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In 1890, New York City officials questioned the accuracy of the City's population count in the United States federal census. As a result, the New York Police Department was tasked with conducting an independent census which was done between September 29 and October 14, 1890. This collection consists of the original police census volumes that record the name, age, gender, and address of residents of the city. Due to the destruction of nearly all of the 1890 federal census, the police census is...
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1890
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This collection contains photographs of real estate parcels in the five boroughs of New York City, dated between 1939-1951, with the bulk of the images dating from 1939-1941. These photographs were part of a new property card system for assessing real property tax in the city, carried out by the Works Project Administration (WPA) and the New York City Tax Department. Although photographs were taken of most extant properties at the time, some tax-exempt buildings, parcels with vacant lots or...
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1939-1951
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On July 14, 1965, Eddie Jr. and Alice Marie Crimmins disappeared from their home, later to be found murdered. Their mother, Alice Crimmins, became the number one suspect in their death. This collection contains the Queens County District Attorney’s investigative files into the crime, which were used to indict, and eventually convict, Alice Crimmins for the crime.
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1964-1971
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The records of the Almshouse Ledger Collection represent the activities of the institutions under the purview of various city departments on Blackwell’s Island. Records in this collection date from 1758 to 1952, with the bulk of the records falling between 1832 and 1925. This collection represents a comprehensive, yet incomplete collection of materials produced by each department overseeing the Almshouses and their related entities. These records document the social service, cultural, medical...
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1758-1952
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This collection contains scrapbooks created and maintained by the Art Commission of the City of New York (1898-2008) from its inception in 1898 through 1967. The scrapbooks, organized chronologically, focus on public art and architecture and historic preservation in New York City.
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circa 1885-1967
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On December 22, 1984, Bernhard H. Goetz shot and wounded four men in a New York City subway train as an alleged act of self-defense. The incident gained national attention and resulted in a controversial case that involved several appeals and motions. This collection contains the files from the New York County District Attorney’s office for the criminal case and various subsequent motions.
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1962-1991
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The New York City Board of Education collection contains records dating from the Board’s creation in 1842 to its replacement by a mayoral agency, the Department of Education, in 2002. Also included are records of the Board of Education of the City of Brooklyn from 1853 to 1897. Aspects of educational policy-making and school-system administration are documented in this collection.
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1833-2004
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This collection consists of drawings from a volume entitled Drawings of Maps, Bridges, Profiles, Coal Burning Locomotives, Chairs, Brakes, Splices, and etc., accompanying the Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners for 1856.
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1856
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Robert Abrams served as the ninth Borough President of the Bronx from 1970 to 1978. This collection primarily contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Bronx Borough President during his tenure. Also included are records produced by Abrams as a member of the New York State Assembly (1966-1969) and, later, as the Attorney General of New York State (1979-1993).
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1932-1993
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The Brooklyn Bridge was built over a thirteen year span beginning in 1869. This extensive collection contains the architectural plans and drawings created during the design, planning and construction stages for the suspension bridge by Civil Engineer, John Augustus Roebling, and includes drawings by his son Washington A. Roebling. The bridge officially opened in 1883.
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1869-1981
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This collection consists of bound volumes recording the transportation of bodies in, out and through Manhattan during 1859-1894. These records were maintained by various iterations of New York City’s Health Department to prevent and track disease and death in the city.
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1859-1894
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Carlo Tresca, an early-20th century Italian-American newspaper editor, labor organizer, and vocal anti-fascist, was assassinated in New York City on January 11, 1943. This collection contains the New York County District Attorney’s investigation files into his assassination.
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1943-1955
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This collection contains materials from the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney files pertaining to the trial of organized crime boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano and several other defendants in 1936. It contains notes, memorandums, and court records, and photographs.
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1929-1943
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Eugene Bockman was appointed the first Commissioner of the Department of Records and Information Services upon its establishment in 1977, having served as Director of the Municipal Reference Library from 1958 to 1977 and the Municipal Archives and Records Center (MARC) from 1975 to 1977. This collection contains the records generated by Bockman while serving in these positions.
