love the vidio. My grandfather grew up in Abertson and when I was a kid I remeber him telling me about watching the ford race cars flying by when he was a kid in the late 1920's. Still a long streach of the road that you can still see from Willis Ave at the VFW hall that i think runs dowm to Roslyn road. Still paved
We are looking to expand on Roberts (and all the historians dedicated to The Parkway) by showing the roads integral part in history. A snap shot of the country first starting to embrace the culture of the automobile which would become a lifetime love affair. There is an amazing Great Gatsby era story to be told.
Thank you so very much for the journey down "Memory Lane". I lived on Motor Parkway from 1947 until 1963, and then my husband and I live at
2487 Motor Parkway.......until we moved to Florida in 1970. My father's family had a summer bungalow off Motor Parkway (Parkway Blvd.) from1923-1950's. . I remember the "Vanderbilt mansion" on lake as a young child. Our private beach was right next to the Vanderbilt property. . Thank you Mr. Miller for a wonderful, and deightful video. .
I left LI after 50 years in Bethpage. GOT OUT IN 1995 JUST IN TIME. Live in Va. now for 80% less then it in LI and I'm in a gated community with 5 beaches a pga golf corase club house swimming pools, and all for $700 a year in dues, and $1002 dollors in taxes on my 1800 sq ft home
I expect a mass exodus from LI as soon as the economy picks up and folks there can sell their houses. Go south to lower taxes as businesses have also gone.
Robert, thank you for your well told story about the Long Island Motor Parkway. Your video brought back many great memories of the time I spent exploring on the Parkway in the mid 1950’s
beautiful road, love history, so great to find places like this still in existence :) even better that it's protected and still able to be used for cycling
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I love the History of Long Island and rather watch videos like yours instead of the ridiculous shows TV has to offer us these days.
Mr: Miller ..Thank you. I have enjoyed this video greatly,.. I am a nyc bus operator and my routes take me through 73 ave and springfieldblvd and being the history buff that I am a passenger speaking to me about historical events in transportation was riding my bus when we stumbled onto the overpass at springfield blvd. And he told me about it and here I am writing about it. Thanks and please keep up the great work.
I recently moved to Oakland Gardens and wondered what those overpasses were over 73rd Avenue, Bell Boulevard, and Springfield Boulevard. I am looking forward to riding my bicycle on this path. Does anyone know where I can get on it in the vicinity of Bell Blvd and 73rd Ave?
Go down to Hollis Hills terrace and 73rd avenue, then go down (in the opposite direction of the clearview entrance ramp) and there's an entrance there.
Leave it to Newsday and Robert Miller. I grew up on a stretch of Motor Pkwy which was renamed Vanderbilt Pkwy. Between Deer Park Ave and Half Hollow Road. In the beginning of that film, you passed my best friend's house. My grandfather's brother in law owned a house out by the lake in the 1920's.
That was great, Robert. Thank God for people like you who appreciate history! Having been born on LI and lived here most of my life, there's nowhere else quite like it...
Good Job, it kept my attn. how many of these treasures would be lost without more of this kind of historical documentation. Hopefully we'll see more of these video time capsules
However, I would've liked to see some of the Parkway as it goes through Alley Pond Park and Oakland Gardens in Queens. The parkway goes through an actual neighborhood behind people's backyards and garages.
This was most interesting for me b/c I spent yrs. 8-18 (1950 - 1960)at the apt.complex just south of Alley Pond Park. My dad always referred to the road as The Old Motor Pkwy. and now I fault myself for not being more inquisitive. We used it for cycling & as a route to the ballfields, etc. @ the park, but I was not aware of the richness of its history. F.Y.I. There's a neat under/overpass @ Grand Central Pkwy. and I recall the 'echo effect' if you'd shout going through it. Thanks for the video.
Didn't this parkway go from Garden City N Y ? We had it run through Garden City NY as I remember. I thought it was for auto racing headquatored in the old Garden City Hotel hosted by the Vanderbuilts. The part I was through was really mysterious. I remember that office that's now a house. There was a bridge oner the Mineola Long Island Railroad line that ran from Old Country Rad into Minrola past the Mineola dump. Thanks for putting this up.
My aunt's backyard backed up to the Garden City section of that road (we called it "The Old Motor Parkway" or "The Old Back Road" and she bought part of it from the Long island Lighting Company in the late 1960s as I remember making her back yard larger. It actually had what I thought was side walks along the edges. It was fascinating !
