Vanderbilt Cup Races

-Identify the location of the Mystery Foto and the orientation of the photographer.

Looking East down Jericho Tpke at the intersection with Powell Lane in Westbury

-What is at this location today?

A Speedway gas station

-What was the use of the building when the Mystery Foto was taken?

Vanderbilt Cup Commission headquarters for the 1906 race

-What month and year was the photo likely taken? Provide a rationale.

1906 race was October 6th, late Sept/early Oct 1906

-Kudos question: Who owned the building?

John Allen

I believe we are looking east on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury at the intersection of Powells Lane. On the southeast corner today is a Speedway gas station. The southwest corner has a 7-11. Since Jericho Turnpike has been significantly widened during the past 100+ years, the actual site of the building is probably under the eastbound pavement. The building was the home of John Allen who allowed (for a fee?) it to be used as the headquarters for the Vanderbilt Cup Commission during the 1906 race. Since the 1906 race was held on October 6th., the photo was probably taken that month or possibly late September.

Can’t remember the location of the VCC Hq. but that grove across the road sure reminds me of the Westbury Friends Meeting on the SE corner of the Jericho Pike at Post Avenue.  As I recall, Post Avenue used to run about 100’ east of its present crossing of the Pike and I think the Meetinghouse was moved at one point, so it might match.  If so, look at those industrious Hicksite Quakers at work!  Sam, III

Howard-  I was under the impression that the Garden City Hotel was the commission HQ for all the races. Was 1906 the only race that used another building for Commission HQ other than the GCH?

Greg, I was also confused by Headquarters Vanderbilt Cup Commission sign on the John Allen residence. The official program of the race that year has an ad placed by the Garden City Hotel stating it was the race headquarters. The more I thought about it the Allen residence was the onsite headquarters which makes a lot of sense.

It is likely that this was the Commission’s onsite headquarters adjacent to the grandstand. The Garden City Hotel was the off-site headquarters.

Even if I was turned around, pegged it pretty close!  Love that map; sure wish it extended a bit further south.  I lived, just before moving up here, north of the “i” in Windsor (now Canterbury) Street, across Advent from the church and the Meeting and the “feel” of the area, as in my pic above, is still right for the old VCR RoW along the tree-lined Jericho Pike there.  That track was still there when I was younger and the trace of it is still evident.  Love these posts, Howard, Art, et al/Al!  Sam, III

Sam - two more maps of the area - 1939 Dolph & Stewart and 1946 Hagstrom.  Windsor Street is named Bedford on both maps.

From Art Kleiner:
Two more, pre-Northern State Parkway.  1914 and 1927, both Belcher-Hyde.

Thanks, Art.  Bedford St. seemed unsure where to settle down, eh?  Moses’ NSP sure messed up this area of Westbury!  It was fun knowing I lived so close to a major part of the VCR course and following the development of its history on these blog posts.  Nothing beat living in Mineola, though, where I biked the LIMP RoW from Searingtown to Roslyn Road often and hiked all of it in Nassau, and working in Plainview and Farmingdale near the Maxess/Ruland Road segment and in Hauppauge only a block north of the RoW near Washington Avenue.  Sam, III

From Art Kleiner:
Here’s the commission HQ before the race.  The calm before the storm.  From “The Automobile” of Sept. 13, 1906.  Wonder how much the commission paid for its use.

” Wonder how much the commission paid for its use.”  O.K., Al; over to you!  Sam, III

Another shot of the 1906 HQs after the race with LI traffic forming (what else is new?).  Wonder where all those programs went!  Note the flag from the Chicago Automobile Club that originated in 1906 (newer info. below indicates it was founded earlier, possibly in 1901) and was an affiliate of the AAA.  The club still exists today and its previous art deco home which sat empty for 28 years was refurbished in 2015 and reopened as a Hampton Inn.  Thankfully the restoration included several original objects including a 1928 mural of the United States showing national parks and major cross-country highways. 
First photo from “Recreation” magazine, Dec. 19, 1906.
Second and third photos from roadtrippers.com (https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/chicago-motor-club/).

Art, Your latest post,.. On Nov. 1, 1906, John Farson, the President of the Chicago Automobile wrote A. R. Pardington telling him the Club was going to take $60, 000 in securities of the Long Island Motor Parkway.  Farson was not a fan of automobile races on public roads and applauded the fact that the races would be held on a private circuit. When that didn’t happen the offer was withdrawn.  I don’t believe any member of the club purchased any of the Parkway’s stock.

Thanks Al.  Further research to follow-up on!  Also, Al has pointed out to me that the Chicago Automobile Club was founded earlier than 1906, possibly in 1901.  I’ve found newspaper articles supporting that but also find documentation of a Chicago Motor Club being founded in 1906.  So perhaps I’ve gotten the two organizations mixed up.  But the flag at the 1906 VCR certainly is the Chicago Automobile Club.

Re Chicago Auto vs. Motor Clubs, note that the cornerstone is for the C. *MOTOR* C. and is dated MCMXXVIII or 1928 (but that may refer to the building, not the founding).  Sam, III

Yes, Sam - most probably was the date of the building which was finished in 1928 but opened in January, 1929.

And to keep this somewhat related to the Motor Parkway, besides, Al’s comment above, here’s a listing of the national highways listed on the building’s mural (i.e., Dixie Highway, Lincoln Highway).  More found here:

https://forgottenchicago.com/articles/chicago-motor-club-building/