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1946-1990
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Idilio Gracia Peña served as the Director of the New York City Municipal Archives from 1978-1989 and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Records and Information Services from 1990-1995. This collection contains the records of his tenure.
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1961-1995
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The collection consists of fifty-five glass lantern slides showing black and white images of New York City, circa 1880-1899.
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circa 1880-1899
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The Department of Buildings requires the filing of applications and supporting material for permits to construct or alter buildings in New York City. This collection contains the plans and drawings filed with the Department of Buildings between 1866-1978, for the buildings on all 958 blocks of Lower Manhattan, from the Battery to 34th Street, as well as a small quantity of material for blocks outside that area.
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circa 1866-1978
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This collection consists of materials created by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Materials are primarily visual in nature and relate to the agency's programs and events and their work in affordable and supportive housing. Material includes, negatives, slides, photographic prints, press releases, agendas, contacts sheets, memoranda, pamphlets.
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1961-2012
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This collection consists of an incomplete collection of materials produced by the Office of the Mayor of New York City between 1826 and 1897.
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1826-1897
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Edward F. Cavanagh served as Commissioner of the Department of Marine and Aviation from 1950 through 1953. This collection contains one scrapbook of news clippings documenting the work of the department during his tenure.
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1948-1953
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The Fire Department of New York photographs span the years 1900 to 1969, with the bulk of the images dating from 1917 and 1929-1931 respectively. The collection, composed of a combination of glass plate negatives and black and white negatives, depicts various Fire Department goings-on including but not limited to: firefighting, fire aftermath, New York aerial views, demonstrations and trainings, Fire Department vehicles, Fire Department houses, and firefighters themselves.
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circa 1900-1969
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Grover Aloysius Whalen, 1886-1962, was a public official and businessman whose professional life in New York City spanned over sixty years. He was best known for his long-held role as New York City's official greater that earned him the moniker "Mr. New York." The collection consists of materials documenting the various positions held by Grover Whalen, both in New York City government and in the private sector, from circa 1918-1957. The collection includes correspondence, invitations,...
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1852
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New York City government has played a role in promoting the health of its residents since 1866. This collection represents that function under the purview of the Department of Health, from 1928 to 1991. The records document the Department's wide-ranging operations through correspondence, reports, statistics, promotional material, memos and other records.
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1928-1991
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On February 26, 1939, the powerful Tammany Hall politician James J. Hines was found guilty of policy racketeering for his role in protecting organized crime syndicates from prosecution while profiting from their illegal lotteries. This collection contains case files compiled by the New York District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Thomas E. Dewey, during their sprawling 1930s investigation into policy racketeers and their prosecution of Hines and his associates.
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1921-1955
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On March 1, 1932, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne, was kidnapped from his crib at the Lindbergh’s home in East Amwell, New Jersey. This collection comes from the Bronx District Attorney’s office, which handled the extortion charge and took part in the extradition of accused kidnapper and murderer, Richard Hauptmann, and deals with the overall case. The papers cover the murder trial and consist of correspondence, reports and miscellaneous...
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1926-1936
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On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was shot and killed just as he was about to address a rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. This collection contains the New York District Attorney’s investigation files into his assassination, trial transcripts, and records related to appeals following the convicition of three men who were charged with murder.
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1963-1999
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On March 23, 1896, during the 119th session of the New York State Legislature, the “Liquor Tax Law,” was passed, establishing a new taxation policy for the trafficking of intoxicating liquors. Liquor licenses set to expire after the law went into effect on April 30, 1896, were eligible for a refund upon surrendering the license. This collection contains those licenses that were yielded for return in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
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1895-1897
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Ardolph L. Kline served as Acting Mayor for the City of New York after the unexpected death of Mayor William J. Gaynor in September 1913. This collection consists of materials generated by the daily business of his brief administration.
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1913
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The 106th Mayor of New York City, David N. Dinkins, was sworn-in to office on January 1, 1990, becoming the first Black person in the city’s history to hold the position. This collection primarily contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during the years of his administration, 1990-1993.
