Long Island Motor Parkway, NY, 1908

This offers a rare glimpse into the early days of American automobile history. The Long Island Motor Parkway (also known as the Vanderbilt Parkway) with the Manhattan skyline in the background was built in 1908 and it holds the distinction of being the first road in the United States designed specifically for automobile traffic. The parkway's construction marked a groundbreaking step in transportation, incorporating innovative features like overpasses and bridges to accommodate the growing number of motor vehicles.

Originally a private toll road, the Long Island Motor Parkway was frequented by wealthy car owners who used it for leisurely drives and even racing. At a cost of $2 to travel, it was a playground for the early automotive elite. This exclusive road was an essential part of the rise of car culture in America, symbolizing the beginning of the modern road network and the shift toward automobile-centered transportation.

Though the parkway was closed in 1938 and eventually absorbed by the state, parts of it have been preserved and repurposed as a scenic bike path in Queens. The Long Island Motor Parkway remains an important historical landmark, offering a window into the automobile age’s birth and serving as a reminder of the innovative spirit that shaped the evolution of roadways in the 20th century. (fHistory Pictures)