Vanderbilt Cup Races

Loved the ‘flying ship’ videos.  I would have liked a ride at that time.  And if I were a young man, I would have become a pilot.

Re: Port Washington Marine Air Terminal
At the Nassau Photo Archives where I volunteer, until our Covid-19 layover, we have photos in our Aviation Archives.  I’d be glad to look at what we have, once we get back to ‘working’.
JF Purcell
Volunteer, Nassau County Photo Archives

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

Mr. Howard Kroplick , Once again I have the opportunity to compliment you on the quality of your historic scholarship. The new series respecting the history of the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals is breath taking. Thanks to the generosity of the heirs of William Beutenmuller the huge collection of photo images can now be shared with the public. Thank you for providing and continuing to expand this remarkable look into the history of seaplane aviation. The images are amazing.
Please stay well. Sincerely , Jonathan B. Richards II at Chesterfield, Missouri.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

Picture is looking south over Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury
Major roads, horizontal from south to north: Stewart Avenue, LIMP, Old Country Rd
On left vertical, Merrick Avenue

LIMP is seen running left to right, past the Meadowbrook Polo grounds
Can also see Meadowbrook lodge at intersection of Merrick Ave and LIMP.

The large white building was a hangar for Roosevelt Field. It was converted into the Administration building for the new Roosevelt Raceway in 1936.
It had a restaurant/bar in the back, with a great mural behind the bar- see pictures

Date of picture is between 1936 ( when Raceway openend) and 1940. The Merrick avenue bridge is still there ( that went away in the 1940s. Also, no Roosevelt Harness Horse racing loop, which started in the 1940s.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: An Aerial of Roosevelt Raceway and Westbury Circa 1937-1939

Hi Howard,
I live on Manhasset Isle, a short walk away from the seaplane site.  When it’s low tide, the remnants of the loading ramp are completely visible.  There’s also the remnant nearby of a concrete marker with “fuel” engraved on it.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

R. Troy - apparently not but a reproduction from the original plans does: <https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z15142/packard-model-k-s-gray-wolf.aspx>.  As to the looks, the famous Packard grille was dispensed with to streamline the one-off racer.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #14 Solved: The Packard Gray Wolf Takes a Turn During the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Identify the location and the orientation of the photographer and the major roads seen in the Mystery Foto
-Roosevelt Raceway along Old Country Rd horizontally lower center, Merrick Ave/Whaleneck Ave along left edge, Ellison rd lower left, -looking Southward
Identify the structures associated with the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races
-1936/37 VCR grandstands, Meadow Brook Lodge, Merrick Ave bridge, Roosevelt Field Bridge
What was the history of the large white building in the middle of the aerial?
-Roosevelt Field hangar used for storage during raceway times.
Which aerial survey team took this photo?
-Survey Team: Braman-Butters
What year was the aerial taken? Provide a rationale.
1937 -1937 VCR course looks fairly recent and there is no midget car racing track yet

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: An Aerial of Roosevelt Raceway and Westbury Circa 1937-1939

A comprehensive profile of Percival Spencer has been added to the post.

From Flying Boat/Seaplane of the Week: Spencer-Larsen SL-12C Amphibian NX-20621

Does the car still exist?  Only Packard I’ve ever seen, photo or in person, that doesn’t look like a Packard.

From Mystery Foto #14 Solved: The Packard Gray Wolf Takes a Turn During the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race

It’s the Roosevelt Raceway auto track, where the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Races were held. The photographer is looking south.

To the left (east) is Merrick Avenue (aka Post, Whaleneck, Barnum Ave.) Traveling south on Merrick, you cross the Motor Parkway, then Stewart Avenue. The road branching to the southwest at the extreme top left of the Foto is what I believe to be Westbury Avenue, part of which still exists in Hempstead Village.

To the north of the track are the “stadium” stands on either side of the white building. North of the stands is Old Country Road, and north of that is a grid of streets in Westbury Village (the crooked one at lower right is Carle Road).

To the south of the track are the grandstands, and south of the grandstands (the big rectangle) is the Meadow Brook Polo Club.

I have no clue about the white building. The aerial survey team has probably been mentioned in posts past, but I don’t know who they are. My guess is the picture was taken around 1938, after the second VCR and before the track was re-configured for Midget racing in 1939. Also, no houses on the Westbury streets says probably pre-WWII.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: An Aerial of Roosevelt Raceway and Westbury Circa 1937-1939

Roosevelt Raceway.  Home of the VCR in the 1930’s.  I can see the LIMP Roosevelt Field bridge.  And its twin sitting right next to it.  I can see the Meadowbrook lodge.  I can see the LIMP bridge over Merrick Rd.  I am looking south.  I do not know the building on Old Country Rd, but I do remember it still being there.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: An Aerial of Roosevelt Raceway and Westbury Circa 1937-1939

Joel Friedman of the Cradle of Aviation has posted information on the Boeing B-314 “American Clipper”.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

Six photos from the Cradle of Aviation and one new photo from the Beutenmuller Family Collection have been added to the post.

One seaplane has been identified by Gary Hammond.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

If it wasn’t for the toxicity, there could be interesting finds with a metal detector within that area.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

2019 (2)

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

Additional photos from Google Earth through the years:
1994, 2004, 2009, 2019 (2)

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

Aircraft Registration NC51V was a Sikorsky S-39B, c/n 913 owned by Standard Oil of Louisiana in 1931. Reference: http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_N32.html

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

As reported in the Sept. 11, 1929 edition of the (Bklyn) Times Union, this underpass was needed “to allow patients and attendants to go from one section of the grounds to the other without having to cross Union Tpke.” NYS was withholding its signature on the Creedmoor LIMP/Union Tpke plan until the Department of Mental Hygiene officials approved the plans. The article suggests this Department and the LIMP Company were equally to blame for the nearly three years hold up in executing the plan.

From The Union Turnpike/Long Island Motor Parkway Pedestrian Underpass

My mom worked for Grumman on Manhasset Isle from 1942 -1945, all the women were let go on V-J day 1945, no notice. She made Hellcat wings, she was a riveter on the leading edge with a bucker girl on the other side of the rivet. In the 70’s I was with NCPD and we would park the PD on the boat ramp of Thypin Steel and watch the boats in the harbor. Beautiful on Manhasset Isle half industrial / commercial the rest residential.

From Update: Beutenmuller Family Collection #1: Searching for the Port Washington Seaplane Terminals

So much for the earmarks I put in the 1906 Automobile Topics book!

From Kleiner's Korner: Long Beach Gets a Race in 1906 (Or Does It?)

John having reopened this thread, see my 2000 pix of the area at: <http://sbiii.com/limpkwy1.html#marc-nsp>.  Dunno why I never made one of my aerials before but I just added one (attached).  Lindsay - ???  Sam, III

From Sam and Dave's "Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day"- #1 The Start in Lake Success