By Nathalie Belkin, Lead Processor; Gabriella Carl-Johnson, Kay Menick, Sara Fetherolf, Erin Allsop, Jessica Mack, and Katie Alleman, Interns
Title: Architectural Drawings and Blueprints, c. 1880s-1990s
Predominant Dates:1910-1930s
Extent: 0.0
Subjects: A. Faranda and Son, Acea family, Agoglia family, Altar to Liberty: Minerva, Architectural Drawings, Architecture, Arnold, K.F., Arnold, N.B., Arnold family, Art nouveau (Architecture), Bahrenburg, John H., Bahrenburg family, Barclay family, Barrow, ME James T., Barrow family, Barthman family, Beaux-Arts architecture, Benisch Bros. Monumental Works, Blueprints, Bourne family, Bromell family, Brown, John W., Brown family, Buildings--Design and construction, C.E. Tayntor & Co., Cemeteries--New York (State)--New York--History, Cinerary urns, Colyer family, Cushman, Eugene, Cutting, James D.W., Cutting family, Daly, Margaret, Daly family, Davis Granite Co, Architects and Contractors, de Aldama family, DeLaCour and Ferrara, Delafield, Major Rich D., Delafield family, Dewey family, Doerschuck family, Dunne family, Egyptian revival (Architecture), Euler family, Farrington, Gould and Hoagland, Feitner, John, Felzmann family, Flagg, Ernest, Gilbert family, Goodnough family, Gothic revival (Architecture), Gould, J. R, Gould, James S., Gould family, Green-Wood Cemetery--New York, N.Y., Greve family, Griswold family, Hapgood family, Harder family, Harrison Granite Co., Havemeyer family, Heins and La Farge Architects, Higgins, Charles, Higgins family, Hillside architecture, Hoffman & Prochazka, Designers, Sculptors, and Builders, Horn, Alfred E., Horn family, Howland family, John Thatcher & Son, Kampfe family, Kenneth, W.D., Lawrence family, Lingard family, Ludlum, Emma R., Ludlum family, Martin, Robert, Martin family, Mausoleums, McAlpin family, Murdock family, Obelisks, Parish family, Parsons family, Penn Brass and Bronze Works, Pitbladdo Monumental Works, Polak family, Presbrey-Coykendall Company, Presbrey-Leland Monument Company, Renwick, Aspinwall, and Tucker, Reynolds family, Riley family, Ritzheimer family, Robinson, F. Delancey, Romanesque architecture, Rosanelli family, Ruckstull, F. W. (Fred Wellington), 1853-1942, Sands family, Sarcophagi, Sculpture and architecture, Sepulchral chapels, Sepulchral monuments, Victorian, Sepulchral monuments--New York (State)--New York, Sepulchral monuments--United States, Sepulchral monuments industry, Smallman, Thomas F., Smallman family, Somers family, Stephens, Annie W., Stephens, Benjamin F., Stephens family, Stevenson family, Stone, Gould, & Co, Designers and Builders, Sullivan, John W., Sullivan family, Texter family, Tiefel family, Tombs & sepulchral monuments, Torrio, Johnny, Torrio Family, Umberto Innocenti and Richard K. Webel, Landscape Architects, Underground architecture, Upjohn, Hobart, VanRensselaer family, Vaults (Sepulchral), W.F. Benedict & Son, W.W. Leland Co. Inc., Walsh, James F., Warren & Wetmore, Wesselman family, Wood family, Woolley family
Languages: English
The Architectural Drawings and Blueprints collection contains over 150 separate series of designs, each of which has one to around 20 individual drawings. Each series represents designs for a mausoleum or other architectural feature at Green-Wood Cemetery.
