Archives & Library Special Collections
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Extent: 83 bound volumes.
This weekly magazine chronicles the social and economic life of Brooklyn from 1890 to 1931. Looking through the issues one can see in the early issues the importance of bicycles, but at the turn of the century the emphasis turns toward the automobile. Other topics of the magazine include fashion trends, advertisements by Brooklyn businesses, real estate developments in up-and-coming neighborhoods like Flatbush and Ditmas Park, photographs of the then new construction in those areas, documentation of the move from Brownstone Brooklyn into as yet undeveloped Brooklyn.
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Call Number: ARC.212
Extent: 28.0 cubic feet, in 75 boxes: 32 manuscript boxes, 38 flat boxes, and 5 small boxes.
The Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and Henry Ward Beecher collection traces the career of the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, the well known 19th century preacher, and the history of Plymouth Congregational Church, of which Beecher was the first pastor. Plymouth Church was a major institution in 19th century Brooklyn, first gaining recognition on national and international levels as Beecher’s pulpit. Beecher was well known for his oratorical ability and for his vocal opposition to slavery and support of the Northern cause during the Civil War. He also spoke out on subjects ranging from women’s suffrage and evolution to organized labor and temperance. Beecher was a popular figure despite controversy that surrounded his activities, including a charge of adultery that resulted in a widely reported trial in 1875.
The collection relates principally to Beecher’s pastorate at Plymouth Church from 1847 until his death in 1887. Other materials, ranging through 1980, concern the church’s other pastors and the history of Plymouth Church itself, which consolidated with the Church of the Pilgrims in 1934. The papers provide insight into the church congregation’s various activities, illustrate the history of Beecher’s influence on his congregation and on 19th century congregationalism, and shed light on both the public and private life of a major American personality of the 19th century.
Names:
- Beecher, Henry Ward, 1813-1887
- Abbott, Lyman, 1835-1922
- Beecher, Henry Ward, 1813-1897
- Beecher, William Constantine, b. 1849
- Durkee, J. Stanley, 1866-1951
- Fifield, Lawrence Wendell, b. 1891
- Hibben, Paxton, 1880-1928
- Hillis, Newell Dwight, 1858-1929
- Hunt, Rose Ward
- Tilton, Elizabeth M. Richards, b. 1834
- Tilton, Theodore, 1835-1907
- Bethel of Plymouth Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Church of the Pilgrims (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.). Sunday School
- Church of the Pilgrims (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Henry Ward Beecher Literary and Debating Society (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Henry Ward Beecher Missionary Circle (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Plymouth Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.). Sunday School
- Plymouth Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Plymouth Institute (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Ellinwood, T. J., 1830-1921
- King, Horatio C., 1837-1918
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Church history
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Religious life and customs
- Brooklyn Heights (New York, N.Y.)
- United States — Religion
Subjects:
- Plymouth chimes (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Abolitionists — New York (State)
- Adultery — New York (State) — Kings County
- Antislavery movements — United States
- Authors, American
- City clergy — New York (State) — New York
- Clergy as authors
- Congregational churches — New York (State) — Kings County — Clergy
- Congregationalists — New York (State) — Kings County
- Lectures and lecturing — New York (State) — Kings County
- Pews and pew rights
- Reformers — United States
- Religious education of children — New York (State) — Kings County
- Religious institutions — New York (State) — Kings County
- Sunday schools — New York (State) — Kings County
- Trials (Adultery) — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)
- Church newsletters
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Cylinder phonographs (phonographs)
- Photographs
- Picture postcards
- Scrapbooks
- Sermons
- Typescripts
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Call Number: ARC.116
Extent: 4.6 linear feet, in one manuscript box and flat file storage.
The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building photographs and architectural drawings span the years 1888 to 2001, with bulk dates of 1927 to 1929. The collection documents the design, construction, architectural and infrastructural features, and daily work life in the now landmarked building at One Hanson Place in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Fort Greene, particularly between its opening and the early 1960s. The collection is arranged into two series: Photographs and Architectural drawings.
Names:
- Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y. : Hanson Place)
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) |x Buildings, structures, etc.
- Fort Greene (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects:
- Art deco (Architecture)
- Bank buildings |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Buildings |z New York (State) |z Kings County |x Design and construction
- Holidays |z New York (State) |z Kings County
Types of material:
- Architectural drawings
- Black-and-white prints (photographs)
- Color prints (photographs)
- Color slides
- Drawings (visual works)
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Call Number: 2011.002
Extent: 1.5 linear feet, in one manuscript box, four odd-size or oversize boxes, and two phase boxes.
