Vanderbilt Cup Races

Neat, Sam. 1931 Broadway, today’s Lincoln Center!

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Here’s a picture of Elsie in her real automobile stopping to talk with a horseman.  The picture was from an article in “The Automobile” titled “Woman as Drivers of Automobiles” dated April 19, 1906.  Generally very positive and encouraged women to participate in this new pastime.

From Elsie Janis and The Broadway Show "The Vanderbilt Cup"

The enhanced photo helped a bit. As always, great stuff! Thank you gentlemen for keeping the historic roadway alive!

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Ran across more (‘nuf?) - NYC - definitely.  Sam,  III

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

You’re very welcome, Frank.  Thought you might like that one.  Thank YOU!  I didn’t bother following that business card further but I could if anyone wants to know badly enough.  Also, both the DPL and the LoC have endless more S&W pix (not my thing).  Further, I rather doubt there was an “F. Ed Spooner”; that’s far more likely “Fred. Spooner”, as he, himself, put it.  Hey; that phone was in NYC per attached stamp on the back of a photo.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

The “Hollywood in Queens” map fascinates me, not only because Queens never got its Hollywood, but also because almost none of the streets on the map bear their current names. From looking at a modern map, it looks like the roads are now named as follows: Black Stump Road = 73rd Avenue, Queens Road = Springfield Boulevard, Rocky Hill Road = who knows? The Central Rail Road is the old Creedmoor branch.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part II)

Thanx Sam!

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

But we can thank Howard for preserving Vince’s creation for us. Thank you, Howard! You know it’s one of my personal favorites in your collection…

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Vince Gardner Building the Mustang III Concept Show Car

Sam - Your sis is gorgeous too. Hope I was able to improve the 1904 photo. I’m curious how it compares after on this webpage.

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Sam - correct again, Rice Circle where Lee once lived.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)

Gotcha, Frank!  Ask and it shall be given - Fred. Spooner (left) and C. S. Wells (right)!  If you want to call them, their phone number is 3472-3 (where - NYC?).  :·)  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Even ten years older, the resemblance is clear.  Familialy, this goes from bad to worse - that little boy stole my father’s hat!  [That’s my grand., great-grand., and Dad., ca. 1904]  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Thanks Howard, this mystery was a first for me. I’ve never seen before any personal images of Spooner, nor Lazarnick, only their remarkable and extensive work - finally both now captured on the other side of the camera! Now, where’s Wells? Great stuff!

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

I find it fascinating to look back at LI history and realize how HUGE of an impact in culture that horses had. It’s really one of the major reasons why the wealthy sought out space away from the city to have their Gold Coast space. Sure they wanted escape from NYC, gardens, and hunting space, but so many of these people had huge stables (and many of them had full size tracks!) and bred horses for horse racing and polo, which LI was really noted for.

When I look back at the old pics of Roosevelt Raceway and see the place was packed and everyone was dressed up in suits at the races. When I was growing up in the 80’s the place was no longer big, but I heard many stories about it, and just about every one of my friends fathers would often go to Belmont and talk odds and betting (the Italians especially seemed to love it the most!)

The ruins of Roosevelt existed for a long time and I wish I had the explorer bug then that I have now because there was so much to see. We used to ride our bikes past that place (the recently closed Nathans was a popular arcade spot) and take short cuts though the park, but never looked at anything. That huge Roosevelt Raceway sign hung over Merrick Ave for YEARS after it closed! That thing should be in my house right now!

From Memories of Roosevelt Raceway (1936-1988)

I can’t believe this section of LIMP remained until 1995. There is nothing to see now. What a cool little stretch this was. Glad the pics remain. I certainly knew nothing of the LIMP in 1995.

From Mystery Foto #47 Solved: A House Built on the Long Island Motor Parkway Right-Of-Way

Mystery Foto #48… I will go out on a limb here and say the adorable child is Muriel Vanderbilt Willie K’s daughter. She would be about the right age as the child seen in this photo. If it is her the photographer might be Willie K himself.
That’s all I’ve got.

From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Frank - that’s quite different from Lee’s “street” aligning; the house location you describe is not only deep in Officer’s Territory, if it’s the center house on Rice Circle, it was, as I recall, the CO’s house.  Even behind it, on Harmon Avenue, was Top Brass housing.  From this and the the 05 Sep 2018 blog pic, I would guess that Lee’s dad was Dr. George F. Chambers, Pres. of NCCC (and other such - as at U. Pitts.), which would account for the residence.  This is one of those multi-faceted threads I love so dearly.  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)

Sam - It does line up. Lee’s house was located in the center of the semi circle where the red line travels through

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)

Brian - confirmed - yellow boxes are golf courses.  See attached.  The key to the map also denotes aviation fields, state parks, yacht clubs and cities, towns and places.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)

This is Tucker #1034, formerly owned by Gene and Juanita Cofer of Tucker, GA. I first visited them there in the 80’s and Gene was kind enough to give me my first 100 mph ride in a Tucker. That same day I visited Tucker #1015 in nearby Stone Mountain, GA. Exciting day!

From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News