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1948-1998
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Fiorello H. La Guardia was the 99th Mayor of New York City for three terms from 1934 to 1945. This collection primarily contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during his administration. Also included are records produced by La Guardia in public service roles outside of those preformed while serving as Mayor.
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1864-1954
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George B. McClellan, Jr. was the 93rd Mayor of New York City, serving from 1904-1909. This collection contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during his administration.
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1903-1909
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John F. Hylan was the 96th Mayor of New York City from 1918 to 1925. This collection contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during his two-term mayoral administration.
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1912-1925
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John P. Mitchel was the 95th Mayor of New York, serving during the World War I era from 1914-1917. This collection consists of the records produced by the Office of the Mayor during his administration.
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1869-1917
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John P. O'Brien was the 98th Mayor of New York from January 1-December 31, 1933. This collection consists of materials generated by the daily business of his brief administration.
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1933
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Joseph V. McKee became Acting Mayor of New York City after the resignation of Mayor James J. Walker on September 1, 1932. McKee served in this capacity through the end of 1932. This collection consists of materials generated by the daily business of his brief administration.
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1932
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Robert Anderson Van Wyck (1849-1918) was the first Mayor to take office after the consolidation of the City of New York in 1898. This collection consists of the subject files and correspondence of his administration.
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1898-1901
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Seth Low (1850-1916) served as the Mayor of New York from 1902-1903. This collection consists of a selection of materials produced by his mayoral administration.
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1902-1903
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William Jay Gaynor served as the 94th Mayor of the City of New York from 1910 to 1913. This collection contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during his mayoral administration.
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1909-1913
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William O’Dwyer was the 100th Mayor of New York City from 1946-1950. This collection predominantly contains the material generated by the daily workings of the Office of the Mayor during his administration.
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1917-1964
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The Motion Picture Theatre Matron License Applications consists of original applications and Board of Health approvals for applicants to become motion picture theatre matrons. The files contain physical exam reports, personal history questionnaires, photographs, renewal applications, and signatures by the Board of Health.
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circa 1933-1949
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Murder, Inc. was a profit-making enterprise, with the main sources of income being gambling, loansharking, and racketeering. Despite the name, the members of Murder, Inc. were not a gang of hired assassins. They used murder as a means of silencing or intimidating rivals, opponents, and potential witnesses. The Murder, Inc. papers (inclusive dates: 1929-1966, bulk dates: 1940-1951) include case files relating to the investigation and prosecution of the Murder, Inc. crime ring by the Kings County...
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1929-1966
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This collection contains the municipal records of the government of New Amsterdam during the seventeenth century, as well as manuscript translations made of the documents made during the nineteenth century. The materials include ordinances, court minutes, contracts, minutes of the orphan court, administrative minutes, records of the notary public, and manuscript translations.
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1647-1862
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The New York City Civil War Draft Riot, July 13-16, 1863, consisted of four days of mob violence by members of the white working class who blamed Black citizens and their perceived allies for exposing them to conscription into the Union Army. This collection, dating from circa 1863-1868, contains paperwork submitted by citizens and businesses who claimed property losses or injuries from the riots. The documents, all handwritten, include inventories of household possessions, retail and...
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circa 1863-1868
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This collection consists of historical vital records created and/or maintained by the City of New York, and historical vital records created and/or maintained by municipalities that were once located within the boundaries of the present-day City of New York that were dissolved or annexed prior to January 1, 1898. These former towns were located in Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Westchester counties. Types of records in this collection are primarily birth, marriage, and death registers,...
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1760-1949
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This collection consists of tax assessment property cards for all taxable properties in New York City, circa 1926-1991, bulk 1939-1975. Data on each card includes land value calculation; record of conveyances (ownership); record of mortgages; and record of assessments. Most cards include a site diagram and a small "tax photo" measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches.