The Eugenie Fribourg family photographs and ephemera collection is comprised of materials relating to and documenting the family and professional life of Eugenie Merzbach Fribourg, a Jewish-American Brooklynite whose life spanned nearly the entire 20th century. Eugenie Fribourg became a doctor at a time when the medical profession was dominated by men, and she remained active in the field for more than 60 years. The collection provides a rich visual document of Jewish-American family life in the early-20th century, historical photographic materials in various formats, 1940s French wine and spirits, and a visual history of various neighborhoods in Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
Names:
- Merzbach family
- Fribourg family
- Brooklyn Hospital
- Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn
- Medical College of Virginia
Places:
- Brighton Beach (New York, N.Y.)
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Coney Island (New York, N.Y.)
- Flatbush (New York, N.Y.)
- France
- Los Angeles (Calif.)
- Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
- Paris (France)
- Park Slope (New York, N.Y.)
- San Francisco (Calif.)
Subjects:
- Families |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Hospitals |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Jewish women physicians
- Jews |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Jews |z New York (State) |z New York
- Landscape photography |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Landscape photography |z New York (State) |z New York
- Photography |z France |z Paris.
- Photography |z New York (State) |z Kings County
- Photography |z New York (State) |z New York
- Portrait photography
- Wine labels
- Women physicians |z New York (state) |z Kings County
Types of material:
- Black-and-white prints (photographs)
- Bottle labels
- Cabinet photographs
- Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Commemorative jewelry
- Correspondence
- Group portraits
- Identity cards
- Lockets
- Photographic postcards
- Portraits
- Studio portraits
- Tintypes (prints)
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Call Number: ARC.223
Extent: 2.09 linear feet, in one manuscript box and one oversize box.
This collection includes various materials relating to Abraham & Straus throughout the period 1865 to 1995. The majority of the items date from 1964 and 1965 and were compiled by Abraham & Straus employee Juli Daves in preparation for the store’s centennial celebration. These items include newsletters, a history of Abraham & Straus, news clippings, and correspondence between Juli Daves and Mrs. Kenn Stryker-Rodda, Archivist at the Long Island Historical Society (later the Brooklyn Historical Society), regarding research for the centennial. Other materials in the collection include store directories, souvenir shopping bags, employee newsletters, various printed ephemera, and a catalog dating from 1886, when the store was known as Wechsler & Abraham. A small number of photographs are also included and depict Abraham & Straus founder Abraham Abraham; Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Sidney L. Solomon; President Walter N. Rothschild, Jr.; and the Wechsler & Abraham store at its original Fulton Street location. The photographs have biographical and historical information attached to their versos. There is also an oversize print showing an aerial view of the flagship Abraham & Straus store at its location on Fulton and Hoyt Streets, along with other parts of Downtown Brooklyn, circa 1893. This print is housed separately in an oversize box.
Abraham & Straus was a major department store founded in Brooklyn by Abraham Abraham and Joseph Wechsler in 1865. Originally called Wechsler & Abraham and located at 285 Fulton Street, the store was so successful that it moved to a new and larger location at the corner of Fulton and Hoyt Streets in 1885. The name of the store changed to Abraham & Straus in 1893 when the Straus family, partners of Macy’s department stores, bought out Wechsler’s interest in the store. By 1965, Abraham & Straus had become the third largest department store in the United States, with several branches in and surrounding the New York City area in addition to its flagship location at Fulton and Hoyt Streets. The store became part of Macy’s department stores in 1995. As of 2011, the original Abraham & Straus location on Fulton and Hoyt Streets continues to operate under the Macy’s name.
Names:
- Abraham & Straus
- Wechsler & Abraham
- Daves, Juli
Subjects:
- Business enterprises — New York (State) — Kings County
- Centennial celebrations, etc.
- Department stores — New York (State) — Kings County
- Department stores — New York (State) — Kings County — History
- Retail trade — New York (State) — Kings County
- Shopping centers — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Catalogs
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Directories
- Histories
- Newsletters
- Photographs
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Call Number: 1987.006
Extent: 0.3 Linear feet, in five folders
The Irwin Lutzky collection includes three certificates pertaining to Lutzky’s childhood innoculations; miscellaneous publications, invitations, and programs belonging to Lutzky from such organizations as the Town of Flatbush Civic and Cultural Association and the Flatbush Historical Society; and other miscellaneous materials relating to Brooklyn, N.Y. in the 1970s.
