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
Sure wish I could have been there. It looked great from just these slides and images.j
From Big Crowd Enjoyed "A Trip Back in Time" in Bethpage
These are only guesses,but the houses look like Leavitt homes,making the location some where in Levittown.I’m also guessing the tall structure in the far background is Meadowbrook hosp.(Nassau cnty. med center) Hi Al,how are you? Casey
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
How interesting…What an undertaking it was…
From How the Planned Route of the Long Island Motor Parkway Changed from the Initial 1906 Plan
Great story…
From The Day We Met Carroll Shelby
Just a guess. Motor parkway in Lake Success going north over Northern State Pkwy. Hi-rise in background might be the first two hi-rise apartment towers in Fresh Meadows.
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
This is a great happening, thanks for sharing Howard.
From The Day We Met Carroll Shelby
In the second photo the white car looks like a 1960 Pontiac.
From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: The East Norwich Turn of the Vanderbilt Race Courses As Seen in 1955
I REMEMBER WHEN THE MUSTANGS WERE OFFERED FOR RENT BY HERTZ. THE WHITE ONES WERE FEW AND I ALSO REMEMBER THE BLACK ONES WITH THE GOLD STRIPE. WHAT OTHER COLORS DID THEY MAKE THEM IN. I REMEMBER MY FATHER BUYING A 66 GALAXIE 500 WITH A LT BLUE INTERIOR,AND A DARK “NIGHTMIST BLUE” EXTERIOR. I WAS 15 YRS OLD AND I REMEMBER THINKING IT LOOKED LIKE A BIG MUSTANG. IT CAME WITH A DUEL EXHAUST 250HP 352 4V REGULAR FUEL,FE MOTOR THAT I GOT TO DRIVE WHEN I GOT OLDER.WE GOT RID OF IT WHEN THE ARAB OIL EMBARGO BOOSTED THE PRICE OF GAS FROM 65CENTS A GALLON TO A $1.50 A GAL IF YOU COULD FIND IT! I ADDED TO THE PLIGHT BY DRIVING WITH THE OIL LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF UNTIL THE MOTOR BLEW. I REALLY FELT BAD THAT I DID NOT SEE THE IDIOT LITE CAUSING SUCH TROUBLE. I WAS WORST THAN A IDIOT! I RECENTLY BOUGHT A RUST FREE ONE WITH A 390 4V AND REALLY LIKE IT,GRAY COLOR THOUGH, NOT THE NIGHTMIST BLUE.
From The Day We Met Carroll Shelby
Ooh; good one! Gas holder or huge building on horizon and high-tension wires in BOTH directions. Should be a dead give-away (but not for me)! Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
Excellent photo! Photographer was positioned at Newbridge Rd, facing west. LIMP bridge over Newbridge Rd is obviously demolished. I know that’s the PSEG substation to the left. LILCO at the time had the wood transmission pole set in the middle of the LIMP, a wood transmission pole is now on the N/S of Salisbury Park Drive. Bridge ahead over the Wantagh State Pkwy is existing post 1938. Going by the 1957 topo map below, a usable roadway didn’t exist between here to Carmans Rd. The bridges are noted at the Wantagh & Old Westbury Rd ( RED B ) Grace Lane is shown as a deadend like the mystery foto. Salisbury Park Dr became fully built by 1966 ( Historic Aerials ).
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
No research, and I’m probably wrong, but this looks like possible former location of Massapequa lodge, looking west, wantagh ave ahead of you, former bridge location. Just reminds me of that spot.
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
A man with a mission. You figured out how to meet Mr. Shelby without being intrusive. His foundation benefited from it and you have great treasures from that day. Great story.
From The Day We Met Carroll Shelby
Standing on what’s left of the East embankment of the Massapequa-Hicksville Rd bridge looking West in Plainedge/Bethpage. Power lines which are on the south side of the LIMP to the left. In the photo, the bridge is still standing, but was removed by 1959. Looks like the power sub station is still under construction and the larger power lines and towers have not been erected yet.
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
Great time at the meeting. What fun stories of growing up in Central Park and how Bethpage got its name. A playground indeed with the abandoned parkway cutting through the town! I just learned there were three extra Apollo Lunar Modules built that were never used after the program was cancelled prematurely. One of them is located at the Cradle of Aviation, Garden City. I’ve seen this one but didn’t know at the time it was an original. The other two are in Washington DC and Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The LEM a must-see when in town.
From Big Crowd Enjoyed "A Trip Back in Time" in Bethpage
Looking west from Newbridge Road Levittown at Salisbury Park Drive. The bridge over the Wantagh State Parkway is in center, Parkway light pole (wooden) also visible on left of overpass. Greenbelt Lane homes on right. LILCO substation on left. Meadowbrook Hospital in distant left.
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
Looks like Long Island Motor Parkway before it became Salisbury Park Drive, looking west from Newbridge Road towards Carman Avenue. To the right are Levitt ranches down the block from my home on Grace Lane. To the left is the LIPA substation, in the distance is the Nassau medical center. A neighbor of mine, told me her and her friends would go down the block to play on the motor Parkway.
Besides the obvious ruins of the Motor Parkway, you can see the bridge going over the Wantagh Parkway, when I get home from work I will take pictures of today’s view and forward them.
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
Those look like Levitt houses on the right, so I’m guessing Levittown. I see a tall building in the background, so I’m guessing the photographer was looking west, towards the city. There appears to be a bridge in the background, behind the utility pole in the middle of the photo. Could it be the bridge over Jerusalem Avenue?
From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West
My, that web page sure does look familiar <http://sbiii.com/limpvcup.html - ¾ of the way down>! HA - it never even occurred to me to look on my own site. Since I have no provenance, that proves nothing. If Mark is still active with, perhaps he can chime in on this. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #42 Solved: The Team Reunion of Joe Tracy and Al Poole for the 1956 "Rerun"
Fascinating meeting last night. I’m a lifelong LIer, although I never lived in Bethpage, I grew up nearby. I love looking back at the LI of a bygone age.
From Big Crowd Enjoyed "A Trip Back in Time" in Bethpage
Knowledge that comes along with Ernie Sr has to be the real deal
From Big Crowd Enjoyed "A Trip Back in Time" in Bethpage
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