Vanderbilt Cup Races

Two thoughts.  I don’t see a body of water to the left on the puzzle; I see a roadway.  As to the Meadow Brook itself and related watercourses, there were many in the area and they show on many old maps and aerials, not one of which comes readily to hand when I need them (sorry ‘bout that).  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

If the noble Umberto has to guess, what hope is there for us ordinary mortals?  Art, thou font of ancient info., HELP (please)!  ACNY traffic bulletins or some such?  Sam, III

From The Mystery of the North Hills Country Club "Vanderbilt Pkwy" Road Sign

Frank, yes I see the culvert to the East of the trestle now that you mention it. 

I’ve never been clear on what exactly was located just to the North of the tracks.  A junkyard or some kind of debri field?  Looks like leftover concrete molds or wooden frames for something?  Or the ruins from a massive structure fire of some kind?

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Lee - You are correct! I forgot all about poor Sonny Corleone. But in your second photo, I notice a circular culvert under the tracks on the east side of the bridge. Definitely water issues in this area.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Great finds Art!
On a side note; Maybe we’ll eventually discover 1905 Locomobile parts fitted to a 1955 BelAir driving around Southern Havana as a taxi ...one day…

From Kleiner's Korner: From the Helck Family Collection- In Search of the 1905 Locomobile Racer

Frank, thanks for that superb map.  Really helps is identifying historic structures with what’s there now. 

As a child riding bikes along Perimeter Road, I recall a portion of the creek North of the Pond, though not very wide at all and literally just a few yards from the Parkway.  I’m thinking perhaps a culvert was all that was needed underneath Meadow Brook Club Road to pass over the narrow part of the Creek and gain access to Mitchel Field and environs. 

Interesting that the Meadow Brook Club Road extended as far as the taxiway for Runway 23, putting it within feet of the Godfather tollbooth scene, not far from the NCC baseball diamond left over from the Polo Grounds and virtually bisecting the location where the NCPD facility is currently under construction.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Folks, the puzzle box didn’t indicate location. It just resembles the roadways around the parks at the time.

Lee - Not sure how the Club road crossed the creek at the time. Today the creek seems contained in a pond south of the former roadway. The Club road did encroach the future airport, onto runway 23’s taxi way.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

The puzzle might possibly be a shot of Meadow Brook Club Road looking North from the CRRLI trestle.  Ahead, the roadway would curve to the Northeast where it would rendezvous with Merrick Ave., just South of the intersection of Stewart Ave. and Merrick Ave.

Could the blue area to the left of the trees been Meadow Brook Creek?  I remember reading that the path of the creek had to be slightly realigned when construction of the Parkway occurred in 1955-56. 

The majority of those trees near the trestle are still standing but for some further Northeast that were removed for roads and buildings.  It would be very easy retracing the route of the road from the trestle Northward. 

As to Frank’s observation of the road traveling in the opposite direction up to Runway 23 at Mitchel Field, was there any kind of bridge or overpass allowing Meadow Brook Club Road to pass over the creek?

Also, long before runways were constructed, I am under the impression the Meadow Brook Club Road extended farther than that, connecting with the numerous support buildings for the Polo Grounds in the 1900’s. 

See photos of Meadow Brook Club Road from a previous Mystery Photo entry.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Frank, Your puzzle,.... cant be Stewart Ave.,  Note that Stewart Ave. is the only tree-lined roadway with a double set of trees on both sides of the road.  Its not the entrance to the Salisbury Links since it didn’t open until 1917. I think it’s the entrance way to the Meadow Brook Club, many clubs did that.

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Howard, I’ve often wondered,... when Moses was building the bridges for the Motor Parkway west of both Lakeville and New Hyde Park Rd.‘s, the Motor Parkway had to be closed at different times between Marcus Ave. and New Hyde Park Rd.  I’m guessing a temporary exit was created at Marcus Ave. for east bound Motor Parkway traffic when the bridge west of Lakeville Rd. was being built and then accessing the Motor Parkway at the Great Neck Lodge. At New Hyde Park Rd.,  again, I’m guessing, a temporary exit was created for west bound Motor Parkway traffic, who would then go south to Marcus Ave., to Lakeville Rd. and then re-enter the Motor Parkway at the Great Neck Lodge. ( I’m assuming the Motor Parkway bridge west of Lakeville rd. was completed at this time.) Any thoughts, maybe some aerials would have clues Anybody else ?

