Casa Frela Gallerys Director/Curator A Token and A Quarter Lecture: The Rich History of Your House Comes Alive Did you ever wonder about the who, what, when and where of your building? To help you delve into the history of your home and your neighborhood you will need your address, and block and lot numbers. All the information is either a click away on the internet or a short ride on the subway. Below are some tips to help you get started on your historical research. Try to do you research in the morning. It’s the best time of day to obtain the information that you are looking for! Start by going to the Department of Records, located at 31 Chambers Street. The clerks will be able to help find your block and lot numbers if you don’t know them. You can print a copy of the photograph from their computer for 50 cents, but the quality may be poor. If so, a high quality print can be order for an extra fee. Tax records may also provide interesting historical information about your building. They can be found at the NYC Department of Finance Register’s Office, located at 66 John Street on the 13th floor. There you can examine your building’s Real Property Files, dating back to the original owner, and see deeds, indentures, mortgages, and encumbrances up the 1940’s. Copies cost 20 cents. To find press clippings about your buildings and your neighborhood, go to the NYC Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Branch, located at 455 Fifth Avenue on the 2nd floor. Printing is free. The Humanities Library of the NYC Public Library, located on 5th Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets is another great resource. There you can fine the copies of the New York City Police Census, the US Census, Tax records, the Phillip’s Elite Book and the NYC address directory. Copies cost 25 cent each. As you can see, there are plenty of resources at your fingertips available to make the rich history of your house come alive!
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 14:37:57 +0000
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