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
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
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Recent Comments
Safe to say this image will replace/become a Bridge Series main photo!
Location & Orientation: Oakland Gardens, Queens NY. View is SW, then curving a true west.
ID Bridge & Purpose: Creedmoor Hwy Type that provided vehicle access on either side of the LIMP. Hospital buildings to south, farm fields to north. Guess this overpass was long enough to require 2 steel supports.
Building in distance: large building for Brooklyn or Creedmoor Hospital.
Owner of Auto: Thinking the owner may be a road inspector for the Motor Parkway. The Auto is parked in the grass, owner likely snapped this photo and made notes about the condition of the boundary wire fencing.
Time of Image/Rationale: I’ll say February 1930. The bend to the west looks to be original, before the re-locating to the north due to Union Tpke widening.
I’m skipping the Kudo. Happy New Year to All!
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
-Identify the location and orientation of the photographer
On the LIMP (West bound going away from the photographer) looking through the Creedmoor bridge
-Identify the Motor Parkway Bridge and its original purpose
Creedmoor Bridge; a highway bridge connecting the properties belonging to the State Hospital at Creedmoor.
-Identify the building in the background
Creedmore. That specific building still stands and houses the Lifeline Center For Child Development.
-Who was the likely owner of the automobile seen in the Mystery Foto?
My first guess would be the photographer of the photo.
-What was the month and year of the Mystery Foto? Provide a rationale.
Nov 27, 1928, prior to Union Tpke expansion
-Kudos question: This image can be found on which online photo database?
NYC Dept. of Records
http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/RECORDSPHOTOUNITARC~32~32~1153000~561862:bpq_00724-a?qvq=q:Motor+Parkway&mi=12&trs=14
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
Changing answer - looking west.
And original bridge connecting parts of the Creed farm.
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
Identify the location and orientation of the photographer
Queens, 1500 feet east of Winchester Blvd. looking east
Identify the Motor Parkway Bridge and its original purpose
Creedmoor Bridge, original highway bridge built in 1912.
Identify the building in the background: Creedmoor hospital building. One source also said a National Guard building was also in the area.
Who was the likely owner of the automobile seen in the Mystery Foto? Three choices: Relative of Howard, Willie K. himself or toll-keeper of the nearest lodge.
What was the month and year of the Mystery Foto? Provide a rationale. Nov. 27, 1928. Caption on actual photo.
Kudos question: This image can be found on which online photo database?
Queens Borough President archives, NYC Municipal digital archives
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
My guess too, Brian!
From From A Grandfather's Photo Album: The Durant Special on the Motor Parkway in 1923
This is great! Old Courthouse Rd Hwy Bridge is jumping out of my head, east or west.
From From A Grandfather's Photo Album: The Durant Special on the Motor Parkway in 1923
I know this was done a few years ago but thought I would ask.
Is the photo of the Adam Klein Farm? I am a descendant and would love to get a copy. If you know of an archive of area photos please let me know. Thanks
_______________________________________
Howard Kroplick
Rich, let me know the specific area of Queens that you would like to see and I will send you several early aerials.
From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: The 73rd Street Motor Parkway Bridge in 1927 Looking East
Another amazing photo with the driver’s view traveling down the Motor Parkway! Location is at Creedmoor highway bridge, in today’s hospital rear parking lot, looking SW towards the former Creedmoor hospital complex once located south of Union Tpke. The bright abutment wall was located on the northeast corner of the Creedmoor bridge (1912-1940s). The opposite facing photo looking NE, has its bright abutment wall once located on the northwest corner of the bridge. This is the original Motor Parkway roadway (1912-1932) before being relocated to accommodate expansion of nearby Union Turnpike. The Farm Colony of Brooklyn State Hospital opened here in 1912, so this bridge likely was used as a farmway bridge to connect the lands. I have suspicion this photo was taken soon after the bridge was built in winter of 1912. The auto likely belongs to the unknown photographer. No clue where this gem was found but anticipating the answers to find out.
Great photo to end the mystery year. Thank you Syd and Howard for this holiday treat.
Hoping a safe and happy 2019 to all!
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1396j0_672hYkvbcNFJInbc1mXNJspD9f&ll=40.74155505816334,-73.73021411336094&z=18
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
Great Photo !!! Great Find !!!
LIMP looking on what is today the Credemore property. Just east of Winchester Blvd, and north of Union Tpke. Original used as pedestrian bridge.
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
I’m with you Lee. This one’s a little tougher than usual. The answer’s out there somewhere. It’s just a matter of time. Stand by
From Update #2: In Search of the Mystery Camp Mills "New York" Road
Merry Christmas to all and the best into the year to come.
From Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy & Healthy New Year!
