Mystery Foto #43 Solved: A 1939 View of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows
This weekend's Mystery Foto documented an important section of the Motor Parkway.
Mystery Foto questions:
Identify the following:
- Location and orientation of the aerial
The Western Terminus of the Long Island Motor Parkway at Fresh Meadows Queens, looking west
- The major roads
The Long Island Motor Parkway is the diagonal road (north/south) with the bridge.
The Motor Parkway connected with Nassau Boulevard (World's Fair Boulevard, later Horace Harding Boulevard), seen on the far right.
The major road crossing under the Motor Parkway and the bridge was North Hempstead Turnpike.
The road east and parallel to the Motor Parkway is Hollis Hills Terrace (Hollis Hills Boulevard).
- The bridge
The North Hempstead Turnpike Motor Parkway Bridge.
- The golf course
Fresh Meadow Country Club (Fresh Meadows Golf Course)- Host of the 1932 US Open.
The tournament was won by Gene Sarazen. Note: Fresh Meadow not Fresh Meadows
What was the date of the aerial? Provide a rationale.
June 2, 1939. Absence of Francis Lewis Boulevard.
Congrats to Joe Osertle, Greg O., Art Kleiner (see Kleiner's Korner), Steve Lucas, Tim Ivers, Frank Femenias (see Femenias' Findings), and Dick Gorman for identifying the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens. Kudos to Greg O. and Steve Lucas for identifying the Fresh Meadows Country Club and the exact date of the aerial.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Close-Ups
Program cover for the1932 US Open held at Fresh Meadow Country Club.
Femenias' Findings (Submitted by Frank Femenias)
Then & Now
Kleiner's Korner (Submitted by Art Kleiner)
The New York Times, December 13, 1922
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 17,1922
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 19, 2016
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 22, 1932
Flushing, John Antos
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 1, 1946
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 24, 1949
Mike Wallace, 2001
Comments
Looks like its going thru Eisenhower (salsberry) park east of Merrick ave.
Western Terminus.
Not sure where it is. I would need a DeLorean for that!
Location and orientation of the aerial
LIMP Western terminus Fresh Meadows looking NorthWest
The major roads
LIMP, Horace Harding Blvd, N. Hempstead Tpke
The bridge
N. Hempstead Turnpike LIMP parkway Bridge
The golf course
Fresh Meadows Golf Course
What was the date of the aerial? Provide a rationale.
June 2, 1939
Location and orientation of the aerial: Fresh Meadows, Queens - Looking West at the Western Terminus of the LIMP
The major roads: Motor Parkway, Black Stump Row (73rd Ave.), North Hempstead Turnpike, Nassau Blvd. (Horace Harding Blvd.), Queens Rd. (Hollis Hills Terrace)
The bridge: LIMP 73rd Avenue Bridge
The golf course: Fresh Meadows Golf Club
This photo is looking west over present day Cunningham Park in Fresh Meadows showing the western end of the LIMP. The major roads are: Horace Harding Blvd (Nassau Blvd.); Hollis Hills Terrace (Hollis Court Blvd); and the LIMP with its bridge over North Hempstead Tpke. The Fresh Meadows Golf Course is also visible. The date of the photo is June 2, 1939 and my rationale is that I cheated and found the photo by using the “search” feature above.
1939 aerial looking west over Fresh Meadows.
Right diagonal road looks like North Hempstead Turnpike.
Left side overpass is LIMP running left to right crossing over the old
North Hempstead Turnpike.
Fresh Meadows Golf Course is to the left of the bridge.
Took a while and then it hit, Motor Parkway’s western terminus in Fresh Meadows, Queens looking west (Today’s Horace Harding Expwy and Peck Ave). LIMP’s North Hempstead Tpke bridge (1926-1950s) at center of photo, over N Hemp Tpke looking west and connecting with Nassau Blvd (Horace Harding Blvd, World’s Fair Blvd) and Booth Memorial Ave (also N Hemp Tpke, Ireland Mill Rd). Hollis Ct Blvd (Queens Rd) running diagonal at bottom. Fresh Meadows Country Golf Club left of N Hemp Tpke. Fresh Meadows Golf Driving Range at center right edge of photo. I often wonder how many golf balls hit the bridge over the years. Central RR running through today’s Kissena Corridor. This is pre Francis Lewis Blvd (Cross Island Blvd) 1930s?, and P.S. 179 (P.S.4) on Peck Av 1955. I’m betting photo is between 1926 – 1930. I can’t get any closer. Looking forward to this week’s results. This heavily transformed area would be unrecognizable today, with half its roadways eliminated, replaced with wider ones, housing, parks, schools…... The LIE and Booth Memorial Ave right-of-ways remain much the same.
View is looking west in Fresh Meadows. Some of the roads shown are Motor Parkway, Nassau Boulevard, North Hempstead Turnpike. The bridge is North Hempstead Turnpike Bridge.
The golf course is Fresh Meadows or perhaps Kissena Golf club.
The date of the aerial is June 1939.
I don’t think anyone mentioned Fresh Meadow Lane, which runs from left to right near the top of the picture.
I really wanted to do this one,but was too busy this weekend,I would have gotten something right out of it.I knew a few things.I thought I would drop you all a note to let you know that I’m still with you guys and trying to keep up with things going on.
Ted, how are you doing settling in FL? How bad were you affected by Hurricane Matthew?
To Frank Femenias. Thanks for asking.We weren’t hit that bad,just a lot of high winds and rain,no damage or power outage. Doing well,here 4 months already,where does the time go when you’re having a good time? I’ll keep you guys posted. I really miss being with you guys at events going on. Keep that history going. All I have is this web to keep me informed of what’s going on. Ted