Names:
- Flatbush Civic and Cultural Association
- Flatbush Historical Society
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Social life and customs — 20th century
Subjects:
- Medical care — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Invitations
- Programs (documents)
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Call Number: 1977.331
Extent: 0.4 linear feet, in 15 folders
The Furey family papers contain correspondence, deeds, titles, and news clippings pertaining to members of the Furey family including John V. Furey, Robert Furey, Georgiana Furey, and George Furey. The property records in the collection pertain to the family home on 8th Avenue in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. Also included in the collection are the military papers of John V. Furey.
John and Georgiana Furey settled in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn after John’s retirement from the military in 1903. John V. Furey’s military papers span from the time of the American Civil War until his retirement. Robert Furey was a politician and served as an Alderman and Streets Commissioner in Brooklyn.
Names:
- Furey family
- Furey, John V.
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Call Number: 1987.007
Extent: 0.1 Linear feet, in one oversize manuscript box
The Coney Island Jockey Club was founded during the late 19th century by Leonard Jerome and William Kissam Vanderbilt. During its early existence the club held horse races at the Propect Park fairgrounds, and in 1880 the club built the Sheepshead Bay Race Track, where its races were held thereafter. The collection spans the period 1889 to 1899 and contains the club’s founding resolution; programs broadsides; and ephemera, such as passes, badges, and tickets from races organized by the club.
Names:
Places:
- Coney Island (New York, N.Y.)
- Sheepshead Bay (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects:
- Clubs — New York (State) — Kings County
- Horse racing — New York (State) — Kings County
- Sports — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Articles of incorporation.
- Programs (documents)
- Tickets
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Call Number: 2005.021
Extent: 1.0 Linear feet, in one record carton
The Conklin and Bedell families papers (1839-1917) contain financial records and some personal correspondence generated by Ebenezer Conklin of Brooklyn, New York, and his descendants. The bulk of the records were generated by Ebenezer Conklin, and mostly concern household expenses, repairs and improvements made on Conklin’s several properties. The records of Nathaniel Augustus Conklin and Sarah Bedell, two of Ebenezer’s children, continue the history of Ebenezer’s properties. The small amount of correspondence contains Civil War letters, and a copy of the General Orders of the 19th Army Corps Headquarters at Camp Russell, Virginia. The collection also holds a cash accounts book and a pew ledger of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Bushwick for the years 1876-1884.
Names:
- Bedell family
- Conklin family
- Old Bushwick Reformed Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Bushwick (New York, N.Y.)
- United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865
- Williamsburg (New York, N.Y.)
Subjects:
- Real property — New York (State) — Kings County
- Retail trade — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Account books
- Church records
- Correspondence
- Financial records
- Invoices
- Land titles
- Receipts (financial records)
- Tax records
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Call Number: ARC.285
Extent: 0.33 Linear feet, in one manuscript box and one flat box
The Martense family papers include deeds, indentures, wills, estate administration documents, promissory notes, bills of sale for enslaved African-Americans, correspondence, and photographs and other images. The bulk of the documents date from the 1700s to circa 1876. The images date from circa 1870 to circa 1944. Deeds and other land transaction documents dating from the 1700s comprise the largest portion of the collection. The Martense family lived in Flatbush, now part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, and most of the collection concerns that area. Correspondence in the collection dates from 1837-1839 and includes several letters sent to Gerrit Martense at Rutgers College in New Brunswick, N.J., by his family in Flatbush. Subjects of the letters include domestic and local matters. The letters, and other documents in the collection, also refer to dealings concerning one Juan Scorsur, an Italian immigrant to New York attempting to acquire real estate in Brooklyn while residing for an extended time in Cuba. In addition to multiple generations of Martenses, among the surnames found in the collection are Cornell, Hegeman, Lefferts, Remsen, Suydam, Terhune, Van Brunt, Van der Bilt, Van der Veer, and Waldron. The bulk of the collection is in English, but there are several documents in Dutch and one in Spanish. The photographs and other images, to the extent they are identified, are principally of members of the Wilbur family, into which a Martense married.
Names:
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
- Flatbush (New York, N.Y.)
- Kings County (N.Y.)
Subjects:
- African Americans — New York (State) — Kings County
- Decedents’ estates — New York (State) — Kings County
- Family life
- Genealogy
- Real property — New York (State) — Kings County
- Slavery — New York (State) — Kings County
Types of material:
- Cabinet photographs
- Cartes-de-visite (card photographs)
- Correspondence
- Deeds
- Indentures
- Photographs
- Promissory notes
- Slave bills of sale
- Wills
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