Current Projects

Uncovering the Secrets of Brooklyn’s 19th Century Past: Creation to Consolidation: Brooklyn Historical Society CLIR Hidden Collections Project

Project Description

This project will significantly increase access to materials in the BHS library and archives focusing on the period of Brooklyn’s 19th century history from 1834 – when Brooklyn was first incorporated as a City – to its consolidation with New York City in 1898.

As a part of this project, 2,000 maps and the entirety of the BHS 19th century archival and photographic holdings will be surveyed and cataloged. These catalog records will be available on the Internet through the BHS website, library catalog and in national bibliographic catalogs. Internet access to this information will enable students, scholars, teachers, genealogists, history enthusiasts and Brooklynites to gain access to important research resources, which might have previously been overlooked.

These rich research materials include rare photographic materials: glass negatives, slides, tintypes, stereographic prints and daguerreotypes; political, topographical, demographic and transit maps; local business records and the personal papers of notable individuals, plus critical municipal records. This collection of 19th-century materials document the significance of Brooklyn’s progressive and colorful past as well as its key role as 19th century America’s third largest city.

Catalog records for archive and photograph collections will be available beginning in October 2011.

Funders

Council on Library Information Resources

The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

Project staff

Project Archivist, Matthew Gorham

Project Map Cataloger, Carolyn Hansen
Archives Survey Technician, Patricia Glowinski
Archives Survey Technician, Nick Pavlik
Archives Survey Technician, Weatherly Stephan

Assistant Map Cataloger, Allison Steffmann

Project Contact

Project Archivist, Matthew Gorham

mgorham@brooklynhistory.org

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