Vanderbilt Cup Races

Dix Hills / Commack with North up. NSP and SAP both under construction here about 1952. LIMP, Harned Rd, Commack Rd, and Crooked Hill Rd are joining the party. Possible Brentwood Lodge #3 (1923-1928) on the SE corner of LIMP and Commack Rd.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

An aerial view of the Commack Road/Brentwood Lodge area of thee LIMP
Running north to south in the middle of the aerial is Commack Road.
Horizontally across the middle (Looking like a horizontal pair of scissors) is the Northern State Parkway which ended at the cloverleaf until its extension to Hauppauge in 1965.
I would date the photo to About 1963
Just under the Northern State at a slight left to right diagonal is the LIMP and it crosses Commack Road with the northeast corner showing a building which may have been the Brentwood Shanty #2 and is today’s Bonwit Inn.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

We’re over the eastern Dix Hills / south Commack area with north being at the top of the photo. Besides the LIMP, we see Commack Road, Harned Road, Crooked Hill Road and the then eastern terminus of the Northern State Parkway where it joins the Sagtikos and Sunken Meadow Parkways. It’s possible that one or more pieces of the three versions of the Brentwood Lodge / ticket booth / shanty are visible. Since the NSP extension to Vets Highway is not yet visible and that was begun very soon after the Sunken Meadow section to Jericho Turnpike was completed in November, 1954, the photo is probably from 1954.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

By coincidence I discovered that photo G shows a 1918 Sizaire & Naudin. It must have been one of their last models and doesn’t resemble in any way the sporty little car from a decade earlier. It seems that the car is in Europe again, but I have no idea where.

From Never Before Published Photos of the Long Island Automotive Museum

-Identify the location of the aerial
Over Commack North is up.

-Identify the major roads
Vertical roads are Commack Road on the left, Sagtikos Pkwy on the right…The 2 major horizontal roads are the Northern State Pkwy on top, LIMP underneath.

-Identify a possible Motor Parkway structure
The Brentwood Lodge

-What is the date of the aerial? Provide a rationale.
The extension after the Sagtikos to 454 was built in 1965. Pure guess on the date would be mid to late 50’s due to presence of the Sagtikos.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Oh, sibling; what hype (and what a find)!  Sam, III

From 1947 Tucker Franchise Plan Sales Tool Part IV: What You Get When You Buy a Tucker Franchise

Another easy one, although I freely admit cheating (which I hate) to verify my instant recognition.  That’s Commack Road at the (then) eastern end of Northern State Parkway, with (LI) north at the top.  Sunken Meadow Parkway heads north from the complex intersection, while Sagtikos heads south at lower right.  The picture postdates 1952 when NSP was extended to Commack Road and well-predates 1965 when NSP was fully extended beyond here to Vets’ Hwy.  Harned Road (the old LIMP Commack Spur north to the Jericho Pike) runs north just east of the intersection.  The diagonal road at lower left is McCulloch Drive.  Might that be a toll lodge in the extreme close-up (across the RoW from today’s Bonwit Inn)?  [By the way, Harned’s 1840s Commack sawmill, at Harned Road and New Highway, is still in business, run by no less than Doug Harned!]  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Howard, 
That’s incredible that you’ve been able to acquire such a priceless Tucker item.
Mazel tov!!!
Rog

From 1947 Tucker Franchise Plan Sales Tool Part IV: What You Get When You Buy a Tucker Franchise

Hi,here I am
    Looks so familiar, but just can’t place where it is. I think it’s around one of the shopping malls,don’t know which one though,that’s just a guess. I gues I’ll have to wait until Monday to find out. The weather finally changed for better,sun and clouds in the 80s humid,no rain. I’ll keep intouch as much as I can.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Friday Foto #22

1.  The aerial is of the intersection of the Northern State Parkway and Sunken Meadow/Sagtikos State Parkway
2.  Aside from showing the State parkways, the aerials shows Vanderbilt Parkway, it’s Commack Spur to Jericho Turnpike (now Harned Road) and Commack Road.
3. Brentwood Lodge #4
4. The date is between 1952 and 1965 because the Northern State Parkway extended to the Sunken Meadow/Sagtikos State Parkways in 1952, but the aerial does not show the Northern State Parkway extension to Veteran’s Highway, which was completed in 1965.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

