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
“Known for it’s good food”
From Kleiner's Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Advertising Part I
Let’s spend a few days at the Meadow Brook Hotel, I hear they have good rates.
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved:The Intersection of Old Country Road & Post Avenue in Westbury (1908 & 2020)
The lake or the 2 ponds south must be fed by an underground spring for flow to occur. And maybe the natural elevation is higher to lower north to the harbor? It’ll be neat to witness the Gristmill in action!
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Howard Kroplick
Brian, you are 100% correct. Silver Lake and the Roslyn ponds are fed by springs from the surround hills (including Harbor Hill). Our end objective is to return the water mill to the Roslyn Grist Mill.
From The Restoration of the Roslyn Grist Mill (Updated: February 27, 2020)
Howard, thanks for the posting Roslyn Times of Jan. 31, the page of the photo collages in the middle with me your groupie next to your favorite co-author Al Velocci checking out the water is still flowing from Silver Lake.
From The Restoration of the Roslyn Grist Mill (Updated: February 27, 2020)
We are looking west with Stewart Avenue being the main road going from the lower right corner to the top center. The LIMP is curving eastward from Clinton Road near the top right corner. Several airplanes are parked on a taxiway near the upper left corner. Besides Stewart Avenue, the major roads in the photo are: Commercial Avenue; Wheeler Avenue; Miller Avenue; Duncan Avenue; Hazelhurst Avenue; Selfridge Avenue; and Bane Road. The Central Branch of the LIRR runs through the center from top to bottom. The golf course is the Intercollegiate Golf Club (Old Westbury Club) in the upper right corner. Based on an enlargement of some of the cars, I think the date is around 1950. An old diagram shows building “A” as bldg. 368 and that’s the best I could do for buildings before running out of time.
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
Very happy to see this historic artifact safely in good hands.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Last Known Surviving Poster for the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Thank you Howard for the memories. I spent the 50s along the Old Motor Parkway between LIJ Hospital and Hillside Avenue and Wheatley Hills Golf Course. We had a high swing near the Motor Parkway where Herricks High School is today. We called the woods, ” Bloody Hollow.” In the fullness of time I have learned that there are several “Bloody Hollows” on Long Island.
From Newsday: Ready for HIS STORY
*Orientation of Photographer - viewing west
*LIMP - upper right of image, curving north past Clinton Rd
*Planes - located at runway area south of Commercial Ave, east of Oak St
*Roads - LIMP, Stewart Ave, Ellington Ave, Main Gate ( Selfridge Ave ),Miller Ave, Oak St, Commercial Ave, Clinton Rd.
*Buildings: A - Visiting Officers Quarters, B - Recreation Center ( Military? ), C - Stewart School, D - General Bronze Co., E - A & P warehouse
*RR and Golf Course - LIRR East & West, Meadowbrook Golf Club
*Year & rational - I’ll say 1948. I don’t witness the General Bronze Co. in a 1940 aerial, and the long narrow building east of General Bronze is gone in a 1950 aerial. Upon extreme zoom, this long building has lettering along it; but I can’t form it together.
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
Great work! sleuthing is well rewarded in these priceless artifacts!
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Last Known Surviving Poster for the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Wonderful artifact ! thank you for sharing this with us.
Walt G.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Last Known Surviving Poster for the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Must have been a nice surprise for Mr. Vanderbilt. Good timing as well.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Last Known Surviving Poster for the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race
From Art: Thanks for fact-checking Sam! Duly noted and changes made.
From Kleiner's Korner: Documentation of the Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges in Nassau County (#43-#52)
Looking west down Stewart Avenue Garden City.
Building A is Nassau Community College( now)
Building B is near Garden City Bowl/near old Meadowbrook Polo Club
Building C is Stewart School, which I attended for grades 4-6
BuildingD, no clue.
Structure near Building E( a factory) is the Lilco Gas tank.
Airplanes are in Mitchell Field
The gold club is the Old Westbury Golf Club(formerly Intercollegiate)
The Railroad is the Garden City-Mitchell Field connector off of the LIRR
Year is early 1950s, after Meadobrook Polo Club left, before Roosevelt Field Mall developed
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
Orientation is facing West.
Major roads from left to right, Miller Avenue., Bane Road (Wheeler Ave. west of that and Commercial Ave. even farther west).
The LIRR Central Line built by Alexander Stewart. Ellington Ave. East (and Ellington Ave. West, west of that - Channel 21’s tower would one day stand at the end of it. Today, townhomes are there.).
North Road (now gone and populated by apartments) and Stewart Avenue. LIMP is north of that and can be seen curving towards Clinton St. near the LIMP Lodge (roughly in line with the South Ring Road at Roosevelt Field today).
Major Buildings at Mitchel Field: Building A - Visiting Airmen’s Quarters (Bradley Hall). Also visible is the PX (now NCC Bookstore) and the Non Commissioned Officer’s Club next to it, next to Selfridge Ave. Bldg. 104 and the one west of that which would become NCC’s North Hall are as seen as well. Coal silos in the distance. NCO Gymnasium and Pool too.
