Vanderbilt Cup Races

The Central Park Historical Society has issued a press release concerning its program at the Bethpage Public Library on April 27, 2011 beginning at 7:30 pm:

As we continue the celebration, of our 75th Anniversary, we will be featuring programs of interest relating to Bethpage. All programs are held at the Bethpage Library, Powell Avenue, at 7:30 PM.

APRIL PROGRAM - There are many historic routes in our country. We know about the famed Route 66 starting in Chicago heading southwest to California; the Erie Canal that connected Albany to Buffalo; the Appalachian Trail which runs from Maine to Georgia to name a few.

Here in Bethpage we have the remnants of a very historic road which ran from Queens to Lake Ronkonkoma for a total of 47.2 miles. Its claim to fame is the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup International Auto Races and being the first roadway built, in our country, exclusively for automobile travel, the Long Island Motor Parkway. Groundbreaking, for this parkway, took place in Central Park at Jerusalem Road (today Stewart Avenue and Albergo Court, Bethpage) with approximately 500 people in attendance.

The Central Park Historical Society and the Bethpage Library will be presenting a very interesting program on this famous road that ran through our community. Historian Howard Kroplick will present a review of the historic Long Island Motor Parkway and the incredible Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 - 1910.

Howard Kroplick, resident of East Hills, a leading research and lecturer on the Long Island Motor Parkway and the Vanderbilt Cup Races. He has accumulated over 20,000 images, articles, and memorabilia on this famed road, as well as, the proud owner of the restored Alco-6 "Black Beast" racing car that won the 1909 and the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races.

"Chain your dogs and lock up your fowls" heralded the posters announcing the Vanderbilt Cup Races which drew hundreds of thousands of spectators to Long Island. Following the presentation, Howard will be selling and signing his books "The Long Island Motor Parkway" and "The Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island". Proceeds received from the program and the sale of his books will be donated to Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS).

WHEN - APRIL 27, 2011 at 7:30 PM

WHERE - Bethpage Library, Powell Avenue

INFORMATION - Lenny Mulqueen 516-935-2674 Ann Albertson - 516-933-1795

Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Presentation “The Long Island Motor Parkway, the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race and Central Park”

Archives: Long Island Motor Parkway -Bethpage (Central Park)

Archives:1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Archives: 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race