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
Website by Eric Miller Design
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Recent Comments
Here’s a list of competitors of the Endurance Test published in “The Automobile Review” of May, 1901. As Ariejan notes above it was won by #22, a Gasmobile operated by F. W. Walsh. Having made no stops it achieved a 100% efficiency rating, the same as #12, an Apperson operated by E. Apperson. Both received a blue ribbon.
From Updated: Long Island's First Major Automobile Competition: The 1901 100-Mile Endurance Test
Solid surface (SS) it was.
From The Garden City News: Historians concerned about Village construction over the Motor Parkway
If that smokestack could talk ~
From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Louis C. Tiffany's Laurelton Hall Estate in Laurel Hollow
Great group of pics,,,
From Then & Now: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway in Garden City
According to the Detroit Public Library, that’s F. W. Darnstadt driving a 1908 Cadillac Model-S in the Nassau Sweepstakes on October 10, 1908 with Nathan Lazarnick as the photographer. However, the car may actually be a Model-G. According to the website http://www.newcadillacdatabase.org, the Model-G had the company name embossed on the radiator but the Model-S did not.
From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The N6 Cadillac Getting Ready to Start in the 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes
The construction drawings ‘existing conditions’ sheet shows 41 locations identifying a ‘solid surface’, i.e., the parkway surface, along the length of the work area. Part of this can be seen in the first attachment picture, along with the concrete edging.
From The Garden City News: Historians concerned about Village construction over the Motor Parkway
Early Cadillac stripped down from something like the ‘06 Tulip with that odd inverted front axle with truss rod stiffening. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The N6 Cadillac Getting Ready to Start in the 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes
Simply wonderful from all perspectives.
Francis @ http://www.motometercentral.com
From Helck Family Collection: A Gift to George Robertson from Peter Helck
Now, why is Tsar Nicholas in the qualifiers pic? Hey, I actually remember when steam rollers were run by steam! I saw them when I was little, pre-WWII, in Manhattan, somewhat like the attached but black and more enclosed. Sam, III
From Kleiner's Korner Part I: Illustrating the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the Motor Parkway
Thank you, Howard, for that insightful look at Peter Helck’s gift to George Robertson, showing how the Vanderbilt Cup Race of 1908 influenced Peter’s future art career! After Fred Wagner ‘started’ and waved in George Robertson at the 1908 race, three years later during summer vacation 1911, Helck had his “first formal art instruction at the Arts Students League on West 57th Street, a mere 70 yards from Broadway’s ‘Auto Row’.” In the vicinity of that high concentration of domestic and foreign auto dealerships with their “demonstrators” at the curb, Helck “on occasion” glimpsed “the great Ralph De Palma…” and recalled that “Around the corner was the U.S. Tire Building where observing eyes focused on others of the Row’s distinguished personages including Fred Wagner…” causing Helck to observe, “Art study in this environment left its mark.” During 1911-1912, Wagner moved from New Rochelle to Smithtown, commuting via the Motor Parkway to Auto Row, and building his, now National Register, home designed by Gustav Stickley. When Helck spotted him, Wagner was working in publishing and advertising, primarily for auto tires and inviting ‘Auto Row’ to Smithtown for his annual summer picnics, attended by De Palma, Robertson and many other notables. See “Peter Helck, American Artist (1893-1988), Memoirs Part 1,” 1911 [from Bulb Horn, July-Sept. 1981] at http://www.peterhelck.com/memoirs.php
From Helck Family Collection: A Gift to George Robertson from Peter Helck
And here’s an earlier article describing the aerial photography of Long Island taken in 1929. From “Aero Digest of Sept. 1929. Photographer was Robert A. Smith and the pilot was H.H. Hunter (triple H) of Roosevelt Field, Inc.
From The Amazing Fairchild Aerials of Long Island
Details of the Fairchild aerial camera named the “Cyclops” which quite possibly captured images of Long Island and the Motor Parkway.
From The Amazing Fairchild Aerials of Long Island
Additional documentation pertaining to the Fairchild Aerial Surveys and Fairchild Camera subsidiaries of the Fairchild Corporation. From “Aero Digest” of Jan. and Feb., 1934.
From The Amazing Fairchild Aerials of Long Island
Howard,
To me, it looks like a 1906 Cadillac. It had a one cylinder engine under the seat.
Don’t know where the photo was taken. I’m sure that some of our fellow members will know.
Rog
From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The N6 Cadillac Getting Ready to Start in the 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes
Mystery Foto # 34… The race car is a 1908 Cadillac. The driver is F.W. Darmstadt. The race was the 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes for stock cars costing less than a $1000… The Cadillac finished 6th. The race held on October 10, 1908.
From Mystery Foto #34 Solved: The N6 Cadillac Getting Ready to Start in the 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes
The scenario of disregard and disrespect portrayed here is brutal. A useless parking lot T a cost of $400,000. A public official literally noting there was almost nothing there. Shameless political posturing. What’s the next step? Ripping down St Paul’s so they can add to the Garden City Country Club?
From The Garden City News: Historians concerned about Village construction over the Motor Parkway
These are absolutely wonderful Howard. I can’t stop looking at them!
From Kleiner's Korner Part I: Illustrating the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the Motor Parkway
I, for one, at least, never said Louis was involved in the Cup itself. “& Co,” Pottery? That’s a crock! Sam, III
From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Louis C. Tiffany's Laurelton Hall Estate in Laurel Hollow
All, aaaaah…. Louis C. Tiffany had nothing to do with the Vanderbilt Cup. As Howard correctly pointed out, the Cup was produced by Tiffany & Co. By 1904 Louis was no longer involved with Tiffany & Co on a day by day basis.. While he remained a VP of the firm, in the mid 1890’s he had established Tiffany Studios, a separate entity, owned by him, concentrating of glass, pottery and other works of art. Its probably a good thing he was not involved with the Vanderbilt Cup, he would have insisted it be made of pottery. Oh well…. we all certainly know more about “Laurelton Hall” than we did before.
From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Louis C. Tiffany's Laurelton Hall Estate in Laurel Hollow
Great pic, Sam!
From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Louis C. Tiffany's Laurelton Hall Estate in Laurel Hollow
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