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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Recent Comments
Interesting, I always assume most roads being built in these photos is the LIMP, and I would have thought the road being constructed in this mystery photo WAS the LIMP, but your speculation is that Bloomingdale road being resurfaced to continue over the bridge. I think I agree with you on this one as that finally makes a little more sense of this particular photo.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Also Vanderbilt Court remains hidden, but the Manager’s Office wasn’t built until 1914.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Wow, great answers. Though it resembles the LIACC hangars in the distance, I now doubt they were built this early during aviation’s infancy. LIACC officially opened in 1929 but the hangars may already have existed on the site. Al’s 50ft RoW at the Clinton bridge makes sense, and this photo likely the original bridge before expansion for the roadway/trolley. The structures on the left can be either Camp Mills or Mineola Fairgrounds. The RR tracks in the distance (if that’s a plume of smoke) from the Clinton Br would be approx 0.8 miles. From the Westbury bridge only 0.25mi. This is tougher than I thought. Great mystery!
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
“Under”? No way, Hose A! Sorry. Maître, but the LIMP goes OVER; they wouldn’t be putting down gravel for the world’s first reinforced concrete highway on a local road, let alone fencing it IN. Sam, III
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
It would appear that the bridge being built in the mystery photo is a Parkway bridge, but the Bloomingdale Road Bridge was a highway bridge?
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Howard Kroplick
Correct, I believe that the Motor Parkway goes under the bridge.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
That there actually was (may still be) such: <http://sbiii.com/lirr2etc.html#lirrmisc>, 3rd para., “Just as good is the rumor - - - “. This thread sure is a good one; all us “experts” disagreeing. I “don’t see no” water tower or it’s the weirdest water tower ever (we’ve been through this before, no?). The water tower in Frank F.‘s pic is quite different - see attached. People see such odd things in these blurry blog photos - sure wish the blowups from thumbnailed images were bigger/sharper (PLEASE). Sam, III
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Howard Kroplick
As shown in the other images, there was a water tower there for the construction. During the 1908 races, a spectator climbed to the top resulting in a strange shape.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Howard, was there, you no show, and left somewhat early for Vermont, but knew you would get another blue ribbon to your collections, as always. CONGRATULATION!
From Hemmings Motor News: Show Coverage 2019 Hemmings Concours d'Elegance
Howard, something I missed earlier. The enlargement photo of the cedar fence posts on the left side , beyond the posts are several similar looking buildings in the distance. Could they be the barracks of Camp Black?
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Great effort Gary, I agree the mechanics were working from (a) home, possibly from a central location in Hewlett that was easily accessible, and preferably near a Railroad station. The Five Towns service center matches the above, but this location requires more research. Too bad for Belcher Hyde but I’m now thinking F.W. Beers maps might have something. It’s worth a try.
From Mystery Saturday Auto #1: A Very Early Automobile
Enjoyed these images…Thanks for posting them…
From Sam Berliner III: A 1970 Walking Tour of the Motor Parkway in Queens
Howard, I believe we are looking at the bridge being built over Clinton Rd. in Garden City and we are looking west. We know at this point the Parkway ROW is only 50 feet wide which would account for the perimeter fencing being so close to the roadway. Also, going over Clinton Rd. it appears that the frame work for the bridge itself has multiple openings. And. it appears that the roadway is only 16 feet wide which means it must be west of Merrick Ave. or east of Round Swamp Rd. Lastly. the top right part of the part of the photo shows the terrain at a higher level which fits in that part of Garden City. Al.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Location - LIMP Carle Place, Westbury Ave bridge -eastbound (LIMP direction).
The photo is facing south towards the LIRR main line and Mineola.
Comparing the photo with the other locations, the Westbury Ave Bridge
location best matches the landscape features seen in the photo. Several
features missing in the photo are trees,buildins or roads.
On the right side of the photo just above the ground, I observed what
could be possibly a smoke plume from a LIRR steam engine. If this is
correct in would match up to where the LIRR main line would be
located in the photo.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
We moved to Blacksmith Road in 1950 or so. There was a “small” sump on the Blacksmith side of Motor Parkway just ast the road took a bend from east -west to north-south. You can get a hint of that bend looking at the houses. Maybe 2 or 3 years on therre was a flood which ruined some homes on Pelican Road which dipped down. After that the sump was enlarged. I don’t think that culvert was left. I can see the large berm of dirt running along the backs of the Blacksmith houses and remember it being there when we moved in.
From Mystery Foto #68 Solved: A Motor Parkway Culvert in the Hempstead Plains (Levittown)
I’m guessing it’s the Westbury Road East Meadow bridge looking west.
Might be Mrs. Ladenburg’ windmill in the distant right.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
My above comment, Nov 8th, is wrong. The 3 gates on the NORTH are likely meant for the Trotting Association.
From Kleiner's Kolumn: Removal of the Roosevelt Field Motor Parkway Bridge
Just guessing here…The surrounding area looks to be the Westbury Road Motor Parkway bridge, but I have some reservations about the guardrails.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Frank, I tried looking at the 1906 E. Belcher Hyde Atlas for a possible location, but the Hewlett community at that time had a ton of frame structures, many unidentified as to owners or purpose. Based on the photo, I don’t think the business was located in a “modern” style garage, but possibly even in a converted residence.
From Mystery Saturday Auto #1: A Very Early Automobile
just a somewhat educated guess but I think we’re looking north at the Westbury Avenue bridge because it looks like there’s no road under the bridge yet and that could be the water tower on East Williston Avenue off in the distance.
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
Great finds Brian and Gary! The only service station on Franklin Ave in Hewlett today is at Five Towns Auto Center, located at 1205 W Broadway, intersecting Franklin Ave. The rest of Franklin remains residential. This could quite possibly be the location of the old bike shop.
From Mystery Saturday Auto #1: A Very Early Automobile
I dunno and am not about to do the research to find out but my gut feeling is Central Avenue looking west. ??? I do want to point out, though, the terrific detail of how the gravel was dumped (probably by wheelbarrow) in piles on the graded subsurface and then spread out and leveled by hand, prior to pouring the cement slurry. Now, Al or somebody, do we know how they kept the slurry from running out laterally? Board forms? How I wish that missing photo album, <http://sbiii.com/limpkwy0.html#limpbklt>, would turn up! It documented all such work. Sam, III
From Mystery Friday Foto #45 Still Open for Discussion: A Motor Parkway Bridge Built on a Curve
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