Most of the designs are for private family mausoleums, although the collection also includes blueprint materials for the historic Green-Wood chapel designed by Warren & Wetmore, alterations made to the Fifth Avenue gate, and plans for the mid-twentieth-century Columbarium. Other notable features in the collection include the Higgins mausoleum series, which contains photographs and early designs of the famous Battle Hill monument Altar to Liberty: Minerva by sculptor F. Wellington Ruxell. Many additional series may include more famous names in New York City history, such as those for the Cooper-Hewitt family and the Torrio family.
The majority of these drawings are printed on large blueprint paper, although there are a significant number of series that contain original drawings on tracing paper or drafting linen, as well as prints on Mylar, photocopy paper, or other reproduction materials. Many series also contain specifications documents—legal agreements between the architectural firm and the cemetery, which outline the plans, materials, and workman regulations for construction. In some cases, there is additional material, such as correspondence with lot owners and alternate mausoleum designs.
The collection’s dates range from the 1880s to the 1990s; the majority of the mausoleum designs were created between 1910 and 1930, at a time when it was widely popular among upper-class families to have a mausoleum or vault in which to inter their deceased relatives. Many architects of the time specialized in mausoleum design. Architectural firms that produced a large number of mausoleum designs in this collection include the Presbrey-Leland Monument Company, John Feitner Architects, and the Harrison Granite Company.
Researchers may wish to consult a specific series, which can give an interesting insight into the family in question, or they may wish to look at multiple series in the collection, in order to gain an example of the way construction and design aesthetics changed over time. The collection is a particularly valuable example of the way cemetery architecture developed in its golden years, particularly because many of the wealthiest and most prestigious New York families chose to be interred at Green-Wood.
The collection is currently stored in two locations—some material is in the Green-Wood archives, while many other blueprints are kept in the surveyor’s office of the administrative building. The container list has additional information on each item in this significant and highly variable collection, including notes on the date of designs, the architectural firm that created the drawings, and information on the size, condition, markings, and design features of each piece. All blueprint materials have been scanned and are digitally available; a preview of the image file is attached to each item. High-resolution images of each scan are available upon request.
The material is in varying condition, and embrittled drawings have been encapsulated in Mylar to ensure preservation.
The Green-Wood archives hold additional records acquired from the Presbrey-Leland Monument Company relating to Green-Wood Cemetery, and researchers may find it useful to consult this collection in conjunction with the Architectural Drawings and Blueprints.
A. Faranda and Son
Acea family
Agoglia family
Altar to Liberty: Minerva
Architectural Drawings
Architecture
Arnold, K.F.
Arnold, N.B.
Arnold family
Art nouveau (Architecture)
Bahrenburg, John H.
Bahrenburg family
Barclay family
Barrow, ME James T.
Barrow family
Barthman family
Beaux-Arts architecture
Benisch Bros. Monumental Works
Blueprints
Bourne family
Bromell family
Brown, John W.
Brown family
Buildings--Design and construction
C.E. Tayntor & Co.
Cemeteries--New York (State)--New York--History
Cinerary urns
Colyer family
Cushman, Eugene
Cutting, James D.W.
Cutting family
Daly, Margaret
Daly family
Davis Granite Co, Architects and Contractors
de Aldama family
DeLaCour and Ferrara
Delafield, Major Rich D.
Delafield family
Dewey family
Doerschuck family
Dunne family
Egyptian revival (Architecture)
Euler family
Farrington, Gould and Hoagland
Feitner, John
Felzmann family
Flagg, Ernest
Gilbert family
Goodnough family
Gothic revival (Architecture)
Gould, J. R
Gould, James S.
Gould family
Green-Wood Cemetery--New York, N.Y.
Greve family
Griswold family
Hapgood family
Harder family
Harrison Granite Co.
Havemeyer family
Heins and La Farge Architects
Higgins, Charles
Higgins family
Hillside architecture
Hoffman & Prochazka, Designers, Sculptors, and Builders
Horn, Alfred E.
Horn family
Howland family
John Thatcher & Son
Kampfe family
Kenneth, W.D.
Lawrence family
Lingard family
Ludlum, Emma R.