Is there a Part II? You should cover the Eisenhower Park section and Salisbury Park Dr and how the houses are so far away... Grandstand area in Levittown where there's a plaque...Deadman's Curve, most important part...near 135.. Bethpage State Park entrance road...Old Bethpage Road...you know..This one covered the western portion beautifully....Did I convince you? After that, I hear PBS calling.....
I lived a block from Motor pkwy in the section between 107 and Stewart Av. in the 60s. There was a LIRR track there too under the hi tension wires. Part of the pavement was there and the mounds building up for the (gone) bridge over Stewart Av were still there. In Bethpage park, down the path from the swings was the "WonderWall" - 1 of 2 cement abuttments that once held a bridge over a farm road. Wonder if its still there?
The Wonderwall (which was really the Botto Farmway Bridge so farmer Joe Botto could get to both sides of his farmland---yes, all that wooded area in Bethpage Park was once farmland!!) was torn down many years ago.
Thanks for your reply! I do remember finding an old map online and seeing that that land was marked Botto. The Wonderwall was there in the 70s, I used to climb up and sit on the top with my GF. Fond memories!
14:13 was true comic relief with that kid jogger almost losing balance running into everybody... funny stuff. Hey. Nice video, well edited, nicely written on a subject ALL highway people should know about. A fellow Long Islander with similar interest, you saved me a lot of time wanting to explore what you did for me . !!! Thanks for taking me along through video!
I am a lifelong resident of Garden City in my mid-40's and have always heard wonderful stories of the LIMP from my uncle Bob Hickson who was a LILCO engineer and auto enthusiast who restored an old electric buckboard car called the Auto Red Bug. Mr. Miller very much reminded me of my uncle, who volunteered at the Cradle of Aviation where he would give tours.
Great history and I'm glad someone is working to preserve and document what we still can.
I loved this. I lived in Levittown as a little kid in the early 1960s and clearly remember playing in the "back lot" behind my house. My Dad called it the "Old Motor Parkway."
Excellent video. I grew up in Queens near the Motor Parkway. I only knew it as "The Bike Path" With the city in financial ruin in the 70's and 80's the bike path was a place to avoid. It is wonderful it is now restored and is being used by the public.
Great job. I really enjoyed this video..
ChrisEsposito 6 days ago
love the vidio. My grandfather grew up in Abertson and when I was a kid I remeber him telling me about watching the ford race cars flying by when he was a kid in the late 1920's. Still a long streach of the road that you can still see from Willis Ave at the VFW hall that i think runs dowm to Roslyn road. Still paved
old66convertable 1 month ago
I thought I saw the ghosts of my grandparents in their 1923 Durant driving towards Lake Ronkonkama! Thank you for a great documentary!
robertwmartens 5 months ago
We are looking to expand on Roberts (and all the historians dedicated to The Parkway) by showing the roads integral part in history. A snap shot of the country first starting to embrace the culture of the automobile which would become a lifetime love affair. There is an amazing Great Gatsby era story to be told.
LIMotorParkway 5 months ago
Thank you so much! A fascinating look at a piece of Americana.
icsedge1 9 months ago
Thank you so very much for the journey down "Memory Lane". I lived on Motor Parkway from 1947 until 1963, and then my husband and I live at
2487 Motor Parkway.......until we moved to Florida in 1970. My father's family had a summer bungalow off Motor Parkway (Parkway Blvd.) from1923-1950's. . I remember the "Vanderbilt mansion" on lake as a young child. Our private beach was right next to the Vanderbilt property. . Thank you Mr. Miller for a wonderful, and deightful video. .
mountainpalm 10 months ago
great !! love new york history !! thank you !!
giggie 1 year ago
I left LI after 50 years in Bethpage. GOT OUT IN 1995 JUST IN TIME. Live in Va. now for 80% less then it in LI and I'm in a gated community with 5 beaches a pga golf corase club house swimming pools, and all for $700 a year in dues, and $1002 dollors in taxes on my 1800 sq ft home
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lutherarao 1 year ago
I expect a mass exodus from LI as soon as the economy picks up and folks there can sell their houses. Go south to lower taxes as businesses have also gone.
allclassics 1 year ago
Robert, thank you for your well told story about the Long Island Motor Parkway. Your video brought back many great memories of the time I spent exploring on the Parkway in the mid 1950’s
RichardInAtlanta 1 year ago
thank you... fun and interesting!
MusicLuva555 1 year ago
beautiful road, love history, so great to find places like this still in existence :) even better that it's protected and still able to be used for cycling
VirtualR 1 year ago
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I love the History of Long Island and rather watch videos like yours instead of the ridiculous shows TV has to offer us these days.
