Vanderbilt Cup Races

Another test on the Motor Parkway was performed by VCR driver Ralph Munford in 1913 to determine speed using photography.  From “Popular Mechanics” of April, 1913.

From Kleiner's Korner: Automotive Tests on the Motor Parkway

An article on the parade was published in the Anton Media newspapers.

From Update: Alco Black Beast Highlights from the Nassau County Memorial Day Car Parade, May 25, 2020

Must be a nice ride in the Locomobile.

From The 1908 Locomobile Model E of the Collection on Palmetto in Clearwater, Florida

I was at the game that ended when Jeff Francoeur hit into an unassisted triple play. Unfortunately, by that time, we were in the car on the way home. Oliver Perez didn’t make it out of the first inning (while I was on the Shake Shack line), and Angel Pagan hit two home runs, one inside-the-park and one out.
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Howard Kroplick

I was at that game too! It was the craziest ending to a Met loss ever!

From Off-Topic: Nine Years Ago on June 1: A New York Met Memory

Thanks, Al. Perhaps not as it’s now, but the white building appeared like there was ‘important business’ happening within. Was surprised to see a past friend & coworker of mine in the 1966 article below.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Fred Wagner’s home under construction in Smithtown, summer 1912 as seen in The Building Age, September 1912 [photo Courtesy of Cornell University Fine Arts Library].

From The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown

Great articles, Art. They add to the following research excerpted from the National Register Nomination I prepared (Section 8, pp. 17, 25) for Fred Wagner’s home. Fred’s move to the NYC area in 1907 coincided with his officiating at the Vanderbilt Cup Races. His work in advertising and publishing, earned him the money to build his dream home in Smithtown. In 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wagner and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Field were listed among the New Yorkers attending a dinner given by the city of Bridgeport in honor of the city’s Locomobile Company’s win at the Vanderbilt Cup Race. In 1909, The Wagner-Field Company enjoyed a “high reputation as advertising experts in the motor field” and moved to the new Goodrich Building at 1780 Broadway. Later in 1909, Fred moved on as president of the journal Motor Age, and the Wagner-Field Advertising Agency became the Bromfield-Field Company. In 1910, when Fred first bought land in Smithtown, he was owner and president of the Horseless Age Company, publishers of the weekly Horseless Age, the “First Automobile Journal in the English Language” founded in 1895, reporting his occupation as “book publisher” on the 1910 Census. When he retired in 1911, he sold his shares at a profit, which likely funded his purchase of land and building his home in Smithtown. By 1913, automobile colleagues Pardington and Wagner, who officiated at the Vanderbilt Cup Races, were living in Smithtown a few minutes’ walk west and east of where the Smithtown Bull now stands. Pardington was at ‘Oakwell’ with his wife and two daughters [beside the car driven by A.R., photo Courtesy of Pardington Collection, Richard H. Handley Collection of Long Island Americana, Smithtown Library}; and Wagner was at his ‘Sunnybrook Farm’ with his family [photo, Courtesy of Cornell University Fine Arts Library].

From The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown

Regarding the large white building at the far end of my photo. No Brian, it wasn’t originally a bank building, the one that Al Prete also described as a dark building. It was built and first occupied by the Civil Air Patrol. On January 1, 1975 the County leased that portion of the ROW (I believe it measured 100x100), to that group. The lease ran to December 31, 1999. After they moved out it was occupied by a bank, I think it was Chase, Its been abandoned for quite a while, I think the County still owns the property. When I took the photo I was accompanied by my good friend Dan Di Masi, also a Parkway buff whose moved to Florida a few years ago, At the time we explored the area east of the building and did find a couple of concrete posts. That was more than 20 years ago, they might still be there.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Great job guys identifying what today is called South St. Previously it called New Street when it was just that, and, even before that, referred to as Commercial Avenue.  We almost didn’t lose that section of the Parkway. 1950 the County proposed to re-open the Parkway from Post Ave westward to north/south Ring Rd. on the west side of Roosevelt Field. It was the announcement of the developing of Roosevelt Field that prompted the County to make this statement. As we know it didn’t happen, did Moses step in (that early ?) and tell the County “whoa, I got plans for that property”, I could not find any evidence to support that speculation. In any event Hempstead town acquired the 100 foot wide ROW,  built what was then called New St., on the most, roughly 60 foot portion, and sold off what was left to developers.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Johan’s last pitch looked a bit low, but could’ve been called a strike if the batter didn’t go for it. Gave me a smile, too! You were the good luck charm, Howard!
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Howard Kroplick

