Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #46: Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Bethpage
The 46th bridge in the series documenting the 65 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Central Park (now Bethpage).
This bridge was required to be built as part of the agreement when the Motor Parkway purchased 3.392 acres of Peter Nibbe's farm, connecting the west and east sections.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
As seen in the 1928 Motor Parkway Atlas, the Nibbe Farmway Bridge was located after the second Deadman's Curve and the Powell Avenue Bridge.
Construction of the Nibbe Farmway Bridge
Due to these photos from the Garden City Archives, the construction of the Nibbe Farmway Bridge is well-documented. In this view looking north, note the distinctive tree on the left (seen in many of the photos).
Horse power used to lift a bridge girder.
Look closely and you can see the Powell Avenue Bridge being built in the background.
A view of the Nibbe Farmway Bridge looking south. Note the same distinctive tree on the right. Plainview Avenue can be seen on the left.
September 1908
The completed Nibbe Bridge seen through the trees after the second Deadman's Curve. The Stymus Farm can be seen in the background.
October 10, 1908 _Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
This view looking south was taken from atop the Nibbe Farmway Bridge.
A wonderful view of the bridge during the opening day of the Motor Parkway at the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes. Again, note the distinctive tree.
The #J11 Chalmers-Detroit was driven by W. R. Burns. Finished 1st in the Jericho Sweepstakes averaging 46.2 miles per hour.
A longer view of the Powell Avenue Bridge with the Nibbe Bridge seen through it. The Stymus Farm is on the left.
Current Views
Several years ago, my favorite co-author Al Velocci and I went searching for the remnants of the Nibbe Farmway Bridge. We could not find any definitive evidence of the bridge. However, we did find Peter Nibbe! (1847-1918) at a small cemetery located on the corner of the former Nibbe farm.
Bethpage honored the Nibbe family by naming this street off Broadway.
Check out Wayne Consolla's online Motor Parkway map to find the location of the Nibbe Farmway Bridge in Bethpage. The location of the bridge was in the right-of-way of today's Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway.
Comments
Howard- What amazing pictures and the things you always seem to find, if it’s there. you’ll find it. I never noticed Nibbe Ln in all these years, very interesting, I’ll have to go and check out that area know
Howard- I was searching Google Earth for the Nibbe cemetery and I’m not sure if I found it or not. It looks like it is on the access road for Sportime Tennis (Norcross Ave) adjacent to the water recharge basin?
From Howard Kroplick
Greg, that is correct. It is also the burying ground for the Stymus family.