About
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
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Recent Comments
Another great mystery photo, thanks Bob!
Only 3 possibilities;
Mineola, Albertson, and Bethpage. We’re at the latter on Broadway and the LIRR looking SE towards the Central RR bridge.
The two buildings on the right are still standing today. The buildings on the left are all gone, as is the crossing gate booth and the fence between the RR tracks.
Bridge was used for all races 1908-1910
Bridge was taken down around 1950. The car in the photo is late ‘40s. A car expert can close in on the year of the photo.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Mystery Foto # 13… Going out on a limb I will photo shows the bridge over the Motor Parkway in Mineola and East Williston/Williston Park. Some of my research is falling flat so it could also be in Hicksville. I want to say we are standing west of the bridge looking east. The Vanderbilt cup race in 1906 included this bridge. Photo taken in October of 1944… maybe.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Just wanted to mention, it’s always great that we can enlarge the photos at home!
From Mystery Foto #11 Solved: Sammy on the Ezekiel Smith Farmway Bridge in Melville
It’s the crossing of the LIRRR & Broadway in Bethpage, looking east-southeast toward Farmingdale.
The building to the right is still there. The car in front of it looks like a late 1940s model. Dating the car will help get the year, as will knowing when the gates were no longer raised & lowered by hand (which was probably done by the guy standing by them). I believe those gates were still manual in 1958 when I moved to Bethpage, but changed to automatic (both there & at Stewart Ave) not long after that.
The bridge (#12 on the maps on this site), just north of “Deadman’s Curve”, crossed over both the LIRR and Central Av. It had to have been used in the 1908 race, and any other race that included Bethpage & Old Bethpage. The LIRR insisted the bridge be made of steel.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
The LIRR only passed over the LIMP in three places. Pictured above is Broadway & the LIRR in Bethpage. The view is southeast towards the Central Ave crossing of the LIRR. Even from a distance, you can see this steel bridge is longer in length than the other crossings in Albertson & Mineola. It served the 1908 VCR, and according to LIRR records, was removed in 1950.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Liking the mystery foto, but were going away on vacation. Have fun with it, all!
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Hi Dave. The utility has these pipe type gates or barriers to keep other’s from dumping refuse on the ROW. When these gates are actually working, one side is locked ( utility employees have the key of course if truck access is needed to perform work, etc. ). I recall 3 types of gates…Chain Link, “sliding” pipe type, and “hinged” pipe type. PSEG LI ROW between Shelter Rock Rd and New Hyde Park Rd ( LIMP & Old Courthouse Rd Hwy Bridge ) is a good example. There’s a hinged pipe type entrance gate on the W/S of Shelter Rock Rd. After unlocking one side of the pipe ( pipe is resting in a I BEAM ), you then have to pull/push the pipe enough to get your vehicle into the ROW. The other side of the pipe is “hinged” in a I BEAM. Have a can of WD-40 handy being that the hinged end becomes quite rusty. And then on the E/S of New Hyde Park Rd, there’s a tall chain link gate that’s much easier to open, providing it’s not being strangled with vines.
From Updated: Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Hike” VI: Broad Hollow Road
The photo is looking east-southeast along the mainline of the LIRR from the Bethpage station (Broadway in foreground) with the LIMP bridge over Central Avenue and the LIRR in the distance. 1908 was the only Vanderbilt Cup Race that ran over this bridge. According to the website http://www.trainsarefun.com, the photo was taken in October, 1944. However, looking at the car on the right side of the photo, it could be a bit later.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Bethpage and looking east.
From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage
Nicely written marketing pitch. It was a great opportunity but I do believe that post war car sales were weak not only due to a shortage of product. The country was also in a recession during the late forties. That was another challenge for Tucker. Looking forward to the rest of the literature.
From 1947 Tucker Franchise Plan Sales Tool Part I: Opportunity Knocking on the Door
Excellent coverage Sam and Dave! You guys always go all out. Some sections seem to be untouched and preserved still. Hoping these stretches will also connect to the proposed greenway in the making. Seems that’ll be the best way to preserve the remnants of this historic roadway. It should never be discarded.
From Updated: Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Hike” VI: Broad Hollow Road
Vanderbilt Day IV will be happening in the next week or two, exact date TBD but the mission is to start just west of Lakeville Road, behind the hospital, and then proceed through all of Nassau in detail and finish again at the Maxess Road bridge.
