Blog Posts by Subject: New York City History

Studying the history of garbage teaches you that treasures can often be found in unexpected places. This was certainly true of my research at The New York Public Library.Read More ›

Several months ago, I learned that there was a plaque in Central Park indicating that the old Kingsbridge Road had once run through that area. Up until that moment, the only current Kingsbridge markers I knew about were in the Bronx. So I decided to investigate, and that led to a long and bizarre adventure that didn’t end exactly the way I planned.Read More ›

We are looking for volunteers to share memories of their time spent at the Mid-Manhattan Library. These memories will then be displayed in a curated gallery dedicated to the largest circulating library in Manhattan.Read More ›

The Library has a number of items that highlight the development and presence of synagogues in New York City, including at least one photographic collection wherein Beth Hamedrash Hagodol features prominently. This post pays tribute to the building, with a short history, and a view back to better days.Read More ›

In January 2017, thousands gathered on Fifth Avenue and the surrounding area for the Women’s March. But this wasn’t the first time that this street was the home for a massive demonstration: almost fifty years ago, it was a primary thoroughfare for the first Earth Day celebration.Read More ›

Architectural historian and New York Times columnist Christopher Gray died last week. He was 66. Milstein Division librarians took a moment to reflect on Gray's work, and his impact on the written history of New York City and research of its built environment. Read More ›

Last month when we gathered for Open Book Night, our theme was food and celebration. Oysters came up several times as well as some fictional meals that were far from celebratory. We heard about favorite cookbooks and food memoirs and a few titles readers really enjoyed that had little to do with food but fit the mood.Read More ›

A look at the White Studio photograph from the 1932 edition of the revue Americana. Read More ›

A story of financial fraud, failure, and a tragic suicide in early New York City, told from the diary of Elizabeth De Hart Bleecker.Read More ›

New York Public Library is digitizing its collection of New York City Directories, 1786 through 1922/3, serving them free through the NYPL Digital Collections portal. The first batch—1849/50 through 1923—have already been scanned, and the 1786–1848/9 directories are right now being scanned. The whole collection will be going online over the coming months.Read More ›

The initial public proposal for “Plans for the Central Park” is reflected in a small classified advertisement in The New York Times: “The Board of Commissioners of Central Park offer the following premiums for laying out the Park … For the first … $2000.” Topographical sketches and certain “particulars” could be obtained at the Board and “must be presented by the First Day of March, 1858.”Read More ›

A prolific amateur photographer and local historian, Hubacher documented New York City and its environs with a seemingly objective eye, the typed or handwritten captions on the verso of each photograph often markedly specific in terms of date and location.Read More ›

We've got a selection of engaging author talks coming up this month at the Mid-Manhattan Library. Come listen to scholars and other experts discuss their recent non-fiction books on a variety of subjects and ask them questions.Read More ›

Health and disease in early New York City.Read More ›

On Sunday morning, July 30, 1916, at 2:08 a.m., one of the worst terrorist attacks in American history took place at Black Tom Island, New Jersey, a shipping facility located in New York Harbor. Read More ›

The White House designation of Stonewall as a national monument prominently featured LGBT historical materials from our Manuscripts & Archives Division, available online in our Digital Collections. Read More ›

Ever wondered who lived in your home before you? Or having trouble finding great-grandparents in old census records? If you are so inclined, and want to search the census by address, to see who lived in your American house many moons ago, this post explains how you can do that. Even better, all the information is available online for free. You will need an address... Read More ›

One woman's account of a parade of Freemasons in early-nineteenth-century New York City.Read More ›

The 1939-1940 World's Fair in New York City was billed as an exhibition that showcased the "Dawn of a New Day." As such, there was plenty of technological innovation on display, but perhaps some of the most memorable images of the event are those featuring food. Check out some of the wackiest food photos from the New York Public Library Digital Collections for some delicious laughs.Read More ›