As we continue trying to sort out the mystery of the Mora race cars and the Vanderbuilt Cup, reader Geri has provided even more photos. To clear the blur a bit, Geri has also provided what she knows about the photos and the family that provided them.
I’ll let Geri take over from here:
They were involved with Duryea Motor Wagon Company who produced the 1st motor car in 1893 in Springfield Mass. Frank and Charles Duryea went their separate ways and Frank went to Reading Pennsylvania. The photos with Barbey’s Brewery I believe were in Reading Penn. I think the automobiles in that set of picture were Duryea Motor Wagons. Frank Duryea’s oldest daughter was one of the test drivers. I have several photos of a young woman who appears comfortable in the drivers seat. I thought she was just posing but after learning his daughter test drove automobiles, I wonder. The first motor vehicle accident involved a Duryea automobile and a bicycle on Long Island. I think a Duryea was in the Sealed Bonnet run as Frank was quite the driver and participated in the very first recorded Automobile Race in the United States. The family (who had the photos) continued to be involved with automobiles and I have photos of automobile shows up to the 1940’s. They were prominent family in Providence R.I. quite wealthy and influential.
More photos after the break
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