Temporary wooden barracks constructed with the outbreak of War along Stewart Ave. would later be classrooms at NCC, though many were torn down to provide parking in the area to alleviate complaints about students parking in front of Military homes nearby.
In the distance, the LILCO Gas Heats Best tower is obvious. Building E in front of it may have been the A&P distribution warehouse by the railroad siding. Newsday building adjacent to the tower. Building C is the Curtis factory in Garden City.
Planes would be to the left of the photo along the Flight Line, though a few can be seen on the taxiway at the extreme northern tip of the last concrete runway constructed not far from Commercial Ave.
Golf Course was located in the extreme southwest corner of what is generally regarded today at Roosevelt Field and environs, hugging Garden City.
Railroad siding near Building D where it crosses Stewart Ave. is where Quentin Roosevelt Blvd. now is. Gulf service station at that intersection has not yet been built. Across the street from where it would be constructed appears to be a private residence, not connected with the Base.
As for the date, barracks mean it’s after 1941. Lack of Endo Labs in the bottom right corner indicates it’s pre 1963. Baseball diamond on the Quad suggests in could be 1950’s. 780’ low cinder platform on the LIRR means it’s likely before service was terminated on the line in 1953 (other than once a night service to Roosevelt Raceway). Presence of Building B is pre Garden City Bowling Alley. Extreme small size of trees across the Base could be from 1940’s. Lack of Meadowbrook Parkway is pre 1956. Polo Field in the extreme bottom left is pre MSP too.
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
Breath taking and most historic photo images are presented in this Long Island Parkway Bridge Series #43. You never disappoint us, Thank you for the superb scholarship and stupendous posts provided each week. Jonathan Richards in Chesterfield, Missouri.
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Howard Kroplick
Jonathan, thanks so much for the feedback! Much appreciated.
From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #43: Massapequa-Hicksville Motor Parkway Bridge in Plainedge
Fraud! Fake news! Misrepresentation! #53 Clody Farmway Bridge (Melville Sand Pits) is in Suffolk County (the county line is at the fence between the Restoration and the sand pits)! Sam, III
From Kleiner's Korner: Documentation of the Long Island Motor Parkway Bridges in Nassau County (#43-#52)
Looking west along Stewart Avenue, with the ubiquitous LILCO gas holder at top, from above Merrick or Whaleneck Avenue. The LIMP is the dark line at right. The planes are on Hazelhurst Aviation Field #2/Mitchel Field. Roads - Stewart and LIMP as noted, Commercial to the left/south of the tracks, Hazelhurst around the oval, Clinton across the very top. A is the post HQ. B - base hospital?. C - the Stewart Elementary School. D - General Bronze? E - U. S. Marine Corps(?) with gas holder. The tracks are the former Central RR of LI/LIRR Central Branch/MTA-LIRR Meadowbrook Secondary; forgot the GC name. Date immediately prior to WWII - monoplanes on field and lack of development along north side of Stewart. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
LIMP is on the right. Top to bottom. Follow the LIMP up to Roosevelt Field, and down to the Meadowbrook Lodge.
Building E is the Gas Tower.
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
The photographer is looking west.
The Motor Parkway is in the upper right-hand corner of the picture. It is visible as a faint line that curves to the right at the very top.
Airplanes can be seen at the upper left, west of the buildings that are today Nassau Community College. They can be seen in the first closeup.
Building A is Bradley Hall of Nassau Community College. I have no idea about Buildings B, C, and D. Building E looks like the Garden City postal distribution center.
The most important road in the Foto is Stewart Avenue from lower right to upper center. Also identifiable are Selfridge Avenue, Ellington Avenue, Wheeler Avenue, Hazelhurst Avenue, and Duncan Avenue (Hazelhurst and Duncan form the horseshoe). Upper left, between the planes and the postal distribution center, is Commercial Avenue.
The railroad is the old LIRR Central Branch (aka the Stewart Branch) a bit to the right of the horseshoe. The golf course, to the north (right) of the Motor Parkway, is the Old Westbury Golf Club. It was sold to developers in 1950.
The Foto had to be taken around 1950, perhaps a bit before, because the golf course is there and there is no apparent construction of Roosevelt Field shopping center, which opened in 1956. Also, the planes appear to be ‘40s vintage.
I went over to the college in 2017 to snap some pictures of the circus train, which parked on the Central Branch whenever the circus was at Nassau Coliseum. The circus went out of business after the 2017 Coliseum shows. I wanted to capture a bit of history.
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Howard Kroplick
Albert, these photos are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: A 1951 Aerial View of Mitchel Field & the Motor Parkway & 2017 Circus Trains
Felice’s? OMG! I’d forgotten all about it. Wonder if the Greentree, up Post Avenue, wasn’t also used by the sporting set? Seems to me that Whaleneck Road and Merrick Avenue were two different roads, with WR just west of MA, as shown on my Central Nassau page <http://sbiii.com/limpcns1.html>. See also George Thane’s aerial on my VCR page <http://sbiii.com/limpvcup.html> (where I conflated them in the text). Other images are lost so HELP, please! Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #7 Solved:The Intersection of Old Country Road & Post Avenue in Westbury (1908 & 2020)
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