As I was driving, I happened . . .

→ Read More: The Most Beautiful McDonald’s In America]]>

Last week, I was out in Long Island scouting around Jericho Turnpike, which, if you’ve never had the pleasure of driving, is one of those hellish, strip mall-lined highways with traffic lights that are perfectly synchronized to make your travel time as long as possible.

As I was driving, I happened to notice a McDonalds sign up ahead. Nothing too special about that, except where the McDonalds should have been, there seemed to be a big white mansion. Maybe it was around back or something?

And then I realized…

The mansion was the McDonalds.

Holy. Crap.

This 100+ year old Georgian mansion is indeed a McDonalds, and while well known to locals, it totally caught me by surprise. I practically expected a maitre d’ to greet me as I went inside.

Known as the Denton House, its bones date back to 1795, when it was constructed as a farm house by one Joseph Denton, a descendent of the founder of the village of Hempstead. In 1860, it was given a Georgian makeover, complete with gingerbread ornamentation, and throughout the 1900′s, found commercial use as a funeral home and a series of restaurants.

By 1986, it was abandoned and on the verge of falling down.

McDonalds purchased the property with the intention of tearing it down and replacing it with a standard McDonald’s restaurant. Thank God for the citizens of the New Hyde Park, who worked to secure landmark status for the building in 1987.

McDonald’s had no choice but to restore the property and work within the parameters of the landmarks commission, which ultimately resulted in their most beautiful restaurant in America (if you know of a better example, please let me know).

It was decided to restore the property to its 1926 appearance, based on an old photograph. Opened in the early 1990′s, the house remains in fantastic shape to this day.

One of the mansion’s most striking aspects is its beautiful glassed-in veranda…

…which offers a pretty unique McDonald’s eating experience (how cool would it be if it was actually open, or covered by screens?).

But the details continue around on its eastern side…

…from its shuttered windows and brick chimneys to its eaves dripping with gingerbread ornamentation:

The western half is equally stately…

…though, er, methinks the drive-through might not be original to the Denton farmhouse:

But had someone showed me this picture, I would have NEVER guessed it was a McDonald’s.

Unfortunately, the inside has been totally gutted and redone without much inspiration.

Still, it is far more unique than your typical McDonald’s, with a grand staircase leading to an upstairs dining area.

Also, there’s something fascinating about being in an enormous open-air mansion, and I definitely appreciate how the roof has been revealed.

Almost as an afterthought, the small ordering area is nestled to one side:

I love the New Hyde Park McDonald’s, if for no better reason than how clearly it makes the argument for historic preservation. We can live in a world of this…

…or this:

Really don’t have anything else to add.

-SCOUT

Over the next week, my girlfriend and I will be taking a mini-roadtrip from Orlando to Key West, primarily focusing around the Keys. I’m really excited – the Overseas Highway is something I’ve been dying to visit since…well, since I first saw it get blown up in True Lies, but I digress.

. . .

→ Read More: Keys Please]]>

Over the next week, my girlfriend and I will be taking a mini-roadtrip from Orlando to Key West, primarily focusing around the Keys. I’m really excited – the Overseas Highway is something I’ve been dying to visit since…well, since I first saw it get blown up in True Lies, but I digress.

Anyway, you guys have always had great travel tips in the past, so I’ll throw it to you: anything we definitely need to see, do, eat, or experience while we’re down there? Most of the trip will be focused in the Keys, but we’ll be passing through Miami and the Everglades on our way down too.

Thanks in advance!

-SCOUT

A few months ago, I was scouting out in Flatbush, Brooklyn, when I happened to walk by Erasmus Hall High School.

. . .

→ Read More: Hidden Treasures In A Brooklyn Public School (Including The Coolest Stained Glass Window Ever!)]]>

Today (Monday) is the FINAL DAY to vote for a Partners in Preservation site! Click here to vote now – these places need every vote they can get.

A few months ago, I was scouting out in Flatbush, Brooklyn, when I happened to walk by Erasmus Hall High School.

I’d driven by a bunch of times in the past, but this was my first time on foot. As I stopped to admire its castle-like facade, I suddenly noticed something…

Just through the gates…

…in what appeared to be a courtyard…

What the heck was that in the middle of a New York City public school??

When I saw the Erasmus Hall High School was on the list for a Partners in Preservation grant (the ONLY New York Public School, in fact – click here to vote now!), I jumped at the chance to go beyond the gate.

As it turns out, this was once Erasmus Hall Academy, the oldest chartered high school in New York. Built in 1786, the building today is in decent shape considering its age and neglect…

…though the surrounding neighborhood has changed quite a bit!

Erasmus Hall Academy in 1820

Land for the building was donated by the Flatbush Dutch Church, which still stands across the street. This is one of my favorite churches in New York simply because of how easy it is to picture a time when it was surrounded by farmland.

With Alexander Hamilton and Arron Burr among its early benefactors, Erasmus Hall Academy first opened its doors in 1787 with a class of 26. The school began accepting female students in 1801, when enrollment numbered over 100. Below, a picture taken in 1940:

Ultimately, Erasmus Hall Academy found itself competing with the New York City public school system, to which it eventually donated its land in 1896.

Sadly, the building was looking quite a lot better in 1940:

Left to decay for decades, Erasmus Hall Academy appears to finally be on the path toward restoration thanks to various preservation grants awarded to it in the last year.

Erasmus Hall Academy is just one of the many gems to be found hidden on the Erasmus Hall High School campus.

Designed by architect and Superintendent of School Buildings C. B. J. Snyder, the Erasmus Hall campus was built on land surrounding the old Academy structure in four phases, beginning in 1905.

Essentially, the school grew from a small building on Flatbush…

…into a much wider building on Flatbush…

…until finally, the quadrangle to Bedford Ave was completed.

While building details become more sparse as you move beyond the Flatbush facade (a cost-cutting technique), there are still some great bits to be found, like this odd fellow wrapped up in a ball and holding a cog of some sort (anyone know?).

I love these enormous lanterns, which can be found all over the street side of the building:

Meanwhile, a pair of serious looking owls adorn the main entrance:

However, as you may have noticed, the Partners in Preservation grant is not for statuary or old clapboard school buildings, but for the “restoration of four stained glass artwork.”

Because as it turns out, Erasmus Hall High School has quite a bit of stained glass…

…including one of the coolest stained glass windows I’ve ever seen:

Ha, OK, before we move on, can someone please explain this one to me?? I get the others – chemistry, for example…

…Architecture and design…

…Earth sciences…

…and astronomy…

But what is this one?? The symbol for Slytherin?? Either way, it’s one of my all time favorites (anyone looking for a new tattoo?).

One of the true gems of the school’s stained-glass window collection is a five-paneled Tiffany set, pictured here above the front entrance.

Originally, this was centerpiece of the school’s library…which of course was later chopped up into smaller classrooms, completely obscuring the Tiffany windows.

Installed in 1919 to pay tribute to Walter B. Gunnison, the school’s first principal, today you can admire them only at the most irritating angle imaginable.

The central crowned figure is the personification of knowledge, garbed in Greek and Roman garb.

If there’s a centerpiece to the school’s stained glass collection, it’s to be found at the front of the recently restored auditorium…

Seriously – this is in a public school:

At first, I was surprised that Biblical imagery was allowed into the decor of a public school. Then I realized these were actually depictions from the life of Erasmas, the Dutch Renaissance theologist, teacher, and priest for whom the school is named.

The work is epic, yet was added to the building by Snyder at very little extra cost:

Meanwhile, on both sides of the auditorium…

…are additional stained glass windows, spanning all three floors:

One great non-window detail…

…pairs of red-eyed owls lining the auditorium’s columns:

The final stained glass art to be restored can be found at one of the school’s entrances…

Here, each panel depicts elements of America’s growth. In particular, I love the skyscrapers rising out of the log cabin:

Below, Commerce and Transportation (also love the train!).

