Mystery Foto #51 Solved: A Rare Vintage Color Photo of the Bethpage Lodge Circa 1962/1963
Gary Hammond challenged you to identify this toll collection structure for the Long Island Motor Parkway.
Mystery Foto questions:
- Identify the lodge and its exact location. Provide a rationale.
The Bethpage Lodge located west of Round Swamp Road. See below Femenias' Findings.
Rationale: Clearly, this lodge was one of the six distinctive toll lodges designed by John Russell Pope. Only two of Pope's lodges were designed with the chimney toi the right of the porte-cochere; the Bethpage Lodge and the Massapequa Lodge. Unlike the Massapequa Lodge, the Bethpage Lodge was surrounded by trees at its entrance.
- Who was the last family to live in the lodge?
The Damiano family, the last lodgekeepers for the Bethpage Lodge.
- What is your best guess of the date of the photo?
The Damianos lived in the lodge until 1961. Given the condition of the roof, the date of the photo is circa 1962 to1963.
Congrats to Greg O., Frank Femenias (see below Femenias Findings), Tim Ivers, Steve Lucas, Sam Berliner III, Arthur and Al Velocci for correctly identifying the Bethpage Lodge.
Kudos to Greg O., Frank Femenias, Tim Ivers, Steve Lucas, and Al Velocci for identify the Damiano family as the last family to live in the lodge.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
The Six John Russell Pope Motor Parkway Toll Lodges
Chimney to the left of the porte-cochere.
Chimney to the right of the porte-cochere.
Chimney to the right of the porte-cochere.
Great Neck Lodge Built in 1909
Chimney in the center of the lodge.
Chimney in the center of the lodge.
Garden City Lodge Built in 1911
Chimney in the center of the lodge.
Ida and Louis Damiano
Gary Hammond: "This undated snapshot was given to me many years ago by relatives of Ida and Louis Damiano.The photo was taken at the Long Island Motor Parkway's Bethpage Lodge located off Round Swamp Road. As provided in Al Velocci's book The Toll Lodges of the Long Island Motor Parkway and Their Gatekeepers' Lives, the Damianos were the last lodgekeepers of the the Bethpage Lodge. Louis Herbert Damiano (February 28, 1883-?) became the Bethpage lodgekeeper on August 13, 1922 and was paid $30 per month. He previously worked on the Motor Parkway's road repair gang. His wife Ida E. Damiano (August 21,1885-July 1979) became the lodgekeeper by January 1924, earning $30 per month. After the Motor Parkway closed, the Damianos purchased the Bethpage Lodge and 1/2 acre for $1,700 on June 27, 1938 and owned it until 1961.
Femenias' Findings (Submitted by Frank Femenias)
March 1910 Lodge driveway
March 1910 Lodge and Round Swamp Road Motor Parkway Bridge
Locations of the Motor Parkway, Bethpage Lodge and Round Swamp Road Motor Parkway Bridge.
Today:
Site of the Bethpage Lodge on Motor Lane looking east to Round Swamp Road.
Comments
Identify the lodge and its exact location. Provide a rationale.
The Bethpage Lodge was located just west of Round Swamp Road and south of Manetto Hill Road (now Old Bethpage Road).
Who was the last family to live in the lodge?
The Damiano family- last toll keeper of the LIMP.
What is your best guess of the date of the photo?
The toll keeper’s family moved out in the late 50’s, sold to a developer and demolished in the early 60’s. -1961 ish
Garden City Lodge off Glen Cove Road?
That was later moved 7th Ave off Franklin Avenue - Used as a Chamber of Commerce.
Rare color shot of a lodge! Guessing, Bethpage Lodge looking NE, the black/brown stripes under the porte-cochere match this other rare view. http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article//rare_view_of_the_bethpage_lodge
If correct, photo taken after 1961 when gatekeepers Louis Damiano and wife Ida vacated the premises, possibly taken just before demolition based on deterioration and overgrown brush. The Damiano’s were toll collectors from 1922-1938, and continued to live in until 1961. Thomas Grafenstein was the original collector. Don’t know how long the structure lasted while vacant. Located just west of Round Swamp Road, the lodge was one of six designed by John Russell Pope but one of the first three erected. The other two were Meadowbrook Lodge (1908-1938, destroyed 1950s), and the Massapequa Lodge (1908-1938, destroyed 1960s).
Looks like it might be the Bethpage Lodge at Round Swamp Road about 1961.
The Damianos were the last occupants after the Parkway closed.
Based on the shadows and angle of the sun, we’re probably looking at a lodge on the north side of the parkway. That means it’s either the Bethpage or Massapequa lodge. Most photos of Massapequa I’ve seen show the chimney covered with stucco so I’m going with the Bethpage lodge, which was about 300 feet west of Round Swamp Road and last occupied by Louis and Ida Damiano. Since the lodge was demolished in 1961, the photo was probably taken about that time.
Without extensive homework, I’d guess at Bethpage; It’s one of the first three Pope lodges, Meadow Brook, Massapequa, and Bethpage, The chimney placement matches Bethpage but not Massapequa or Meadowbrook. The next/last three Popes, Garden City, Roslyn, and Great Neck, had wooden posts and a central chimney. Selah! Sam, III
Looks like one of the first 3 and its not Massapequa
Since it looks abandoned and the period,being a color photo, early 1960’s my guess is Bethpage lodge.
From Al Velocci:
The Bethpage Lodge
The Damiano family were the last family to live in the lodge.
As always, excellent work with the mapping overlays; Frank. You bring the LIMP “back to life”.
I give you all the credit in the world for the in-depth detective work you do to bring the Island’s history back to us and generations to come. Thank you so much!