From The Mystery of the North Hills Country Club "Vanderbilt Pkwy" Road Sign

Driving?  Virtually, I assume.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Al - Seems all roads between the Meadow Brook Club and Ladenburgh Racetrack are tree-lined, including old Newbridge Av between old Stewart Av and Ladenburgh Dr (1926 aerial). Access roads from the CRR and Motor Parkway also adorning trees. I have a hunch Ladenburgh began the tree-planting trend before Salisbury Links (1907) and Meadow Brook Club in the ‘20s.

Below, a completed puzzle with kid’s assistance, driving on old Stewart Av through Eisenhower Park in late autumn. 

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Louis Wagner with the S74 Fiat at the Savannah American Grand Prize races in 1911.  His greatest victories were the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race with a 80-hp Darracq and the 1908 American Grand Prize with a 120-hp Fiat.
From vcr.com; “In subsequent years he poured most of his energies into aviation, which was particularly critical during World War I. Wagner prospered working for Aeroplanes Hanriot et Cie, a French aviation company which developed planes for Salmson, a French manufacturer.  He was a participant at many of the early flying meetings.”
Louis Wagner was present for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races Broadway play. Caption for the photo below;
From left to right are: Ralph Mongini (driver in the 1905 and 1906 American trials); Walter Christie (driver in the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races); George Robertson (driver in the 1905 American Elimination Trial and winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race); Elsie Janis; Louis Wagner (driver in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race); on the running board, Al Poole (mechanician for Joe Tracy in the 1904,1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races); Joe Tracy (driver in the 1904,1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races) and, to the far right, Louis Vivet (mechanician for Louis Wagner in the winning 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race car).

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

The Bennington connection of the Wasp goes back to Bennington’s founding family.  The designer of the Wasp, Karl Hamlen Martin (1888-1954), was married to Elizabeth Jennings (1895-1970) and whom are both buried in Bennington’s Village Cemetery. Elizabeth Jennings Martin was the daughter of businessman, Philip Burton Jennings (1865-1949)
and Edith Trumbull (Robinson) Jennings (1869-1900) whom are buried at the Old First Church Cemetery in Bennington. Philip B. Jennings was the son of, Rev. Isaac Jennings (1817-87), pastor of the Old First Church for 35 years and author of the history on Bennington, “Memorials of a Century (1761-1861).” Edith Robinson Jennings was the great-great granddaughter of Vermont Senator, Jonathan Robinson (1756-1819), son of Bennington’s founder, Capt. Samuel Robinson (1707-67), whom was also the first magistrate appointed in 1761 within the boundaries of what would later become the great state of Vermont in 1791.
Best,
Doug Robinson

From Mystery Auto Foto #40 Solved: A 1924 Wasp Touring Car Built in Bennington, Vermont

Corrected 1966 aerial

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Sam - Thank you and Dave for info on #35’s continuous journeys. I saw her sitting on the Eisenhower (Nassau County Park) lawn by herself, likely with tender, off Merrick Av and she was pointing west, and thought the display seemed odd at this particular location. Thanks to you, I’ve learned it was sitting on the former CRR RoW. A great display spot after all. I’m guessing at the time of her removal, it was due to vandalism, jeopardizing the machine. Painting a loco? I wish I knew you guys growing up

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Frank, thanks to LIRR historian Dave Morrison, I now have the dates for #35’s peregrinations.  She was emplaced in Salisbury Park on 22 May 1956 and left for her Mitchel Field stay on 16 Jun 1978.  So, no post-2000.  You may have seen her sitting alongside the NCPD hangar at Mitchel.  She left there for Oyster Bay on 02 Aug 2001.  We slapped a coat of cosmetic paint on her ca. 1960.  [For ref., Salisbury officially became Eisenhower on 13 Oct 1969.]  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

I’ve always been curious about the trees lining both sides of Stewart Ave. between Merrick Ave. and New Bridge Ave. Take a look at Frank’s 1938 photo, the trees are well defined and note that there are similar plantings on Merrick Ave. between the Parkway and Hempstead Tpke. and also lining the main entrance into the Meadow Brook Club. Who, why and when ?

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Al - You’re right on. Stewart Av bridge was more east as indicated by my map. Your detailed history of the area is always amazing to hear and learn from. Thanks as always, for sharing your knowledge of the LIMP

a

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Sam, I clearly remember a loco pointing west off Merrick Ave, just south of Stewart Av. I didn’t know at the time it was positioned on the CRR ROW, near the lake. Great stuff! I saw the loco positioned post 2000 AD. Was this the same loco still in place?

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW