Historic Pelham

Presenting the rich history of Pelham, NY in Westchester County: current historical research, descriptions of how to research Pelham history online and genealogy discussions of Pelham families.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Automobile Club "Run" from the Hunter Island Inn on the Pelham Manor Border in 1901


In the autumn of 1901, the Runs and Tours Committee of the Automobile Club of America had a problem.  Each year the committee sponsored "fall runs" during which club members climbed into their electric-, steam-, and gasoline-powered automobiles for "runs" to distant suburban destinations.

 The problem was that club members really treated the excursions as "runs."  They raced as fast as their crude automotive equipment would allow along terrible country roads as they tried to be first to reach the designated suburban destination.  

 It was time for a change.  It turns out that the Pelham Manor area and Pelham Bay Park played a role in that change.  

 In October, 1901, the chairman of the Runs and Tours Committee, Mr. Dave Hennen Morris, decided to change the format of the the Club's "fall run" completely.  On October 8, 1901, Morris announced that the first fall run of 1901 would be held on Saturday, October 12 and would involve having club members meet at a designated suburban location at their leisure for a dinner that would begin at 6:00 p.m.  After dinner, according to the announcement, the participating automobiles would line up behind a pace car driven by Albert R. Shattuck, President of the Club, who would lead the line of vehicles back to the Club's clubhouse in New York City at a "moderate" pace.

 Dave Hennen Morris chose one of the most beautiful suburban locations in the New York City region as the location for the rendezvous and dinner:  Hunter Island Inn on Shore Road adjacent to the Pelham Manor border (often referenced as "Hunter's Island Inn").  It could not have been a better choice.  I have written extensively about Hunter's Island Inn before.  See, e.g.:  Wed., Feb. 26, 2014:  Research Regarding "Greystones," The Elegant DeLancey Estate that Became Hunter Island Inn and Once Stood in Pelham on Today's Shore Road.

Undated Post Card View of Hunter Island Inn with Following
Notation: "HUNTER ISLAND INN, PELHAM BAY PARK, N.Y.C.
A.E. MACLEAN, PROP."  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

 During the afternoon of Saturday, October 12, 1901, early automobiles of a number of makes began to chug up Shore Road and pull into the driveway of the beautiful Hunter Island Inn.  These were very early horseless carriages that, with a couple of notable exceptions, bore little resemblance to the modern automobile that evolved during the remainder of the 20th century.  A number used a system of levers and handles for steering and braking.  Most were electric, although there was a steam machine and a monster with a "40 horsepower" gasoline engine.

 The makes of the automobiles represented a cross-section of those available in the region in that day.  There were four Wintons, two De Dions, a Panhard, a Desheron, a Reading, and even an "Orient Tricycle."  

Orient Tricycle, Manufactured by Waltham Manufacturing
Company from 1899 to About 1901.  This Image Shows the
Vehicle with a Tandem-Trailer Attached, Although There is
No Indication the One that Visited Hunter Island Inn in 1901
Had Such a Trailer.  Source:  "Orient Tricycle" in Wikipedia --
The Free Encyclopedia (visited Aug. 27, 2017).  NOTE:
Click on Image to Enlarge.

Post Card View of 1901 Panhard & Levassor Automobile.
Although it is Not known Exactly What Model of Panhard
Was Driven to Hunter Island Inn on October 12, 1901, This
Was One of the Company's More Elegant Models.  NOTE:
Click on Image to Enlarge.

1901 Advertisement Showing Country Touring Vehicle Manufactured
by The Winton Motor Carriage Co. of Cleveland, Ohio.  This Likely
Shows a Model Similar to One or More of the Four Wintons That Drove
to Hunter Island Inn.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

 The ten automobiles carried a total of about twenty club members, apparently all men.  At 6:00 p.m. the automobilists gathered in the dining room of Hunter Island Inn for a lovely meal in the famous Pelham Bay roadhouse across Shore Road from Hunter's Island in Long Island Sound.  

 At the close of the meal, cigars were distributed and the men had a chat before officially beginning their "run" to the clubhouse in Manhattan.  At about 8:45 p.m., the gathering ended and the score of automobilists climbed into their respective vehicles and lined up behind President Albert R. Shattuck in his elegant Panhard and left for the clubhouse at Fifth Avenue and East 59th Street at a "moderate" pace.  

 The line of vehicles proceeded down today's Shore Road, across Pelham Bridge, along Pelham Parkway to Fordham, then via Jerome Avenue, Central Bridge, Seventh Avenue and, finally, across to Fifth Avenue where the run ended at the clubhouse at East 59th street at about 9:45 p.m.  The one hour drive covered fifteen miles.  

 Pelham, in 1901, already was becoming a beautiful destination for automobilists in the New York region.

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 Below is the text of a number of news articles that form the basis of today's Historic Pelham article.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.  

 "FIRST AUTOMOBILE RUN.
-----
New System To Be Put Into Practice at Initial Fall Outing.

 Mr. Dave Hennen Morris, chairman of the Runs and Tours Committee of the Automobile Club of America, announced yesterday that the first fall run of the club will take place on Saturday.  Upon that occasion a new system of club outings will be put into practice.  

 The run, in place of being from the club house to a suburban destination, will be from a suburban rendezvous back to the city.  Hunter's Island Inn will be the rendezvous, and the meet will be there at six o'clock in the evening.  Members will eat supper before the start for New York, and the run back to the club house will be paced by a member of Mr. Morris' committee.

 One of the objects of this system is to obviate excessive speeding on club runs, members being more likely to follow a moderate pace on a return trip to the city in the evening than on an outward trip earlier in the day.  Participants may go to the rendezvous by any route or in any manner they see fit.

 Hunter's Island Inn is situated on Pelham Parkway [today's Shore Road], near Traver's Island, and is about fifteen miles distant from Fifty-ninth street and Fifth avenue.  The return route will be via Pelham parkway, Jerome avenue, Central Bridge and Seventh and Fifth avenues.  A large attendance of members is expected on the run."

 Source:  FIRST AUTOMOBILE RUN -- New System To Be Put Into Practice at Initial Fall Outing, N.Y. Herald, Oct. 9, 1901, p. 13, col. 6.  

 "SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN
-----
PROGRAMME OF SPORTS TO-DAY. . . . 

 AUTOMOBILE -- Run of Automobile Club of America, Hunter's Island Club of America, Hunter's Island Inn to clubhouse. . . ."

 Source:  SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN -- PROGRAMME OF SPORTS TO-DAY,  N.Y. Tribune, Oct. 12, 1901, p. 5, col. 1.  

 "AUTOMOBILES IN CLUB RUN.
-----
First Organized Outing of Fall Season Held Under Auspicious Conditions.

 Under auspicious conditions the first fall run of the Automobile Club of America was held last evening.  The usual order of things was reversed, and the run, instead of being away from the city, was to the city, with the starting point at Hunter's Island Inn.

 More than a score of members of the club met at the latter point at six o'clock in the evening and sat down to supper together.  After a chat over the cigars the run was begun, at a quarter of nine o'clock.

 Those who formed in line were Mr. A. R. Shattuck, president of the club (Panhard), who had with him Messrs. W. E. Scarritt, Homer W. Hedge and E. M. Butler; Mr. A. C. Bostwick, first vice president (Winton), with whom were Messrs. J. Dunbar Wright and B. B. McGregor; Dr. E. C. Chamberlin (De Dion), Mr. Richard Esterbrook (Winton) and Mr. C. W. Frazer, Mr. B. C. Barry (De Dion) and Messrs. W. Hazeltine and W. D. Gash, Mr. Paul H. Deming (White) and E. M. Young, Percy Owen (Winton), E. T. Birdsall (Desheron), Leon Schermerhorn (Reading) and A. Schwarzenbach, William A. Hall (Winton) and C. A. Persons (Orient tricycle).

 The route in was via Pelham Parkway [today's Shore Road] to Fordham, thence via Jerome avenue, Central Bridge and Seventh and Fifth avenues to the club house, at Fifth avenue and Fifty-ninth street.  The pace was made by Mr. Shattuck's Panhard and the run of fifteen miles was made in one hour, the club house being reached at a quarter of ten o'clock."

 Source:  AUTOMOBILES IN CLUB RUN -- First Organized Outing of Fall Season Held Under Auspicious Conditions, N.Y. Herald, Oct. 13, 1901, p. 7, col. 1.

 "Automobile Club Run.

 The first run of the season by members of the Automobile Club of America was held yesterday.  It was purely an informal affair, and instead of the participants meeting at a given place and starting off at the same time, a change in method was adopted.  The members met at Hunters' Island at any time in the afternoon they chose and after dining there in the evening came back to the city together.  President Albert R. Shattuck paced the run coming home.  The vehicles left Hunters' Island a few minutes before 9 o'clock and the distance to the club house at Fifth Avenue and Fifty-eighth Street, about fifteen miles, was made in one hour.  Among the members who took part in the run were President Shattuck with W. E. Scarritt, Homer W. Hedge and Secretary S. M. Butler, Albert C. Bostwick, in his forty-horse power gasoline, with J. Dunbar Wright and Bradford McGregor; Percy Owen, Dr. E. C. Chamberlin, Richard Esterbrook, Leon Schermerhorn, Arthur Schwarzenbach, William Hazeltine, B. C. Barry, W. G. Gash, E. T. Birdsell, C. A. Persons, William A. Hak, and Paul H. Demong.  A number of similar runs of an informal nature will be held during the next two months."

 Source:  Automobile Club Run, N. Y. Times, Oct. 13, 1901, p. 10, cols. 6-7 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

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I have written before about the early days of automobiles in Pelham.  For a few examples, see:








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