Vanderbilt Cup Races

Emmett- It is extremely overgrown there. At this point, you’d need some fairly sizable machinery to clear out what’s there.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Speaking of crying, I simply can’t find my old pix of the Raymond Court segment; I KNOW they were posted!  However, on my LIMP History page 2, at <http://sbiii.com/limphst2.html#kienzle> is a 2002 pic looking down on the GM’s house from the RoW, specifically showing the difference in grade noted above <http://sbiii.com/limppix/limpgc02.jpg> (attached).  Sam, III

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

I’m glad YOU can see anything readily identifiable there!  Is it safe to assume that the blur at lower right is LIRR trackage?  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

I’m not sure whether to cheer or cry.  Cheer that some care is being taken.  Cry at one more example of so-called “progress” unnecessarily eroding the LIMP RoW.  Thanks to all who are on top of this.  Sam, III

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

I live in Hollis Hills and use the motor parkway every single day. I would love to organize a team to clear this old abandoned section of the parkway so it could be used as a trail. Thoughts?

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

This is just GREAT!  After all these years, more keeps on turning up!  Thanks, Dee and Greg.  Sam, III

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Added that last question, so actually three questions!

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Thanks Bill - two questions:
1.  What do the markings (SS, hp, CP, TC, bc) on your first survey refer to?
2.  The far west side of the parking area shows a new 6’ chain link fence - will this prohibit walking further west along the old ROW? 
3.  Is it possible to view the other sheets referred to?

Thanks for documenting this unfortunate destruction of the Motor Parkway remnants.  Hopefully something will be left for us parkway enthusiasts.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

No so hidden from me. My friends and I would ride on it BEFORE the Clearview Expressway came in. Indeed, when the Clearview was under construction, we’d climb the earthen embankments with our bikes in hand and cross over.
In the 1938 aerials, PS 162, which was built in 1936, can be seen; 53rd Ave & 201st. Street. I grew up in a new 1953 house on 199th St. on the other side of Francis Lewis Blvd between 53rd Ave and the future 51st Ave and 199th St.; the area can be seen as a large grove of trees.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Correction: the south edge will be 14 feet from the concrete.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

The LIMP ROW is 50 feet wide. The roadway itself was centered and occupied 22 feet including the 3-foot concrete edges, the north edge having been removed for a water main installation. The parking area will extend to the property line and its south edge will therefore be 18 feet from the edge of the concrete. A retaining wall will be installed on the property line with fill behind it to level that area. The whole parking area will be covered with bluestone gravel, including the existing concrete and asphalt. The total width of the graveled area will be 40 feet, or to the north edge of the original roadway. No stall markings will be provided - the area should accommodate about 20 cars parked on the south side perpendicular to the roadway.

Cyril and I tried to have the concrete and original asphalt roadway left uncovered, with a curb added on the north side to delineate the original edge of the roadway, but were not successful. However, the gravel layer will be thin - maybe after the work is complete we can go and sweep it off the concrete.

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Good captures, Greg and Dee. As much as I appreciated our last mild winter, it also didn’t allow for the usual taming of foliage etc.

From Update: Greg O's Discovery: Then & Now- The Hidden Section Of the Motor Parkway in Cunningham Park, Queens

Art - is it okay if you could let it be known at this point if the building is residential or commercial? Appears to be a home.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

Nice tribute, Chris. Brings to mind folk songs from the 1970’s.

From Film of the Week "A Real Fast Ride"- A Musical Tribute to William K. Vanderbilt Jr.

Art- came across this from Automobile Topics in late 1905. It appears even France was possibly in the running for a Vanderbilt Cup Race a couple of years earlier.

From Kleiner’s Korner: Part 2 - California Wants the 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Race

From Automobile Topics 1905

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

Howard,  Garden City Village is spending a lot of money to provide parking spaces for the users of the ball fields. I think they should charge a small fee for the privilege. To identify them, issue a small metal plate to be attached to the front of the vehicle saying something like…Long Island Motor Parkway parking. ????

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

Frank, To clarify, the Parkway ROW level is about is about 5 feet higher than the ball field level, hence the need for a retaining wall The cars will be parking ON the Parkway . See my earlier post .

From Construction Work Has Begun on the Garden City Stewart Field Parking Lot Adjacent to the Motor Parkway

On second thought, maybe the answer to kudos question isn’t quite as obvious as I thought. For a second guess, I’ll go in a different direction and say Hicks Nurseries did the actual planting of the trees since they were also responsible for many estate planting’s as well.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola

-Identify the location and orientation of the photographer
-Who owned the building on the left? Link the owner to the Vanderbilt Cup Races.

Standing on the railroad tracks looking northward on the East side of Robert Grave’s garage in Mineola.
Robert Graves was the owner of the #1 Mercedes that raced in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the two #3 Mercedes that raced in the 1906 and 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Races. 
Robert Graves’ wealth came initially from his father’s company the Robert Graves Company, Manufacturers of Wall Papers. In addition to the wallpaper company, Robert Graves also invested a lot of money in Manhattan and Brooklyn real estate.

-Kudos Question: Who planted all the trees in the Mystery Foto?

NYC and Gold Coast Mansions of the wealthy of the day usually had Frederick Law Olmsted do all their landscaping, so I’ll go with that guess.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: The Grave's Garage on Searing Avenue in Mineola