Does anyone have any ideas as to possible unknown exploration locations? Are there any thoughts? Howard shared a great idea last year, the Mineola/Albertson location just south of Sigsbee Ave and that turned out to be a great find with lots of LIMP pavement remaining.
Anyone????
From Updated: Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Hike” VI: Broad Hollow Road
This is a great, very easily accessible location that it seems like not many people know about. It’s quite confusing actually as the LIPA lines and path run south of RTE 110 and it appears as though that is the LIMP ROW but it’s not. I’m sure this confuses many people….I know Sam III was thrown off by this as his site seems to show that LIPA path as the ROW but it’s NOT. Wayne’s map is 100% correct with this location - initially it was confusing but it’s definitely right as the pavement and posts are all visible. Go and explore!
So Brian you think that post and gate are LILCO/LIPA related? Why would they cut off access to their own path?
From Updated: Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Hike” VI: Broad Hollow Road
Hi Dave/Sam. Always liked this area, especially behind the substation and then due east towards Maxess Rd. The roadway is decent looking for being almost a century old.The pipe gate looks similar to the type that LIPA or PSEG use for truck access into their ROWS, etc. But this one doesn’t look to be useful anymore lol. What is it about concrete posts? It’s always neat coming upon them.
From Updated: Sam & Dave’s “Excellent Motor Parkway Hike” VI: Broad Hollow Road
Maureen, after you’ve rested up, take a look at my Atlantic Avenue tunnel material at <http://sbiii.com/bhra.html#AtlAvTun>. Boerum Hill in Brooklyn is very well known to all serious LI Rail Road buffs. Just in case you haven’t seen it already, take a look at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boerum_Hill> as well. Thanks fro sharing. Sam, III
From Update: VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Memories of Living in the Huntington Lodge in Melville
I still want to know (or remember) how Ridgefield got into this act. Also - “young French women” at Morris Park? Further, Brighton Beach is some 12 miles SW of Morris Park. Huh? Sam, III
From From the Simeone Museum: Celebrating the Renault Roadsters
What’s with the red rims? I thought you’d established that they were green. Sam, III
_________________________________________________________
Howard I
Sam III, the original green color was painted on the inside of the wheel. The rim of the wheel was red.
From Updated Tucker Topics: Have Tucker 1044 Will Travel
I am so pleased to see all the comments regarding the find of the Huntington Lodge. Much appreciation that so many of you enjoyed the pictures. I especially enjoyed seeing the aerial maps and the confirmation of the location of the lodge. Since my trip down memory lane and the motor parkway, I have begun to work on more of my Long Island family being early settlers to New Amsterdam by the name of Boerum. I remember family stories about the Duryea car people and upon my recent hunt Boerums did marry into the Duryea families. This circle is growing tighter and tighter.
Today I received a nice letter on old LLMP paper from a Ronald Ridolph expressing his delight about the Huntington Lodge. Called him tonight.
Someone in the comments mentioned if I knew anyone living near the Huntington Lodge and the only two kids I played with were a Teddy Barley and a Patty Krewatt. Both lived in the five or 6 small houses on 110 south of my location nearer to a road to the left off 110 to Pinelawn Cemetery.
Well, I have to rest. All this excitement!!
From Update: VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Memories of Living in the Huntington Lodge in Melville
Some of the answers….
1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race by the Levittown grandstand and pits.
1903 #5 Mercedes (Germany), 90hp, this Mercedes was likely the one that broke the one-mile land speed record on the beach in 1904, owned by Willie K., finished 4th during last lap when the race was called. Driver was William Luttgen, Mechanician was Pfeiffer.
I see Willie K wearing the boots, watching the refuel.
This was the race where George Robertson, #16 Locomobile, 90hp, finished 1st with an average speed of 64.3mph, first American car to win the Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Robertson and Lytle, #6 Isotta, Italy, 60hp, 2nd place, were neck to neck for 90 miles. On the last lap, Robertson blew a tire and replaced it within two minutes. He managed to win the race in the remaining 18mi.
An unprecedented 250,000 spectators arrived for this race.
From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: William Lutgen's Mercedes at a Pit Stop During the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
It looks like Santa Monica RR, A Stutz driven by Charles Merz 1912.
From Mystery Foto #12 Solved: William Lutgen's Mercedes at a Pit Stop During the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
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