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circa 1926-1991
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The Court of General Sessions heard criminal cases brought by the District Attorney through Grand Jury indictments. This collection consists of Grand Jury indictments and related records dating from 1879-1942 (bulk 1879-1924). A list of the indictments dating from 1879-1894 that includes name and crime can be downloaded from the External Documents section of this guide. Digitized microfilm of indictments dating from 1879-1893 can be accessed from the Digital Material section...
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1879-1942
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This collection consists of bound volumes containing tally sheets of jury census returns for the city and county of New York. The tallies were taken to determine the eligibility of jurors and list persons and property by ward number for the years 1816, 1819, and 1821. Of particular demographic interest in these three censuses is the inclusion of women with identification by name, residence, age, and occupation or social status, during a time period when women were ineligible to serve as jurors.
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1816, 1819, 1821
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The New York County Supreme Court insolvency assignments and index dates from 1754-1908. Series 1: Insolvency assignments spans 1768-1908, with the majority dating from 1798-1886 and 1900. Series 2: Insolvency assignments index spans 1754-1863 but is not inclusive of all people listed in Series 1. The collection documents insolvent debtors, their debts, and legal actions taken against them in response to their insolvency (bankruptcy). A name inventory of the insolvent debtors...
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1754-1908
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The collection consists of more than 11,000 estate inventories of individuals who died in New York County between 1786 and 1859. The collection was created by the Surrogate's Court, which was created by statute in 1787 and is responsible for the disposition of estate assets for each county in New York State. The collection consists primarily of concise descriptions and valuations of estate assets and debts, in the form of lists. The records, all of which are handwritten, were created by...
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1786-1859
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This collection contains information about several significant events of the 1960s, such as riots, demonstrations, and visits to New York City by dignitaries. Furthermore, the collection includes precinct reports and incident logs that provide a comprehensive outlook on law enforcement activities. The records also provide insight into the police department's strategic operations. Included are reports, newspaper clippings, and maps, among other records.
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1963-1967
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The New York Police Department Intelligence Unit records consists of surveillance records created and collected by the Intelligence Division of the Inspectional Services Bureau of the New York Police Department, circa 1930-2013. These records were part of the legal case, Handschu v. Special Services Division, and are commonly referred to as "Handschu." The collection is comprised of two groups of similar records: (ACC-2015-022) New York Police Department Intelligence Unit records, circa...
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circa 1930-2013
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The records in the Chief Inspector's files detail a range of police activity during the 1940s-1950s, focusing on operations planning for strikes, gambling investigations, and management of juvenile delinquency and other disorders. The collection consists of subject files that include correspondence, memoranda, statistical reports, and a small amount of printed material from the 1940s-1950s.
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1941-1962
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Throughout the 20th century, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) conducted overt and covert surveillance on groups and individuals identified as potential security threats to the City. This collection comprises black and white 16 mm silent surveillance films. They were shot by the NYPD Photo Unit for Manhattan (PUM) for the Bureau of Special Services and Investigations (BOSSI). The subjects include a broad range of political activist groups and events from 1960 to 1980. The films are...
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1960-1980
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The collection consists of materials assembled or created in an effort by the City Register's office between 1910 and 1918 to reindex more than 200 years of documents related to Manhattan real estate transactions, with the goal of making title searches more efficient. Included are property maps, deed and mortgage abstracts, and histories of colonial-era tracts and farms. Series-level inventories can be found in "External Documents" in each series.
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1875, 1913-1918
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Before the creation of Greater New York on January 1, 1898, the counties bordering New York County (which is coterminous with New York City)—Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Westchester Counties—were comprised of municipalities (villages, towns, cities), some of which date back to the early days of Dutch and English colonization of Lenapehoking (Lënapehòkink in Unami), the ancestral homeland of the Lenape. This collection includes records created and/or maintained by these municipalities before...
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circa 1630-1943
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This collection consists of one scrapbook created by police officer William Kennel, 1899-1903. It includes clippings from the local press, primarily about the police department's administrative policy and operational affairs, with some material on other departments. There is a list of newspaper articles by title and page number in the front of the volume.
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1899-1903
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This collection consists of moving image materials produced by WNYC-TV from about 1943-1998.
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circa 1943-1998
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