Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard,  I ‘m quite sure the photo was taken at Sebring, I visited there in the 1960’s. The driver is Alex Ulman, the founder of the track. the photo was probably taken in 1960’s when the 24 hours race was instituted. The Mercedes in the background is the 300 SLR, a revolutionary design for the time with gull wing doors on the coupe.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

My guess to the answers to the questions asked: Briggs Cunningham is in the car with his hands raised, do not have any idea why his hands are raised - he either won the competition or his car quit and would not run!
Austin Clark is at the wheel of the car behind this. The location is Sebring , Florida and this photo was taken at the time of the race.  The dark sedan in the background is a model J Duesenberg with either a Derham or Rollston body.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

Briggs Cunningham in an early Benz?  Plus, an obvious 300SLR. And is that Henry Austin Clark behind him?

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

I like “Joe Burt and friends”, everyone is wearing the same hat.  And nicely dressed!

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Very fine photography on a very fine Tucker.

From The Fine Art of Photographer Jerry Keefer: The Tucker 1044

Sounds like a new quest for the Wikimedia Commons gallery for Mineola. Actually, I just found out they have it already.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mineola_Bl_Old_Country_Rd_td_09.jpg

From Then & Now: The First Long Island Offices of the Long Island Motor Parkway, Inc.

Update: A 2018 Google Map has been added. This image will be used as a guide for the planned placement of a Long Island Motor Parkway historical marker adjacent to the Merrick Avenue Bike Path.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Scott Eckers

• Identify the location of the Mystery Foto and the orientation of the photographer.
Stewart Avenue and Merrick Avenue, East Meadow/Westbury, looking north
• Link the Mystery Foto to the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races .
The Meadowbrook Lodge is on the northwest corner.
• What was the likely purpose for the structure on the right? What is on this location today?
This structure was in the golf club; it is in Eisenhower Park today.
• What was the approximate date of the Foto? Provide a rationale.
Mid/late 1930s because of the power lines and the bridge (I know I’m wrong now!)
• Who was the photographer?
Joseph Burt, Mineola
• Kudos question: Can you find the airplane in the photo?
Yes!  It’s in the air!  (Above the lodge.)
Thanks for a great picture this week!
Scott Eckers

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Looking north on Merrick Ave with Stewart ave in the forefront and the motor parkway behind it.  The toll booth is visible on the left.  The structure could be something from Eisenhower park as that would be where the current day entrance is.  Just a guess
PS. Plane is right above toll booth

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Forgot to mention that I had spotted that culvert in the old bridge’s West embankment as well.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Thanks Bill and Howard for this FABULOUS view in Salisbury. Never seen this before in my 56 years. This view is alarming and unrecognizable today. We’re at the entrance to Eisenhower Park on the right side off of Merrick Ave. There’s a red light camera here today. Photographer Joseph Burt of Mineola is standing on the sidewalk looking NNE. 1908-10 Vanderbilt Cup Races began here on top of the hill at the Meadow Brook lodge. Many concrete posts outlining the Motor Parkway property line. Structure on right is likely vending machines/restrooms to accomodate the golfers. Golf course remains here today. Date is sometime after the ‘50s when the lodge was removed. The silver bird is directly above the Meadow Brook lodge and a smaller black bird above the Stewart Ave street post. Fantastic!

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

My Great Uncle received a hernia operation there in August, 1918 and stayed on as a nurse helping GI.s , dealing with the Flu Epidemic of 1918. In his letter, he gave the address as, “Base Hospital; No. 5, Ward 3, Mineola Long Is. New York. Do I have this right? Thank you.

From Update #3: Mystery Foto #28 Reveals Another Piece of Long Island History in Garden City

Love these older images, thanks Bill!

*Location & Orientation:  Southeast corner of Merrick Ave & Stewart Ave ( I can just make out Stewart Ave inscribed on the post at the northeast corner ), Westbury NY. View is north.

*Structure on the right & present day:  A caddy shed/shack for the golf course. There’s not any building there now. A much wider Park Blvd was carved out just north of this east side of Stewart Ave. The blvd does the loop curve to the north before heading south. Maybe the shack was in the way. Then there’s a refuse area north of the blvd.

*Image date & reasoning:  There’s no evidence of Park Blvd, yet ( carved out after 1950 ). LIMP bridge is no more, toll lodge lived until 1954. I’ll say 1945.

*Photographer:  Joseph Burt, 1886 - 1971. Mineola resident who practiced photography as a hobby. And I bet he established a photo collection, thanks Joe!

