Updated: Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: A Motor Parkway Survey Team in Lake Success in 1909
In the fourth of the photo series from surveyor Clinton A. Robertson's recently discovered construction album, the Clinton's Motor Parkway survey team in Lake Success (Lakeville) is featured.
Clinton A. Robertson's Long Island Motor Parkway Construction Photo Album
While working as a surveyor on the Long Island Motor Parkway in 1908 and 1909, Clinton A. Robertson documented the Motor Parkway construction and his fellow workers with his trusty camera. Lost for 109 years, Robertson's photo scrapbook with 84 amazing images of the Motor Parkway was recently purchased for $20 in a New Jersey flea market and resold on Ebay for over $3,000.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
"The field party at lunch
Lakeville, L.I. '09"
"A happy bunch"
"A field party posing"
My best guess was the survey team is in front of the Old Courthouse Road Motor Parkway Bridge. However, Based on the below comments, it is more likely the Smith's Farmway Bridge.
Smith Farmway Bridge in Lake Success
Courtesy of Frank Femenias
Comments
Hi Howard,
Looking closely at ‘the 1st bridge after Great Neck’ photo of the Smith Farmway Bridge, the tree line very much resembles that of the field party posing. Could this be the Smith bridge and not Old Courthouse?
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series15_the_smith_farmway_bridge_in_lake_
Also, forgot to add as per your link I shared, it’s stated;
“...Moreover, the wooden railings were typical for a farmway bridge.”
These photos are amazing! Check out that Steam Roller, must have ran on firewood!
Field Party image brings the Smith Farmway Bridge to mind.
Brrr, ankles in snow. This could also be the second only photo of Smith farmway bridge. Check out the matching rails
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/images/made/images/blog/12-02-2007-01-10-49-859_edited-1_1_620_392.jpg
I am convinced by Brian, Greg and Frank, the survey team was in front of the Smith Farmway Bridge in Lake Success.
What a great picture!
I somehow missed Bridge Series 15 but find it hard to believe that all traces are gone. The abutments and wing walls didn’t sit flat on the ground. Assuming they had rebar in the foundations, it’s probably still under there and thus readily locatable by magnetometer. It seems unlikely anyone would have bothered to bulldoze the underpinnings up in an undeveloped area like that. How precisely can we locate Station 742? Buried treasure seekers, get cracking! Sam, III
There’s actually a third photo of this bridge on the front cover of a ‘Long Island Motor Parkway’ brochure, that I somehow cannot locate now, even if my life depended on it. Or was I dreaming?
Update: Added Long Island Motor Parkway brochure courtesy of Frank Femenias.
Hah! There’;s an old typo! The LIMP didn’t eliminate “highways”; only the at-grade crossings of same. What got me to write, though, is to ask if there’s a date anywhere on the brochure. One might assume 1917-18 from “War Tax”. Thanks , Frank. Sam, III
Hi Sam,
WWI quite possible. Sent Howard the rear side of the brochure which sold on ebay in 2017. There’s no date on the rear as well and It’s not a great image. The toll on the brochure was $1 dollar so it may have been printed sometime between 1917-1933 I believe.
It says 1st bridge after Great Neck , so that would make it the bidg over New Hyde Park Road? Gene
Sam, As per Art K’s website, that was an advertisement in a 1927 Rand McNally.
Greg, Sam, et al,
Thanks for pointing that out Greg, however, not sure where my reference to Rand McNally came from. That was probably one of my first posts, back in 2004 or 2005, so will see if I can figure out what I was thinking.
Hi Gene,
First bridge after Great Neck lodge likely the Smith farmway bridge, once located south of Great Neck South High School by the trackk field
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1396j0_672hYkvbcNFJInbc1mXNJspD9f&ll=40.7631150902868,-73.69879739916951&z=16