Finally, Letters and Communication:

The preservation work is being carried out by Public Art For Public Schools, a group devoted to saving artwork found in public schools throughout the five boroughs. As you can imagine, there’s very little money for this sort of thing, so every penny counts. Unfortunately, Erasmus Hall High School is currently at the bottom of the voting list, and today’s the last day…

SO BE SURE TO VOTE!!!

-SCOUT

This past January, I wrote a . . .

→ Read More: Exploring Hangar B, Where Dying Airplanes Return To Life]]>

This article was produced in participation with the Partners in Preservation program, which will be awarding $3 million in grants to historic sites across New York City based on your votes – so go vote now! Then, tell me who you voted for for a chance to win a $50 AmEx gift card!

This past January, I wrote a pretty extensive post on New York City’s first airport, Floyd Bennett Field. I managed to cover a lot of the remaining buildings, but there was one in particular I wasn’t able to get into: Hangar B.

I was pretty disappointed – a bunch of readers had written to tell me about the great preservation work being done inside to old airplanes, and I was anxious to see for myself. This past weekend, I finally had the chance to take a tour, and my first thought on entering the hangar was…

Wow:

Spanning an enormous 2-acres in size, every corner of of Hangar B is filled with aircraft from literally every era of aviation.

Click for huge pan!

Hangar B was built in 1941 by the US Navy and used primarily for seaplanes. I have to admit, walking around and seeing everything from prop planes…

…to a World War II “Catalina”…

…to an old army ambulance…

…I suddenly had a very strong feeling that an Indiana Jones-style adventure scene was on the verge of breaking out around me.

Click for huge pan!

The aircraft restoration efforts are the work of the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project, or HARP, created and staffed entirely by volunteers.

Many of the volunteers are retired aviation mechanics, a few in their 80′s; others are amateurs, willing to get a little greasy in exchange for learning about airplane restoration.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, HARP members gather to breathe a little more life into these aging beauties.

Click for huge pan!

You could pretty much stumble onto any sort of aircraft in Hangar B, going as far back as this Wright Brothers model (a replica).

Though this one has never taken to the skies, it’s pretty cool to see how the Wrights’ revolutionary work with bike parts…

…would eventually lead to something like the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter:

The Stratofreighter (I really wish the “strato” prefix would return to our product lexicon) was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber, and could carry up to 35,000 pounds.

One of the defining features is its enlarged “double bubble” fuselage, which gives it an awesomely powerful look:

The Stratofreighter was the first mass-produced aircraft to feature a pressurized cabin, which would soon become the standard.

HARP works hard to meet the Smithsonian’s standard of aircraft restoration, namely: “If it doesn’t fly, it’s not an airplane.” Below is a fully restored Grumman JRF-5 “Goose” flying boat, which, back in the 1930′s, would have been used to transport wealthy Gold Coast clientele to Wall Street, literally landing in the river.

Later, “Gooses” were used by the Coast Guard and NYC Police Department, hence the paint job pictured above.

Another fascinating plane in great shape: the Lockheed SP2 H “Neptune” Anti-Submarine Patrol Bomber.

First flown at the end of World War II, the Neptune was designed with an observation fuselage, in which a bombardier would literally sit and stare at the water in hopes of spotting a sub.

One of the pleasures of exploring Hangar B is finding these planes exposed in ways you normally don’t get to see. Very cool to see the Neptune’s three engine coverings opened…

…to reveal its fascinating inner workings inside (I’m no expert, but I believe that’s a Wright R-3350 Cyclone Radial).

Mounted beside it, a Westinghouse Turbojet engine.

Curious how these enormous engines are moved around the hangar? Simple! You apparently attach the front bit into one of these dollies and push it around.

