Kleiner’s Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 3 (Motor Parkway 1931 - 1940)
In the third part of this series you'll read about a dubious use of the parkway, an accident near Roslyn, a supposed "hanging" and more!
Art Kleiner
The dubious use of the parkway - the dumping of "one way ride" victims! (The Nassau Daily Review Mar. 25, 1931)
Matchbook cover mentioning the Motor Parkway. Located on Jericho Turnpike and Sheridan Blvd. in Mineola the San-Su-San nightclub played host to numerous celebrities through the 1970s and offered "real food". (Courtesy of Al Velocci)
Notice the Garden City gas tank in the background.
Even Tiny Tim made an appearance! (Newsday Apr. 28, 1970)
A fire in June of 1975 might have been the final act for the nightclub. (Newsday Jun. 9, 1975).
A permit for a mobile gas station south of the Motor Parkway and the Hicksville Country Club (aka LI Aviation Club). (The Nassau Daily Review Jul 8, 1935)
A financial review of the Motor Parkway. I can guess who the author is referring to regarding the original stockholder! (Development of Highway Adm. and Fin., W.M Curtiss 1936)
One of the many crashes on the Motor Parkway. Can anyone identify the make and model of the car? (The Nassau Daily Review-Star Mar. 11, 1938)
The Round Swamp Road Motor Parkway bridge was the site of the supposed hanging. (The Nassau Daily Review-Star Apr. 14, 1938).
Afterwards, police jailed Johnny and knocked the "stuffing out of their prisoner"! However being "too much of a dummy" he was not formally charged!
Project 127 - Reconstruction of the Motor Parkway in Queens (The Planning of Public Services - NYC, 1940)
Did this happen?
Comments
The crashed car looks like a 1936 Ford Woody.
Interesting info, Art. I felt like marking some of your finds on the map below. Think the reconstruction of the motor pkwy in 1940 was to improve the bike path, especially at Bell Blvd where that crazy curve was.
Art,....A minor correction, Sheridan Bowling Lanes was (and still is), located at the south east corner of Jericho and Sheridan Blvd. which opened in September , 1940. The San Su San nightclub was located on the east side of what is now the parking lot of the Lanes. San Su San opened in January 1933, had another fire in 1978, closed then, 45 years later. Prior to this parking for bowlers was on the southwest corner of Jericho & Sheridan.
Thanks, Al.
“I got a ‘34 wagon and I call it a woody…”
“...Surf City, here we come.”
Regarding Motor Parkway reconstruction projects of 1940, two projects come to mind:
1. The removal of the Motor Pkwy/CRR bridge near Bell Blvd, with a new installation of the greenway bridge over Bell Blvd, still there today.
2. The installation of the Francis Lewis Blvd greenway bridge, splitting the bike path from the Motor Pkwy forever. This path would be changed again in 1963 to accommodate the new Clearview Expwy.