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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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Recent Comments
Bloomingdale road looking north is another great guess. This photo could be looking north due to subject brightness. If so, the object in the distance at right cannot be the LIACC hangars. Those hangars belong more west and on the left of photo, 3/4 miles away from the bridge. If said hangars are really a plume of train smoke, that places the LIRR mainline about 1.5 mi. north from the bridge, very close to what’s seen in the photo. But why are they fencing in Bloomingdale Road, they should be fencing in the LIMP below the bridge. And the bridge railings don’t match the 1908 race photo below looking NW. Great post, my baldness progresses with much a-head scratchin’. Can’t get enuf!
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Today Gasser Avenue, which forms one side of a triangle between Carman Avenue and Salisbury Park Drive, is known as Bob Reed Lane.
From Kleiner's Kolumn: Revisiting the Transformation of the Motor Parkway into Salisbury Park Drive
Brian, no, the photo has not been cropped, its all there. also, regarding my comments about the Camp Black barracks, Bill Belmer. the Garden City historian tells me there were no barracks, only tents.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
I’m sure this research was fun for you Art since you live within walking distance.
I remember the maple trees that remained near the Newbridge Road Bridge abutment. When I was a kid most of the wooden fence rails were still intact during the mid 1960’s. Thanks for the great documents. We now know the Salisbury Park Drive was paved during the late 1950’s.
From Kleiner's Kolumn: Revisiting the Transformation of the Motor Parkway into Salisbury Park Drive
September ‘08, great photo!!
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
Think I set a record for the amount of times for agreeing & disagreeing with myself over this classic photo. Strongly feel this is a parkway bridge, not highway. Definitely a true right curve. Think we all see the steam engine w/plume . Fairly certain that’s a water tower in the further distance of the train. Are we seeing the full size of this image, or was it cropped somewhat?
Do notice the row of structures to the left that Al points out. Camp Black was bordered by Clinton Rd to the west, Old Country Rd to the north, and the Central RR. Hazelhurst Field was here afterwards. So they were north & east of the LIMP. Clinton Rd Bridge would have to be curving to the left, to make sense in my mind anyway.
Photos from the Clinton Robinson Scrapbook clearly show the poles for the trolley feed on either side of Westbury Ave, with a pole in close proximity of the bridge. Just don’t see evidence of this in the image.
The Meadowbrook Pkwy Bridge design is very convincing viewing East. The train would be eastbound on the Central line. But there should be in view the trees and windmill on the Ladenburgh property to the center & left.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Interesting, I always assume most roads being built in these photos is the LIMP, and I would have thought the road being constructed in this mystery photo WAS the LIMP, but your speculation is that Bloomingdale road being resurfaced to continue over the bridge. I think I agree with you on this one as that finally makes a little more sense of this particular photo.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Also Vanderbilt Court remains hidden, but the Manager’s Office wasn’t built until 1914.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Wow, great answers. Though it resembles the LIACC hangars in the distance, I now doubt they were built this early during aviation’s infancy. LIACC officially opened in 1929 but the hangars may already have existed on the site. Al’s 50ft RoW at the Clinton bridge makes sense, and this photo likely the original bridge before expansion for the roadway/trolley. The structures on the left can be either Camp Mills or Mineola Fairgrounds. The RR tracks in the distance (if that’s a plume of smoke) from the Clinton Br would be approx 0.8 miles. From the Westbury bridge only 0.25mi. This is tougher than I thought. Great mystery!
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
“Under”? No way, Hose A! Sorry. Maître, but the LIMP goes OVER; they wouldn’t be putting down gravel for the world’s first reinforced concrete highway on a local road, let alone fencing it IN. Sam, III
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
It would appear that the bridge being built in the mystery photo is a Parkway bridge, but the Bloomingdale Road Bridge was a highway bridge?
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Howard Kroplick
Correct, I believe that the Motor Parkway goes under the bridge.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
That there actually was (may still be) such: <http://sbiii.com/lirr2etc.html#lirrmisc>, 3rd para., “Just as good is the rumor - - - “. This thread sure is a good one; all us “experts” disagreeing. I “don’t see no” water tower or it’s the weirdest water tower ever (we’ve been through this before, no?). The water tower in Frank F.‘s pic is quite different - see attached. People see such odd things in these blurry blog photos - sure wish the blowups from thumbnailed images were bigger/sharper (PLEASE). Sam, III
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Howard Kroplick
As shown in the other images, there was a water tower there for the construction. During the 1908 races, a spectator climbed to the top resulting in a strange shape.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Howard, was there, you no show, and left somewhat early for Vermont, but knew you would get another blue ribbon to your collections, as always. CONGRATULATION!
From Hemmings Motor News: Show Coverage 2019 Hemmings Concours d'Elegance
Howard, something I missed earlier. The enlargement photo of the cedar fence posts on the left side , beyond the posts are several similar looking buildings in the distance. Could they be the barracks of Camp Black?
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Great effort Gary, I agree the mechanics were working from (a) home, possibly from a central location in Hewlett that was easily accessible, and preferably near a Railroad station. The Five Towns service center matches the above, but this location requires more research. Too bad for Belcher Hyde but I’m now thinking F.W. Beers maps might have something. It’s worth a try.
From Mystery Saturday Auto #1: A Very Early Automobile
Enjoyed these images…Thanks for posting them…
From Sam Berliner III: A 1970 Walking Tour of the Motor Parkway in Queens
Howard, I believe we are looking at the bridge being built over Clinton Rd. in Garden City and we are looking west. We know at this point the Parkway ROW is only 50 feet wide which would account for the perimeter fencing being so close to the roadway. Also, going over Clinton Rd. it appears that the frame work for the bridge itself has multiple openings. And. it appears that the roadway is only 16 feet wide which means it must be west of Merrick Ave. or east of Round Swamp Rd. Lastly. the top right part of the part of the photo shows the terrain at a higher level which fits in that part of Garden City. Al.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Location - LIMP Carle Place, Westbury Ave bridge -eastbound (LIMP direction).
The photo is facing south towards the LIRR main line and Mineola.
Comparing the photo with the other locations, the Westbury Ave Bridge
location best matches the landscape features seen in the photo. Several
features missing in the photo are trees,buildins or roads.
On the right side of the photo just above the ground, I observed what
could be possibly a smoke plume from a LIRR steam engine. If this is
correct in would match up to where the LIRR main line would be
located in the photo.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
We moved to Blacksmith Road in 1950 or so. There was a “small” sump on the Blacksmith side of Motor Parkway just ast the road took a bend from east -west to north-south. You can get a hint of that bend looking at the houses. Maybe 2 or 3 years on therre was a flood which ruined some homes on Pelican Road which dipped down. After that the sump was enlarged. I don’t think that culvert was left. I can see the large berm of dirt running along the backs of the Blacksmith houses and remember it being there when we moved in.
From Mystery Foto #68 Solved: A Motor Parkway Culvert in the Hempstead Plains (Levittown)
I’m guessing it’s the Westbury Road East Meadow bridge looking west.
Might be Mrs. Ladenburg’ windmill in the distant right.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
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