utility poles define the original 160’ ROW, which was paved in stages starting with the center-most part. A Topo Bureau map from 1945 details the side “service roads” from the main central lanes, just east of the LIMP. The planted trees and the street lights mark the separation. The hydrants align to the utility poles. The service roads were fully implemented adjacent to the Fresh Meadows development as can be seen in 1951 aerials of F.M.

Frank’s suggestion is plausible as the south edge of HHB/LIE-HHE is pretty much the same in Fresh Meadows today as years ago. There are water main manholes in the current south service road in the parking and middle lanes. However, hydrant at right in Google picture is the newer of the two.

Land for Sterlingshire was purchased May 1937 and first homes sold that November at HCB and 212th St. Developer offered 15(!) styles of homes, making the homes seem to be custom built.

From Updated: Mystery Foto #40 Solved: A Historic 1938 Ground-Level View of the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Sometimes as we’ve seen you can’t believe everything you read.  Unless I’m mistaken you would be hard pressed to find Lou Willetts Road (I.U. Willets) on Long Island.  From “The Automobile” of August 23, 1906

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#19 I.U. Willets Road Motor Parkway Bridge in Searingtown

Great eastbound shot Brian! That’s the fork that has confused most of the real Motor Parkway path

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

WOW!  Look at Frank’s/Al’s parking stall aerial!  Another one I missed.  There’s that paved verge on the south side of HHB that I’ve been yammering about all these years!  No such on the north side.  Sam, III

From Updated: Mystery Foto #40 Solved: A Historic 1938 Ground-Level View of the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Another oldie reopened!  Dunno how I missed it but “TWA DC-2” is NOT a DC-2!  It is a 1935-36 DST (Douglas Sleeper Transport), immediate predecessor of the DC-3; see the tiny upper berth windows above the forward main windows.  Sam, III

From Cradle of Aviation Archives: The Aircraft of the Long Island Aviation Country Club Part I

Remember you and I snapping images of this area Frank, but their not in my email anymore. An image from the site here below, opposite direction.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Brian, the barely-legible crosswalk may be warning, “SLOW”. I beleive I see an “O”, and a “V (W)”. This curve was likely treacherous with its blind curves in both directions. I find it a more interesting bike-path feature than the current straight path. I’m guessing its removal was due to Bell Blvd expansion below

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Ever wonder where some of the lesser remembered cars of the Vanderbilt Cup Races went?  Here’s a brief article regarding the Frayer-Miller air-cooled racer; further research needed to see where it went after this owner, W. B. Drown.  From “The Automobile” of April 23, 1908.

From The 1906 Air-Cooled Frayer-Millers

Sam, Your comment on Oct. 9, about the bicycle enclosure. At the beginning the Parks Dept. planned to accommodate bicyclists who preferred to leave their bikes there, They would be charged a $2.00 monthly fee for the privilege, one of the reasons for the automobile parking spaces. Don’t know if it was ever implemented.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Brian, When first opened,  Moses said ” it was exclusively for bicycle riders”. He further stated “facilities for cyclists are the biggest unsatisfied need facing the Parks Department today”. Sound familiar?

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Never thought about this original section to be the answer. They may have wanted to establish specific lanes for bikers and walkers. But maybe people didn’t stay in the lanes as intended, and then there was confusion and crashes, especially on curves. Figure the crosswalk led to Bell Blvd.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Brian and I walked this path within 5 years, but by then was a dirt path with some concrete posts still in place. It is still accessible from the current Brooklyn-Queens Greenway for all to follow.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Another super rare and amazing LIMP view Howard! I was always hoping this LIMP view by the CRR would ever be seen in photography today. You’ve managed the impossible. GREAT SHOT!

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

I’ve heard and seen the history but have seldom thought much about the DC2 - while I’ve seen enough DC3’s in person. Back when growing up in Scranton PA (of future presidential senior government official fame), Alleghany aka AGONY was still flying 2 engine prop tail draggers at AVP (now known as the Wilkes Barre Scranton International Airport) - probably DC3’s.  We would sometimes go there to a Chinese eatery overlooking the runways.  As to the ‘club’, there’s a part of me that would live to live in an air field community with a plane in everyone’s driveway.  I’d never pass the physicals these days but being able to walk outside, start up a plane and fly away always appealed.  In my father’s case, I think my mom discouraged his flying, which stopped around when I was born - and he started collecting antique cars instead.

I think we are lucky on Long Island to have a fair number of antique cars, and 2 great aircraft museums.

From Cradle of Aviation Archives: The Aircraft of the Long Island Aviation Country Club Part I

Stumped this past weekend. Thinking it has something to do with bicycles on the Queens section.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard

Al, Sam-III: Download the article so it’s big enough to read, and scroll down a few pages. There are top views of chain-driven and shaft-driven Alcos. The chain-driven one looks like it has a tranny-diff unit under the seat, while the Austin has tranny and diff connected by shaft. I wonder if this design was unique to Alco.

From Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes

At one time in the late 40’s and 50’s it was Winters Garage. And his daughter lived upstairs.they were long time Mineola residents

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

About a month ago, there was a fire at 155 Jericho Tpke., Mineola.  The top floor was destroyed.  Good Luck Discount Store is closed, probably permanently.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Garage on the Vanderbilt Cup Race Course

I believe we are looking at part of the bicycle path that Moses created out of part of the Queens portion of the Motor Parkway.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: A 1938 View of the Queens Motor Parkway Bike Path Looking West from Bell Boulevard