Mystery Foto #36 Solved: The Opening Day of Mineola’s Corpus Christi School, Formerly Grave’s Garage
Bob Hoffman challenged you to identify this Long Island building.
Mystery Foto questions:
- Identify the building and its location
Corpus Christi School on Searing Avenue and west of the Oyster Bay LIRR tracks in Mineola. In November 1921, Pastor James Burke purchased this property for $50,000 from the estate of Robert Graves.
- Who are the children in front of the building?
The 125 students of the first classes of the Corpus Christi School. The students are with the Sisters of Saint Dominic who staffed the school The first princpal of the school, Sister Flora, can be seen in the middle of the photo.
- What is the approximate year of the photo? Provide a rationale.
The exact date of the photo was September 11, 1922, the opening day of the school. A key hint was the distinctive design of the Grave's Garage which was later taken down for a new school.
- How was this building related to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
Robert Graves was the owner of the #1 Mercedes that raced in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the #3 Mercedes that raced in the 1906 and 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Races. In 1906 he, built this large and elegant garage for his automobiles. It was the most expensive private garage ever built in its day. Unfortunately, just prior to the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, the building collapsed prior to its completion resulting in the death of three workers with twelve injured. The garage was completed in time for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Congrats toMichael LaBarbera, Greg O. and Art Kleiner (See Kleiner's Korner) who correctly identifed Corpus Christi School and Grave's Garage. Kudos to Greg O. and Art Kleiner for relating the building to the Vanderbilt Cup Races. Shout-out to Sam III for his puns.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Caption reads:
Opening of Corpus Christi School
Mineola, Sept. 11 22.
1906 Collapse of Graves's Garage
Driver Camille Jenatzy in the #3 Mercedes in front of the collapsed garage.
1908
Driver Emil Stricker (left) and Robert Graves (right) with the #3 Mercedes
More Views of Grave's Garage
Recent Views of the Property
The Corpus Christi School as it looked when it was closed by the Diocese of Rockville Centre in June 2010.
The only remaining remnant of Grave's Garage was the concrete wall surrounding the property. The property was sold recently to Mill Creek Residential Trust who is developing a 140-unit apartment complex.
Kleiner's Korner (Submitted by Art Kleiner)
New York Times, October 11, 1921
Knights of Columbus
Diocese of Rockville Centre, January 15, 2010
Mineola American, September 2, 2015
Comments
Robert Graves’ Garage in Mineola where Corpus Christi School is now, by the LIRR Oyster Bay Branch and between Searing/Clinton st. The kids are in uniform so it probably could be the Corpus Christi Catholic School, I dont know the year the picture was taken, probably before the Sept 1906 Collapse of the building…...good thing it didn’t fall on them kids !!!
Remembered this one from a similar mystery photo from a couple of years ago.
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_foto_friday_20_can_you_identify_thsi_vanderbilt_cup_race_car
-Identify the building and its location
Grave’s Garage/Corpus Christi School located on Searing Avenue in Mineola.
-Who are the children in front of the building?
Students of the Corpus Christi School with the Sisters of St. Dominic.
-What is the approximate year of the photo? Provide a rationale.
Since the Grave’s Garage building was eventually replaced, I’ll throw out a guess here and say the founding year of the school in 1922. I can say with certainty that it’s 8:57am.
-How was this building related to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
The garage of Robert Graves in Mineola. Robert Graves was the owner of the #1 Mercedes that raced in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the two #3 Mercedes that raced in the 1906 and 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Races.
Oh, sibling! No clue! Why do I have a feeling this is gonna be about as far-fetched as anything ever previously posted, however parochial? Judas priest, I’ll have nun of that! Sam, III
Identify the building and its location: Previously, the Robert Graves Garage in Mineola. Soon after it became the The Corpus Christi elementary school which is now wanted by a developer;
Who are the children in front of the building? One of the first classes to study at the Corpis Christie school.
What is the approximate year of the photo? Provide a rationale.
1921-1922 after the purchase of the building in 1921but before a newer building was erected.
How was this building related to the Vanderbilt Cup Races? The Robert Graves Garage served as a hotel/garage for many early races of the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Hey Howard, Graves held gatherings on a regular basis for the smart set at the garage. On March 31, 1913 he had a luncheon that included Willie’s mother and Elsie Janis. Entertainers included Irene and Vernon Castle and Al Jolson Al.