Vanderbilt Cup Races

Lots written about the case if anyone is interested.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Intrigued by the comments of Al and Gary,  I dug up the assault case against Beach and found the conclusion - not guilty by a jury of 12 men, having taken only 90 minutes to come to that conclusion.  It cost Beach $10,000 to defend himself, however his wealthy friends (including Thomas Hitchcock, Jr. and probably the Vanderbilt family) insisted on contributing to his cause (doubt they used GoFundMe, however!).  Beach stayed at the Vanderbilt residence (probably Willie K’s father) while in Paris, before returning to America to stand charges.  From The New York Times.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Al, Just the facts - Only accused, not proven!

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Gary, You forgot to mention that in 1912 he was accused of trying to kill his wife.  Considered quite handsome, his nickname was “beauty Beach”

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

In reference to F. O. Beach, here’s a brief bio.:
Frederick Ogden Beach (Jan. 1855-Dec. 17, 1918) was known as a N.Y. clubman, athlete, polo player, and member of the brokerage firm of Tailer and Robinson.  He was one of the organizers of the Meadow Brook Club in 1881.  The 1900 US Census lists him as a Capitalist living in the Town of Hempstead (possibly Bellmore/East Meadow area).  He married Camilla Woodward Moss Havemeyer (1869-1934) in 1899, with his Best Man being Wm. K. Vanderbilt.  She had previously married Charles O. Havemeyer in 1890; he had died in 1898.  At the time of Beach’s death he was living on Park Ave., Manhattan, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

I’ll look again, but there is an image for Mrs F O Beach within the Bain Collection. Wife of Frederick. Wasn’t sure if the letter was F or P.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Bill, I’m aware of only one other three span Parkway bridge, the one built over Westbury Ave. in Mineola. Parkway bridges with more than one span were built to accommodate trolley lines. Never been able to figure out why three openings of these two bridges. Clinton Ave. was a dirt road when the Parkway bridged it. When it was paved only the center span received that attention. Guess what opening motorists preferred. The odd thing about this bridge was the center span was only sixteen feet wide, the exact width of the Parkway roadway…. Coincidence ? The bridges built earlier east of this one were 26 feet wide to accommodate the 22 foot wide Parkway roadway, a 2 foot wide clearance on either side.  Steel trestle bridges were never the first choice of the Parkway because of the expense.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Removal of the Clinton Road Motor Parkway Bridge

And in color! Amazing.

From A rare 1936 amateur film of airplanes at Roosevelt Field

I found this same photo within the Bain Collection on LOC website. Miss Sears, Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt Jr., C. Mackay. Not confident that’s Clarence Mackay. The gentleman with the dark suit is captioned - R C Watson in a similar image. This similar image also names ‘C. Mackay’ as - P O Beach. Similar image is within Howard’s site here, 1908 VCR. I did find a RC Watson on a 1920 census, Rochester NY. Robert Charles Watson - Bank President. Could be RC Watson seen. Have no idea of Mr. P O Beach.must have been upper class. 2 women left to right - Eleanor Sears, Virginia Graham Fair.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Guy is missed and will never be forgotten! Thanks for the photo of Guy and me with the great Janet Guthrie. Howard Kroplick

From A Tribute to Guy Frost (1934-2019)

Not sure, but this could be Willie K’s mom Alva in the center, as a spectator during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. She is looking west at racers approaching the new grandstand in Island Trees (Levittown) in 1908. She is clearly protected by at least 2 guards, and as many as 6 based from this photo. I cannot identify any of the 6 guards. The elder gentleman with dark hat on the extreme left is a VIP, which I also cannot recall. Possibly O.H.P. Belmont, Alva’s husband. The photographer was looking SE. That’s all I’ve got.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Standing on either side of the wooden column are Eleonora Sears, a renown tennis player of the time, and Mrs. William K. (Virginia) Vanderbilt II. The gentleman leaning on the column could be Clarence Mackay. I believe the photo is from October 24, 1908 since I think that was the only race that all three of them were in attendance at the same time.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Aside from wondering why it was not built with only one support in the center instead of two, it is surprising that in almost twenty years no one thought to block the center path where the accidents from use by opposing traffic probably occurred and make the traffic only use the outer paths. Was any other bridge on the parkway built this way? Why couldn’t a steel span have been used such as the one that crossed the LIRR to the north? That it was on a curve only meant to make the span a bit wider for the roadway.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Removal of the Clinton Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Very well narrated, but here’s some errors I noticed:

*1:10 William Kissam Vanderbilt I is incorrectly shown as the LIMP President, his son Willy K was the president.
*1:20 LIMP is incorrectly described as 70 miles in length, was about 45 miles long.
*2:15 LIMP construction began in 1906, it actually began in 1908. Believe the LIMP corporation began in 1906.
*2:35 LIMP extended towards Lake Ronkonkoma and Queens by 1910, believe the roadway extended to the locations a few years later.
*4:15 & 4:35 The Islip Recreation Center isn’t the former location of the Petit Trianon. This Inn was nearby to the northwest.
*5:35 3 bridges remaining in Nassau & Suffolk. There’s 4 - Ezekiel Smith & Melville Sand Pits Abutments, Pkwy Bridge in OBVR, and the Hwy Bridge at Old Courthouse Rd.
*5:50 Toll Lodge is described being where BSP parking lot booth is presently. Nearest lodge was at Round Swamp Rd.

From Video of the Week: Long Island's Hidden History: The Long Island Motor Parkway

Thank you all for these wonderful remembrances. I regret not having seen them sooner.

From A Tribute to Guy Frost (1934-2019)

Fascinating and well done. Thank you

From Video of the Week: Long Island's Hidden History: The Long Island Motor Parkway

Wow a great documentary! I learned a few mor things . I live in The Eagle Rick apt. and
only recently knew the LIMP went through it! Sorry I didn’t notice any mistakes in this video. Maria

From Video of the Week: Long Island's Hidden History: The Long Island Motor Parkway

A very nice tribute to Sam, Mitch.

From Sad News: The Passing of Sam Berliner III

The woman in the center is Virginia “Birdie” Graham Fair Vanderbilt, Willie K’s first wife.

The date of the photo is October 24, 1908, during the ‘08 Cup Race. Rationale being a similar photo found on VCR.com taken the same day which also clues us in as to some of the others in the photo.

From Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Birdie, Sears and Beach at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

In all the photos only one Cadillac (a 1958).

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: The Open-Air Roosevelt Field Mall in 1957