Photographs of historic buildings can be very valuable resources. They help inform historically accurate building restorations and modifications, they show the building’s and neighborhood’s changes over time, and they are a window into the past.
When proposing changes to a landmarked building in New York City, especially changes that will alter the appearance of the landmark, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will require historic photos as part of the application.
The earliest photograph taken in the city of New York may be a daguerreotype taken by New York University professors in 1839. The technology and availability of the new medium progressed quickly through the latter half of the 19th century, and today we have an increasing number of digitized historic photos.
Institutions like the New York Public Library, the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Historical, and Columbia University have vast digital collections.
New York Landmarks Conservancy staff suggests the following resources for researching historic buildings:
You can peruse geo-located photos from the NYPL digital collection on this map, rather than searching the library’s website. It can be very helpful when researching a neighborhood, rather than just one building.
The City’s Department of Finance photographed every building in the City in 1939-1941 and again in the 1980s. Like the OldNYC map, the “tax photos” are helpfully linked to their locations on this site.
While the City’s Municipal Archives also includes the Tax Photos, it has some other searchable collections worth checking out, including the construction of the subway systems.
Focusing on Greenwich Village, Village Preservation has made collections from several photographers available on its website.
Landmarks Preservation Commission Designation Photos
The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission documents every building when it is designated as a landmark.
This collection contains photos from throughout the City, not just Brooklyn.
This online portal provides access to photographs, maps, and other primary sources from the library’s vast holdings.
Questions? Call the Conservancy’s Preservation Hotline at (212) 995-5260, extension 305, or email GwendolynStegall@
See more online historical resources.
Illustration: Daguerrotype of Unitarian Church of the Messiah by John William Christopher Draper and James Christopher Draper, possibly the oldest photo taken in NYC (Smithsonian).
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