Brian, it was actually ball four. Santana’s change-up was amazing and virtually unhittable when it was near the strike zone.

From Off-Topic: Nine Years Ago on June 1: A New York Met Memory

From Art Kleiner:
Great shot, Al.  Another example of me getting one answer in my mind and not being able to think past that.  Simply looking at a map of the Parkway would have helped!
There’s always the next one!

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Enjoyed the video, and saw the black beast go bye,,,

From Update: Alco Black Beast Highlights from the Nassau County Memorial Day Car Parade, May 25, 2020

Motor Parkway at eastern end of Roosevelt Field shopping mall facing east. Looks like Akbar restaurant didn’t have roadside service yet !! (late 80s timeframe). What would be a cool thing here on this site would be to have some info and pics then and now of the area on the other side of the last building east to Merchants Concourse. Theres gotta be some ruins up there

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Howard, You may recall that we spent quite a bit of time researching that painting a few years ago. Went thru my notes, came up with the following. He had his studio at 9 E. 42nd St. NYC. In 1907-1908 did several portraits of well-known automobilists. He did some posters for the 1911 New York Automobile Show. He enjoyed being referred to as “Pal the Artist”. Also did some 240 drawings for a 40 volume Shakespeare works 1908-1909. Will keep searching.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rare 1908 PAL Race Painting Discovered

From Art Kleiner:
The caption of this picture from Motor Travel of Sept., 1921 states the picture was presented to the Automobile Club of America by Jefferson De Mont Thompson.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rare 1908 PAL Race Painting Discovered

The Pic is of the ROW as it goes east from Roosevelt Field. The ROW is the eastbound roadway of the Mall access road. Just after the ROW passes by the Mall, you crossed over tracks (not here now) the mall road diverged south but the Row continus as South Street ( I believe) for about 300 yards, dead ending at a fence. However, there were trace of ROW beyond the fence as of 2002. I am going to say the time of the photo is 2005

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

We’re looking east on South Street in Garden City. The road on the right comes in from Stewart Avenue, curves to the west, and functions as the southeast entrance to Ring Road and Roosevelt Field Mall. Gabby’s Shoes was in existence from 1983 to 2003 when it dissolved according to court records. I’m thinking that Gabby’s Shoe Outlet may have been a successor so I’ll guess the date of the photo to be around 2004-2005.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: South Street On the Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way in East Garden City

Howard, I thought that the Locomobile Vanderbilt cups were all silver plated. The one on this Locomobile appears gold plated. ???

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Howard Kroplick

Al, all the mascots and paperweights were silver-plated. This was plated or painted after 1908.

From The 1908 Locomobile Model E of the Collection on Palmetto in Clearwater, Florida

WEST BOUND !!!! Some times I even forget what planet I’m on.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway and the Bellmore Bank Robbery

Walt, Re; your comments about the use of the Parkway by bootleggers. It was indeed used by bootleggers, actually to a great extent during the Prohibition era. So much so, in June 1921 the Parkway installed a night time toll collector at Rocky Hill Road even though there was no regular daytime toll collector at this location until 1928. By 1923 there was was so much traffic at night (almost all of it east bound and mostly in in the winter months, that some Rocky Hill Road toll ticket were printed up with a NIGHT designation. Some years up to 30% of the toll revenues from this lodge were collected at night.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Motor Parkway and the Bellmore Bank Robbery