Regarding Francis Lewis Blvd, it was previously named Cross Island Boulevard, all the way to Whitestone. My great grandparents lived on it in Whitestone. The Whitestone portion was formerly North 11th Street. And going back further I believe Francis Lewis Blvd followed the ancient Whitestone Road (as in the road “to Whitestone.” I could be wrong about some of this. Various censuses confirm some of the name changes.
I live a stone’s throw from the Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows and the 73rd Ave bridge. It’s wonderful Parks is doing this. Is it the Queens Historical Society involved?
From Updated: My Favorite Queens Motor Parkway Images for the New York City Parks Department
These pictures are amazing - very nice
From Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: The Construction Equipment of the Long Island Motor Parkway
Ariejan Bos
This is the Locomobile with Joe Tracy at the wheel and Al Poole as his mechanician during the 1906 Eliminating Trials for the Vanderbilt Cup. I haven’t seen this photo before, but it is obvious indeed that the Locomobile is experiencing tire troubles here. According to the report in the Scientific American of September 29th the Locomobile had suffered from tire trouble during the first round. The Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal (in their October issue) reports only that the car had a 5 minute delay during the second half of the first round, “his first and last for the day, as the event proved”. The conclusion is that the photo must have been taken during this delay. Tracy would eventually win the trials without too much effort.
From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: Tracy and Poole Changing A Tire During the 1906 American Elimination Race
Hello Howard, Happy Holidays
It occurred to me ,to alert you to a Tucker Original Dealer / Magazine Ad 21 x 14 that belonged to my father David Tunick,
previous owner of your Tucker, I listed it on Ebay just tonight,
Great Shape Original middle fold,, goes with maybe his Tucker, he thought to pick up this
_________________________
Howard Kroplick
Stephen, thanks for the heads up!
From The History of the Tucker 1044 (1948-Present) Updated: 6/18/2019
No problem, I see that you had a great exploration. Catch you guys next time. I explored Bagatelle this past May. I found the posts ant the curved embankment as you guys found. It was brutal with all of the thorns and sticker bushes. It is definitely a real nice find. I will be waiting for your findings.
From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938
Should have written Lakeville, not Lake Success.
From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: Tracy and Poole Changing A Tire During the 1906 American Elimination Race
Identify the racer, driver and mechanician
#12 Locomobile, Joe Tracey, Al Poole
Identify the race and date of the photo
1906 American Elimination Race, Sat., Sept. 22, 1906
Kudos question: Where was the headquarters for this racer and its team?
Maple Cottage, Lake Success
From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: Tracy and Poole Changing A Tire During the 1906 American Elimination Race
Looks like crowd-favorite Joe Tracy, in the Locomobile (mechanician Al Poole, captured as well), both winners of the Sept 22, 1906 Second American Elimination Trial Race (297 miles throughout Nassau County back roads), getting a flat fixed at the Diamond Tire depot near the hairpin curve in Old Westbury (still exists today!). If correct, sixteen year old Eddie Rickenbacker (eventual WWI ace fighter pilot) is competing as a mechanician with race-car driver Lee Frayer in one of the Frayer-Miller race cars. Locomobile headquarters in this race was near Bull’s Head Hotel in Greenvale (by today’s Northern Blvd, Rt 25A). This intense, well documented race caught my attention here.
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/races/story/1906_american_elimination_trial
Tracy’s tire repair at the time was the fastest at a mere 4 minutes. Compared to today’s standards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHSUp7msCIE
Great mystery photo. Hoping I’m right. Waiting anxiously for the answers
Happy Holidays to all, and a safe and happy New Year!
From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: Tracy and Poole Changing A Tire During the 1906 American Elimination Race
*Auto, Driver & Mechanician: Locomobile #12, Joe Tracy, Al Poole
*Race/Date: American Elimination Trials 9/22/1906 to qualify 5 American entrants for the VCR 10/6/1906. The image captures the tire replacement at Diamond Tire Depot, Old Westbury during the first of 10 laps.
*Location of Headquarters for Auto & Team: Locomobile Headquarters for the 1905 & 1906 VCR’s was located at The Maple Cottage Residence. This house still stands between Farm La & Lakeville Rd. Great Neck NY.
As I realize now, many auto problems occurred during the races. The temporary fix for Herb Lytle’s Pope-Toledo radiator leak that started in lap 5 of this trial was creative. A farmer’s wife rushed out a bag of rolled oats to slow down the leak. We all know how THICK oatmeal is once cooked! He did finish 4th, but his auto was disqualified because of a tow in the 8th lap, oh well. Happy Holidays to All!
From Mystery Foto #51 Solved: Tracy and Poole Changing A Tire During the 1906 American Elimination Race
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