1)The location is Commack, NY

2)Major Roads include: Commack Rd, Harned Rd(Motor Parkway Extension to Jericho Tpke), Northern State and Sunken Meadow Parkway

3) Brentwood Lodge Toll Booth structure could be in the picture

4)Construction of the Sunken Meadow Parkway and Northern State was opened to traffic in November 1954.  This was the approximate date of this aerial. Also,The date has to be before 1960 since there are no residential buildings showing in most of the photo.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Location - Commack, Northern State Parkway Terminus
Major Roads - LIMP, Northern State Parkway, Sagikos Parkway, Sunken Meadow Parkway spur (north of the Northern State Parkway), Commack Rd, Harned Rd (Old LIMP Commack Spur), and Crooked Hill Rd.
LIMP structures -  Bonwit Inn (Old Brentwood Kiosk) 1922-1923 ,Meson Ole ( Brentwood Lodge 1923 an after
Date of photo - 1955 , Sunken meadow spur opened 11/29/54,  Mystery Foto #43 11/30/17

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Yes, and don’t forget the right side of the picture, with our spur up to Jericho Tpke.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

LIMP runs east and west just south of the NSP exit for Commack Rd.
Obviously, the picture is after the building of the NSP, so my guess is sometime in the 1930’s.  There is a toll structure on the corner.

From Mystery Foto #22 Solved: A 1955 Aerial View of the Motor Parkway Surrounding Commack Road

Admiring the diversity of thought here! There is also the possibility the photo is looking East but ONLY early in the morning before noon. If looking East, the shadow directly behind the worker on the ground is indicating about 10am. The Westbury Ave bridge (traveling north-south), also with two piers, could be the solution, and was located only 1 mile from the Clinton Rd bridge via Motor Parkway. Because of the proximity of this bridge and the Garden City lodge, it’s also quite possible Gordon’s grandparents possessed this photo of the Westbury Ave bridge, sister to the Clinton Rd bridge.

One more; the opposite angle and slighter curve of the Westbury bridge matches closer to the mystery, than that of the Clinton Rd bridge. Sending Howard a photo after another advil.   

From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?

Sam, the trees appear to be much closer than where Stewart Ave would be?  The tree line goes up to the left side of the bridge in the photo (I believe it’s much closer than you may think?).  I think your “windmill” is either a large tree just off the side of the road or a large blemish in the negative like the ones on the top of the photo?  I guess that’s my 2 cents, who knows.  Any more idea’s

From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?

Comment #32…You’ve been quiet, Gordon. I hope we didn’t scare you away.

From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?

Greg O. - no, the old plant (I worked in it ca. 1957) was some 300’ east of Clinton, behind the later (today’s) office building, and the same distance south of Stewart;  the trees in the distance are about where Stewart is and would have hidden the plant.  Could my “windmill” be a construction crane?  Nah - much to far west and north.  Frank F. - I don’t recall the exact house but I looked at a house in there ca. 1968 that had been built for a top executive, as were the neighboring houses.  They were between the LIRR tracks and Stewart, and between Clinton and Washington.  You know, now that I think back, it may have been built for the Commanding Officer of one of the many bases in that area, a Navy Admiral mayhap.  This is a real “strain the brain"er!  Hurrah for Gordon and Howard!  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?

Excellent and entertaining film. I find it disappointing that Tucker was unable to get into mass production. Thanks for sharing his story Howard!

From Film of the Week: Great Cars- Tucker

Does look like two piers underneath but Clinton doesn’t mesh. Photos can be deceiving but the bridge angle compared to the road is way off to be Clinton, in fact appears angled in the opposite direction regardless which way you’re looking (appears about 5 degrees off perpendicular). Bridge angle also doesn’t match other aerials showing appropriate angle. (sending Howard photo).

Sam - The worker on the ground with shovel appears a tree behind, over his head, then more trees further in the distance. Any object in the distance would’ve helped here.

Frank M - If I recall correctly, there was a development built about the same time across the street from, and associated with Curtiss flying field on the other side of Clinton. That may account for the trees disappearing. 

I think the piers on the ground may protrude past the bridge railing above. If so, this will allow some sun to hit the pier even if facing north. Truly baffling.

From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?