JORDANWASAGEM 1 year ago
I live on the Motor Parkway
ptmassive1 1 year ago
This was a great video!
ledboy53 2 years ago
wow, this is my topic for a project... it explains everything!
skyheartsXD 2 years ago
Mr: Miller ..Thank you. I have enjoyed this video greatly,.. I am a nyc bus operator and my routes take me through 73 ave and springfieldblvd and being the history buff that I am a passenger speaking to me about historical events in transportation was riding my bus when we stumbled onto the overpass at springfield blvd. And he told me about it and here I am writing about it. Thanks and please keep up the great work.
jarl44 2 years ago
google " frankiston " for more info
dino47 2 years ago
the Kissena Corridor is also the same route as this 187os rail road to Flushing
dino47 2 years ago
Peck is the same route of the Central Rail Road ( 187os ) ...walk down Bell towards Union / under the overpass / make a Right
at the first street / thats peck / head north west /you're on the parkway
dino47 2 years ago
I recently moved to Oakland Gardens and wondered what those overpasses were over 73rd Avenue, Bell Boulevard, and Springfield Boulevard. I am looking forward to riding my bicycle on this path. Does anyone know where I can get on it in the vicinity of Bell Blvd and 73rd Ave?
eddie1967 2 years ago
you can glide right in on this historic parkway from Peck avenue or from 22oth street and Underhill or 77th ave /
dino47 2 years ago
Thank You!
eddie1967 2 years ago
I am looking at a map and it seems that Peck Avenue was part of the parkway...?
Also, when I get on at Peck, how far can I go? It seems that I can go as far as Winchester Blvd? Is there an exit/ entrance there?
eddie1967 2 years ago
Go down to Hollis Hills terrace and 73rd avenue, then go down (in the opposite direction of the clearview entrance ramp) and there's an entrance there.
disgruntled127 2 years ago
Leave it to Newsday and Robert Miller. I grew up on a stretch of Motor Pkwy which was renamed Vanderbilt Pkwy. Between Deer Park Ave and Half Hollow Road. In the beginning of that film, you passed my best friend's house. My grandfather's brother in law owned a house out by the lake in the 1920's.
redonionsauce 2 years ago
Great job. Thank you very much! We use this in academic lecture of history of traffic engineering at the Bauhaus-University in Germany. Go ahead!
julhinia 2 years ago
That was great, Robert. Thank God for people like you who appreciate history! Having been born on LI and lived here most of my life, there's nowhere else quite like it...
Antgne 2 years ago
Good Job, it kept my attn. how many of these treasures would be lost without more of this kind of historical documentation. Hopefully we'll see more of these video time capsules
dfhess 3 years ago
nice, very nice.
flaparks 3 years ago
Nice job documenting the LIMP.
However, I would've liked to see some of the Parkway as it goes through Alley Pond Park and Oakland Gardens in Queens. The parkway goes through an actual neighborhood behind people's backyards and garages.
PaulHartXYZ 3 years ago
awesome love this stuff
i live around these areas!!
very cool
METALSTYGIAN 3 years ago
because its intersting
it really is
anthonyl6295 3 years ago 2
why am i watching this
anthonyl6295 3 years ago
This was most interesting for me b/c I spent yrs. 8-18 (1950 - 1960)at the apt.complex just south of Alley Pond Park. My dad always referred to the road as The Old Motor Pkwy. and now I fault myself for not being more inquisitive. We used it for cycling & as a route to the ballfields, etc. @ the park, but I was not aware of the richness of its history. F.Y.I. There's a neat under/overpass @ Grand Central Pkwy. and I recall the 'echo effect' if you'd shout going through it. Thanks for the video.
iotbs6 3 years ago 2
2 dollars! I'll walk!
assynipplechops 3 years ago 2
it used to be a race track wish i could have seen a race
99boyz 3 years ago 4
The Vanderbuilts really did have monry to burn !
castillianwagon 4 years ago 2
Didn't this parkway go from Garden City N Y ? We had it run through Garden City NY as I remember. I thought it was for auto racing headquatored in the old Garden City Hotel hosted by the Vanderbuilts. The part I was through was really mysterious. I remember that office that's now a house. There was a bridge oner the Mineola Long Island Railroad line that ran from Old Country Rad into Minrola past the Mineola dump. Thanks for putting this up.
castillianwagon 4 years ago 2
My aunt's backyard backed up to the Garden City section of that road (we called it "The Old Motor Parkway" or "The Old Back Road" and she bought part of it from the Long island Lighting Company in the late 1960s as I remember making her back yard larger. It actually had what I thought was side walks along the edges. It was fascinating !
castillianwagon 4 years ago 2
We used to play on the remnants of this road when I lived off Bagatelle in the 70s!
tommyrock69 4 years ago 2
This is a great history video on the LIMP. Thanks for posting!
bbacklun 4 years ago 3
i used to hang out around those areas when i was a kid, i had no idea there was so much history there, thank you!
khazakstan5892 4 years ago
Robert:
Excellent film!!
