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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
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Recent Comments
Orientation - Facing south on Clinton Road, MP running east to the left.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
Looks like the Clinton Road bridge in Garden City based on the height and the support structure design, leaving room for the existing sidewalks.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
I’ll go with the Westbury Avenue as there appears to be a Lane for a
Trolley Line. Also the telephone poles seem to be placed correctly. View looking
West.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
I’m not 100% certain but it sure looks like a two pillar parkway bridge so I’ll guess the Clinton Road bridge. Based on the shadow from the sun, I think we’re looking south.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
Artie, I am disappointed that old Westbury car meet is schedule the same time as the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance meet, both good car meets but I prefer the Greenwich, try to leave Greenwich early enough for a stopover at Old Westbury on my way back home to L.I. but some of the of vehicles are on there way out. PLEASE RESCHEDULE FOR FUTURE EVENTS, So I can enjoy both events at a leisurely pace.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Polls (Latest Poll: April 13, 2026)
This bridge appears to have a pillar on the right, and telephone pole(s) on the right behind the construction. My guess is the Broad Hollow Road bridge (110) looking north in Melville.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
??? Walt, the Plymouth PA was a 1932 model first built on 01 May 1931 and introduced on 11 Jul 1931. Sam, III
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: From the Lodgekeeper's Family Archives-The Garden City Lodge
Would you believe? I have in my hand my original 1947 Chrysler Corporation book about that very B-29 engine plant, Dodge-Chicago, “Great Engines and Great Planes”, by Wesley Stout. [I also still have the three companion volumes, about Chrysler-built tanks, Chrysler’s war contracting, and Chrysler’s work on the atomic bomb.] Dodge-Chicago, the world’s largest plant when built in 1942, turned out 18,413 2,200HP 18-cylinder Wright Cyclone engines for the B-29 before Tucker got ahold of the property. All Tucker’s hoo-hah about the plant was actually a tribute to Chrysler. Sam, III
From 1947 Tucker Franchise Plan Sales Tool Part III: The Plant, Indy Track Testing and the Executive Team
Can’t remember and can’t make out something vertical in the distance which I believe is the vital clue. However, this is EXACTLY the kind of works progress picture Willie took or had taken in profusion and printed in the missing booklet I note at <http://sbiii.com/limpkwy0.html#limpbklt>. Has anyone actually visited the Hempstead Public Library to search for it in the archives? That would be one of the LIMP finds of the century! Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
...love the comparison to all the MLB stadiums combined!
From 1947 Tucker Franchise Plan Sales Tool Part III: The Plant, Indy Track Testing and the Executive Team
Strike 1 for me, trickier than I thought. A 1909 Parkway type bridge running east –west (photo looking south), with power lines running perpendicular to LIMP, along the west side of the roadway below.
Two possibilities with such an arrangement; Willis Ave and Round Swamp Rd.
Since Round Swamp Rd had a hill below it’s curved bridge, I’ll go with Willis Ave parkway bridge. Good luck on this one folks
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
Howard - In your last paragraph before the profile, you give his winning date as November 11, 1911. Since the prior error was copied for years, you don’t want a typo to start a new sequence of errors. As always, I enjoy your Sunday posts. Ken
___________________________________
Howard Kroplick
Ken, good catch. Copy has been corrected.
From Correcting the Vanderbilt Cup Race Record of Washington Augustus Roebling II
*ID LIMP bridge/rationale: My personal best guess is the soon to be Half Hollow Pkwy Bridge in Wheately Heights. This overpass was completed “around 1910”.
*Likely orientation of photographer/rationale: East or West. East sits right with me after viewing the aerials on the site here. Some of you excel at figuring sunlight and shadows with these images, but not I.
Happy Memorial Day to All!
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
the car is indeed a 1931 Plymouth model PA. My first car purchased in 1963 was a similar car , with a rear mounted spare. 4 cylinder, juice brakes and all steel body. Very well built and fast for a 4 cylinder car.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: From the Lodgekeeper's Family Archives-The Garden City Lodge
Clinton Avenue Bridge looking north?
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
Mr. Roeblings assistance in guiding passengers to safety was alike to Mr. Vanderbilt’s actions on the Lusitania. Real courage in the face of tragedy.
From Correcting the Vanderbilt Cup Race Record of Washington Augustus Roebling II
Thanks Gordon for the interesting challenge. Likely facing S (sharp angle of sunlight under the bridge). If facing E, the wall would’ve lit up more. At about 2PM in the afternoon, they’re wearing long sleeves (likely not summertime), not in Levittown (missing the flat plains), bridge slightly off perpendicular to the roadway below (about 95 deg), power lines present, likely a highway/farmway bridge.
Definitely not Mayan Ruins (though it could’ve been), not Nibbe’s (missing Deadman’s Curve #2 just after, the infamous 135 jog). I’ll go with Powell Ave highway bridge on this one, with Central (Bethpage) Park to the left. The power lines are in the approx correct location as today. What fun! Hope I’m right, can’t wait for the answer. Let’s go Howard, speed it up!
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
Broad Hollow Road ~ Route 110 looking North, with space on East side for Cross Island Railroad tracks.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
First try is: NY Route 110 looking North as there is a second opening which might be
for the Trolley Line.
Second try is Clinton Road, Garden City, again with a second lane opening.
No much else to go on for identification. CHEERS, Ron
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
I am going with Westbury Ave.
Why you ask?
The LIMP built three bridges in the original build that were larger and wider than standard highway bridges. These bridges had trestle type support beams in the center supporting the structure. One of these bridges was over Broadhollow Rd in Melville, sporting an opening for the trolley line that ran from Amityville to Huntington. But you say this picture is from 1909, and that bridge was built in 1910. At least that is what I know.
This leaves Westbury Ave and Clinton Rd in Garden City. How did I narrow this down? (1) I do not believe the telephone pole and wires we see in this picture were along Clinton Rd. I have no evidence to support this either way at Westbury Ave. (2) As I closely examine the picture, I am not convinced it is Clinton Rd. The support wall on the right side of the picture looks more narrow. (3) I just feel it is way more likely a picture of the Westbury Rd bridge would have stayed hidden and unpublished than the one in Garden City.
Final Answer. The 1909 Built out of the Westbury Ave bridge of the LIMP.
Once again thanks to everyone who supplies this pictures. This is fun.
From Mystery Foto #21 Maybe Solved: The Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge Under Construction in 1909?
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