Vanderbilt Cup Races

Deadman’s curve was a much steeper pitched bend than what is shown here, I believe.

From Bethpage Newsgram & Mid-Island Times: Vanderbilt Cup Races through Bethpage

Art,

Major clue on the alleged 1968 maps - the absence of the Meadowbrook Parkway extension which opened in 1956.  Many of the local roadways cutting through or adjacent to Mitchel Field were long gone by then too.

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Please Al, don’t be negative on yourself. The schoolhouse was such a nifty looking building. When I noticed the property was marked as ‘Historical’ on the base map, I was hoping that the building was re-located to be restored, etc. It was likely demolished. Glad you were paying attention and that “as usual”, you were aware of info that most of don’t : )  Thanks

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

That’s Vince Gardner working the molds. Here he is working on a rear spoiler for a Mustang project with Alex Tremulis. Together they also built the body for the Gyronaut X-1 motorcycle streamliner, the World’s Fastest Motorcycle from 1966 to 1970. Looking forward to more shots of the Mustang III being built!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive:63 Photos Discovered of the Mustang III Being Built at DST in 1964.

Here’s the office building on the corner.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

Cherry Ave noted at the Botto Bridge location ends up being quite obvious. I actually remember walking on this wood chip path while “looking for motor pkwy” a long time ago. Maps below:

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Brian, Thanks for the update, the last time I visited the area was when I wrote the book on the Parkway, getting careless and sloppy in my old age. Good to have a number of folks involved.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

This is like a scrapbook, thanks for pursuing this Art. My mind is already working:

* Old Courthouse was still active north to I U Willets Rd, so that’s why this bridge survived.
* Recall an old Newsday article about the LIRR planning to utilize the LIMP between Roslyn Rd & Mineola Ave, maybe this is why #12 and perhaps 18 survived until the 1980’s, but #17 ( Westbury Ave ) I’m not sure of. Trolley line use ended in the 1920’s. Maybe there were plans for a LIRR spur?
* The road over the Botto bridge in Bethpage was known as Cherry Ave. I’ll look into this.

Too many thoughts, I’m going to bed.

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Al Velocci - You mention that the schoolhouse survives to this day. Below are 2 images - Current Historical Aerial Road Map displaying this area, still with ‘Lower Melville School’ ( Historical ), on the S/E side like we all understand. The school is definitely not at this location anymore, wether demolished or moved. The other is the ‘Tax Map’ for #88 Maxess Rd, public record of this location since 1995. One would have to visit the County Clerk in Riverhead for earlier than 1995. I visited once for my family history. If the schoolhouse we know of survives today, I don’t know where it went.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

Al Velocci - Okay, so I guess the schoolhouse that Ron Ridolph captured in the early 1980’s wasn’t built in 1872. Below are Images A - Lower Melville School & Outhouse built in 1863 etc, and B - New Lower Melville School built in 1872 etc. I wanted you to see these next to each other. Whom ever captioned these images were wrong about Image B. I’ll post another comment with images afterwards.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

I’m guessing your maps might be from around 1937.  On the Bethpage view, north of Central Avenue, there are streets visible where Grumman was located.

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Art Kleiner:

Thanks Mike, yes looks like the Westbury Road bridge was retained, however not sure about the Newbridge Road bridge going to LILCO.  Might just be the roadway between Wantagh Parkway and Newbridge Road that went to LILCO, however as we know LILCO does have high tension poles east and west of Newbridge, so maybe they took the bridge too.  But if I was LILCO at the time why not have the county bear the burden of dismantling it?  The Newbridge Road bridge may have more details in the future, if so will do a specific post on that.

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Nice work Art! If I’m reading the notes correctly the Westbury Road bridge was retained for future use and the Newbridge Road bridge was sold to LILCO. I believe both were torn down during or just after World War 2. Looking forward to seeing more of the information.

From Nassau County Department of Pubic Works Surveys and Maps: Closing the Motor Parkway

Regarding the schoolhouse on Duryea Rd., it is not from 1872. That schoolhouse was located on the southeast corner of Duryea and Maxess Roads. The Motor Parkway purchased the Smith property from his heirs in April 1910.  In June that year the Parkway sold one acre of land on the east side of the school to district 15 for $300. It was on this land a new schoolhouse was built and has survived to this day.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville Over Time

If Mr Schramm is still looking for information on Robert Graves, I can provide some offline. He was family by marriage (his sister married my great grandfather).

From Owner Profile: Robert Graves Jr. Who Entered His Mercedes in Three Vanderbilt Cup Races

JeRita Trapani
Congratulations well deserved

Mitch Kaften
Kudos and congrats Howard.

Sal Grenci
Congratulations

Howie Schneider
Congrats

From Society of Automotive Historians Honor VanderbiltCupRaces.com with the E.P. Ingersoll Award

Oops.  South-WEST corner.  Current view attached.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: The East Norwich Turn of the Vanderbilt Race Courses As Seen in 1955

Congratulations Howard! I love your website and I check it every day.

From Society of Automotive Historians Honor VanderbiltCupRaces.com with the E.P. Ingersoll Award

Congratulations Howard .  Well deserved!

From Society of Automotive Historians Honor VanderbiltCupRaces.com with the E.P. Ingersoll Award

CORNER OF ROUTE 106 AND 25A

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: The East Norwich Turn of the Vanderbilt Race Courses As Seen in 1955