Howard Kroplick
HowardKroplick 4 years ago
I'm thinking of moving to Long Island. How is living there like? How is the economy? Schools?
x11x11x 4 years ago
Do you have millions of dollars? If so, welcome to Long Island!
tommyrock69 4 years ago 8
not million(s) maybe a couple hundred thousand.
he could get a good place in Central Islip...lol
flyromeo3 4 years ago 2
That real estate is going to crash !
castillianwagon 3 years ago 2
Is there a Part II? You should cover the Eisenhower Park section and Salisbury Park Dr and how the houses are so far away... Grandstand area in Levittown where there's a plaque...Deadman's Curve, most important part...near 135.. Bethpage State Park entrance road...Old Bethpage Road...you know..This one covered the western portion beautifully....Did I convince you? After that, I hear PBS calling.....
musicom67 4 years ago
I lived a block from Motor pkwy in the section between 107 and Stewart Av. in the 60s. There was a LIRR track there too under the hi tension wires. Part of the pavement was there and the mounds building up for the (gone) bridge over Stewart Av were still there. In Bethpage park, down the path from the swings was the "WonderWall" - 1 of 2 cement abuttments that once held a bridge over a farm road. Wonder if its still there?
KennyWrites 3 years ago
The Wonderwall (which was really the Botto Farmway Bridge so farmer Joe Botto could get to both sides of his farmland---yes, all that wooded area in Bethpage Park was once farmland!!) was torn down many years ago.
joshuaCTpena 2 years ago
Thanks for your reply! I do remember finding an old map online and seeing that that land was marked Botto. The Wonderwall was there in the 70s, I used to climb up and sit on the top with my GF. Fond memories!
KennyWrites 2 years ago
14:13 was true comic relief with that kid jogger almost losing balance running into everybody... funny stuff. Hey. Nice video, well edited, nicely written on a subject ALL highway people should know about. A fellow Long Islander with similar interest, you saved me a lot of time wanting to explore what you did for me . !!! Thanks for taking me along through video!
musicom67 4 years ago
I am a lifelong resident of Garden City in my mid-40's and have always heard wonderful stories of the LIMP from my uncle Bob Hickson who was a LILCO engineer and auto enthusiast who restored an old electric buckboard car called the Auto Red Bug. Mr. Miller very much reminded me of my uncle, who volunteered at the Cradle of Aviation where he would give tours.
Great history and I'm glad someone is working to preserve and document what we still can.
Thank you!
RITDadGC 4 years ago
BRAVO !
xp29 4 years ago 2
great job
too bad most of it has been demolished in some fashion
zimbabweed 4 years ago 2
Wow, this is definately the first 100% accurate depiction of the Long Island Motor Parkway i've ever seen.
farnsworth81 4 years ago
THIS WAS GREAT THANK FOR POSTING IT
WATCHLONGISLAND 4 years ago
nice cinematography also !
dino47 4 years ago
thanks so much for this!! A great job!!
rode that motor parkway bike path by Springfield Blvd many times, AHHHHH, those were the days my friend.
denisedibear 4 years ago 2
wow very nice! ahh Lake Ronkonkoma and Long Island. I learned alot thanks for posting this
caramelturtles 4 years ago
live there, go on the road every day!!
vettedude418 4 years ago
thanks for making us Queens residents aware of this historic parkway east of Winchester boulevard ! Classic!
dino47 4 years ago
I loved this. I lived in Levittown as a little kid in the early 1960s and clearly remember playing in the "back lot" behind my house. My Dad called it the "Old Motor Parkway."
sirgiant 4 years ago 2
fantastic work! i am originally from riverhead and now live in los angeles. your video makes me long for home
sweet2boy 4 years ago
Excellent video. I grew up in Queens near the Motor Parkway. I only knew it as "The Bike Path" With the city in financial ruin in the 70's and 80's the bike path was a place to avoid. It is wonderful it is now restored and is being used by the public.
Knowing the history of the place is awesome!
gohman7 4 years ago
Excellent!!
LINYVideo 4 years ago 2
A marvelous, nostalgic look at an important part of American motoring history. Willy K. lives!
NYCDUDE718 4 years ago