*Aircraft in photo:  Likely the dark shape seen in the 5th closeup, above and to the left of ‘Ottavino Memorials’, west side of Post Ave.

*Foto link to the LIMP & VCR:  The Meadowbrook Toll Lodge is clearly seen to the northwest. Pretty sure the remains of the west abutment is there thru the row of trees, and fairly sure I see a culvert at the embankment. The 1908, 09 &10; races were here, too.

*

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

According to the monumental work by Norbert Steinhauser “Ettore Bugatti - L’artisan de Molsheim” (three tomes published by Bugattibook, Corseaux, Switzerland 2008. French language) the car is a Bugatti T 21 ordered by Stefan Kjelsen, Bugatti agent in New York, for his client Charles W. Fuller of Pawtucker, Rhode Island. The car was entered in the Feb. 27, 1915 American Grand Prix in San Francisco, driven by John Marquis, racing number 27, white body (as compulsory for a German racing car). It was forced out after six lap. On March 6, 1915 the car was entered in the Vanderbilt Cup, driven once again by John Marquis and carrying the same race number 27. The car was forced out at lap 16.
The published photos should have been taken at the American Grand Prix when a huge 150-litre rear tank was used. In the Vanderbilt Cup the normal tank plus an extra 50 lt. tank was used.
The same car was later entered in the California Grand Prix (March 17, 1915), the 1915 Indianapolis 500, and finally in the Narrangansett 100-miler, Cranston (Rhode Island) on Sep. 18, 1915.
All the above is taken from Tome 2 pages 62-69.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: From the Archives of Mechanician Emilio Jandelli

The airplane is on the left in the air over the Meadowbrook Lodge.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Great photo Howard, it was taken from the middle of today’s Merrick Ave., looking north at Stewart Ave., at the entrance to Eisenhower Park. On the left center is the Meadowbrook Lodge. The building on the right is the golf courses starter shack/clubhouse when the park was known as Nassau County Park. The photographer was Joseph Burt. Interestingly he was hired by the Parkway in the opening days to shoot photos for promotional purposes. In the photo featuring the Stewart Ave. signpost are a number of white painted posts. These are from that section of the Parkway r.o.w. that one time ran thru the Park. The County salvaged literally hundreds of the posts when the Park was being developed. Another building I recognized is the one at the very north end of Merrick Rd., It appears at a white blob in the center of the road but the roof configuration gives it away as Felice’s restaurant which was located at the southwest corner of Old Country Rd. and Merrick Ave. until the 1960’s.  It was replaced by a gas station which was later demolished and replaced by Baci’s, the present occupant.  The Parkway bridge over Merrick Avenue is gone so we know the photo was taken after the Parkway closed in 1938. My guess is the late 1940’s when the Park was dedicated. Another item I noticed is in the blow up photo of featuring the back of the white signpost. Look to the left and you will see the viaduct that was built for drainage purposes. Question Howard, how was Burt able to shoot this photo without any vehicles in the picture?

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Update: Additional close-ups have been posted.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Great job making the race come alive! These are such great historic landmarks along the racetrack. I’m wondering if there were designated pit stops or were these arbitrary depending on the race?
_______________________________________________

Howard Kroplick

Sheri, there were “tire” stations throughout the courses. The locations changed every year.

From Femenias Findings: A New Interactive Online Map of the Long Island Motor Parkway

Identify the location of the Mystery Foto and the orientation of the photographer.  intersection of Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue, looking north up Merrick Avenue towards Westbury. 

Link the Mystery Foto to the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races .  Meadowbrook Lodge upper left part of the photo; ran through Salisbury Links to the right.  Part of the 1908, 1909, 1910 races.

What was the likely purpose for the structure on the right? What is on this location today?  Possible answers - golf shack, train stop - Eisenhower Park. 

What was the approximate date of the Foto? Provide a rationale.  Late 1940s

Who was the photographer?  Local LI photographer, Joseph Burt.

Kudos question: Can you find the airplane in the photo?  Located above what I believe to be the Meadowbrook Lodge (third photo).

My own Kudos question: Identify the structure which can be seen in the close up photo of the Stewart Ave. marker.  Above the marker.  My answer: St. Brigid Catholic Church in Westbury. 

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Looking North on Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue in 1944

Mr. Dunlop was a Veterinarian.

From From the Pau Thesis: The Dunlop Advertising Campaign After the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race