As the Municipal Archives begins preparations for moving 200,000 cubic feet of records from our Brooklyn warehouse to a new modern facility we started to think about past moves. Moving an archive is a mammoth undertaking, but surprisingly, the NYC Municipal Archives, one of the largest repositories of historical records in North America, has led an unexpectedly transient life. In 1952, the then-new Municipal Archives and Records Center occupied space in a warehouse called the Rhinelander Building, at 238 William Street. When that building was demolished in the late 1960s to make way for the Police Headquarters, the Archives relocated to 23 Park Row. In the summer of 1979, the Archives had to move again—this time to the “Tweed” Courthouse in City Hall Park, as a temporary facility until renovations at the Surrogate’s Court were completed. And so began our four-year sojourn in a beautiful but imperfect building.
Mapping the Waterfront
Most people have seen surveyors at work—marking boundaries, determining distances, angles and positions. It’s the kind of essential data necessary for all types of construction projects, and is an ongoing endeavor for all cities. The Municipal Archives holds a variety of records from government agencies responsible for surveying what now are the five boroughs, ranging from Brooklyn maps documenting 19th century road placement to aerial photographic maps from the 20th century. One notable collection of maps and notebooks depicts waterfront development.
Inauguration Day
Monday begins a new year—2018— and it is also Inauguration Day in New York City. Unlike the mid-day presidential inauguration of January 20th, New York mayors traditionally begin their terms at 12:01 a.m. on January 1st. For an incoming mayor, this often means holding a private swearing-in at midnight, followed by a public ceremony the next day. For an incumbent mayor there is no need to transfer duties, but the mayor still has a swearing-in ceremony to begin the next term. Depending on weather conditions these have been large outdoor affairs or smaller indoor ones.
Digitizing the Greensward
Some of the most spectacular items in the NYC Municipal Archives are the 3,200 drawings in the Department of Parks & Recreation collection. Of these, 1,500 are related to the design and construction of Central Park and will be the basis of the Municipal Archives’ new book The Central Park: Original Designs from the Greensward to the Great Lawn, to be published by Abrams in 2018. The Greensward is the master plan submitted in 1858 as part of the proposal of landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux for the Central Park design competition.
New York Holds a Soft Spot for the Holidays
Winter In New York
Tired of looking for the perfect holiday gift? These shoppers in front of Macy's in the 1930s sure look like they could use some holiday cheer. At least we have online shopping. We are posting a few of our favorite classic winter images for your enjoyment. They would also be great gifts—for yourself or a friend.
All of these images can be ordered from our online gallery.