I imagine this is useful, as Hangar B is one of those fun places where spare aircraft engines are just sort of lying about everywhere.

The Neptune features an external bomb load…

…as well as a bomb bay. At one point, the Neptune was considered for use as a nuclear bomber, but this was eventually discarded, as the Neptune was unable to land on aircraft carriers.

Some of the planes in Hangar B are in pristine condition, like this Lockheed Vega “Winnie Mae” replica, finished just two weeks ago after six years of work. It was given a color scheme based on the plane famed aviator Wiley Post used to fly around the world twice in.

Others…er, have a little further to go…

This one was a recent donation from the Aviation High School in Queens. How do you transport a plane through New York City streets? Start by removing the wings…

Inside the fuselage…

…and into the engine:

HARP is currently vying for grant money from the Partners in Preservation program, which it hopes to use for important restoration work on its Douglas C-47 “Skytrain” Transport.

Considered to be one of the greatest aircraft ever built, the Skytrain was used extensively by the allies during World War II and flew in every theater of war up until 1975.

This particular model’s history is evident simply by looking at its rear emblem…

…where an outer layer of paint has been removed to reveal its World War II color scheme beneath.

I have absolutely no clue how any of this works, but I find something about the symmetry of the technology absolutely beautiful (again, I’m no expert, but I think that’s a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Radial):

Specifically, the grant money from Partners in Preservation would go toward “removing corrosion, metalwork, re-skin degraded flight surfaces and prepare for historic paint scheme” authentic to World War II. Nice!

The Skytrain was based on the revolutionary DC-3 aircraft, which upped the number of passenger seats from the standard 12 to 22, making airline travel profitable for the first time in history.

Walking through Hangar B, I was particularly amazed by the longevity of some of the airplanes. Pictured below is a Grumman HU-16 “Albatross” Flying Boat, which first flew in October 1947 and was in use until March 1983. This very model holds the distinction of being the last fixed-wing amphibious aircraft flown by the US military.

The last aviation record set at Floyd Bennett Field was the first ever transatlantic helicopter crossing, using a Sikorsky HH 3-E “Pelican” Search & Rescue Helecopter (the model below is a 3-F).

Two copters made the trip to Paris, which required 30 hours 46 minutes of flight time and nine mid-air refuelings.

The Pelican’s loading ramp:

Finally, I wanted to mention the Douglas A-4 “Skyhawk” fighter jet.

First flown in 1954, here’s a picture of the Skyhawk in flight…

…though you probably know it better as the enemy planes used in Top Gun:

Historical sidenote: due to international treaty, all evil pilots are required by law to wear helmets with visors that cast weird reflections and obscure their faces.

What exactly is this strange pole extending from the front of the Skyhawk? That would be for mid-air refuelings:

Like most aircraft, the Skyhawk is covered in various warnings I always assume must be insanely obvious to people who work on planes. Like, I have to figure that if you’re close enough to the Skyhawk that its jet intake might be a problem, you probably know to stay clear…

Likewise, if you’re in a position to actually remove a plane’s nose, don’t you think you’d remember to disconnect the electrical wiring first?

A quick glimpse at the various weapons-related controls inside:

Part of the fun of visiting the HARP project is simply to see the old hangar. Built in 1941, Hangar B was intended to be torn down, a plan that was thankfully ignored.

There’s a lot of great ancient rusting machinery…

…areas with that classic “abandoned” patina…

…and always overhead, a really impressive latticework of steel holding up the old wooden frame:

HARP is open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9a to 4p, and I definitely recommend making the trip. In fact, now that the weather is nicer, why not take a bike ride out to Floyd Bennett Field? I always use the “close your eyes and try to head south-east” method, checking my map as few times as possible. The best way of finding something new is getting lost.

Monday, May 21 is the final day to vote for your favorite Partners in Preservation site. Be sure to vote now!!

-SCOUT