Ludlum family
Martin, Robert
Martin family
Mausoleums
McAlpin family
Murdock family
Obelisks
Parish family
Parsons family
Penn Brass and Bronze Works
Pitbladdo Monumental Works
Polak family
Presbrey-Coykendall Company
Presbrey-Leland Monument Company
Renwick, Aspinwall, and Tucker
Reynolds family
Riley family
Ritzheimer family
Robinson, F. Delancey
Romanesque architecture
Rosanelli family
Ruckstull, F. W. (Fred Wellington), 1853-1942
Sands family
Sarcophagi
Sculpture and architecture
Sepulchral chapels
Sepulchral monuments, Victorian
Sepulchral monuments--New York (State)--New York
Sepulchral monuments--United States
Sepulchral monuments industry
Smallman, Thomas F.
Smallman family
Somers family
Stephens, Annie W.
Stephens, Benjamin F.
Stephens family
Stevenson family
Stone, Gould, & Co, Designers and Builders
Sullivan, John W.
Sullivan family
Texter family
Tiefel family
Tombs & sepulchral monuments
Torrio, Johnny
Torrio Family
Umberto Innocenti and Richard K. Webel, Landscape Architects
Underground architecture
Upjohn, Hobart
VanRensselaer family
Vaults (Sepulchral)
W.F. Benedict & Son
W.W. Leland Co. Inc.
Walsh, James F.
Warren & Wetmore
Wesselman family
Wood family
Woolley family
Scale: ½” = 1ft
Details: This blueprint lays out the 3 crypt vault and the foundation. The front of the lot is on Mistletoe Path
Size: 16.2” x 26.8”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Slate
Notes/Markings: the top left of the plan in thick black print says, “PLAN NUMBER ONE (1).” The top right corner says, “COMPLETED” in a box. At the bottom of the plan on the left side a note reads: “Lower Slate Cover (without rings) 7’-4” x 2’-10” x 0.3” to be discarded before temporary sealing of vault.” The bottom right of the blueprint has a note that reads: “See Sheet 2 for Sections.”
Condition: Very good. Very minor wear and tear along the edges and staple holes along the top.
Dupicate of Item A in this series.
Size: 16” x 27”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: Similar to “A” in this series, there are printed notes. However, this blueprint has other, very hard to read handwritten notes along the bottom of the plan.
Condition: Very good. There are fold lines along the bottom half o f the plan and down the center as well.
Duplicate of Items A and B in this series.
Details: This plan looks to be an earlier, handwritten version of the previous two plans for this mausoleum. The details in the drawing itself remain the same, but there are only handwritten notes on this plan.
Size: 14.2” x 28.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: slate
Condition: There are deep fold lines in this plan with holes in the center fold lines. The plan is stained in the center, but still readable. The handwritten notes however, are harder to read.
Details: This blueprint lays out the foundation for the three crypt vaults, which will be underground. The cement seal and slate cover over the flooring is shown with steel beams, also noted in the vault. The front area of Mistletoe Path is also shown.
Size: 16.8” x 20.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Cement, slate, steel.
Condition: Very Good. There are staple holes along the top of the plan and the bottom of the plan is slightly faded, but not too badly.
Scale: 1” = 1ft
Details:
Longitudinal: this detailed plan outlines the top of the foundation (2” below grade line) and notes a concrete seal and slate cover. The top of the vault is outlined below the slate cover. There are also five I beams above the concrete seal. This vault is 15’-0”
Transverse: this view also notes an I beam (6” in length), the temporary concrete seal and slate cover is also shown. This vault is 12’-0.”
Size: 21” x 16”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: concrete, steel and slate.
Notes/Markings: the bottom right of the plan gives the dimensions for the steel I beams: 6” steel I beams 17.25lbs per foot - Flange width 3.575n- web. 0.475; 4” steel I beams 10.50lbs per foot. Flange Width 2.88 - Web. 0.41.
Condition: Very good. While a little faded, the plans are still very readable. There is wear and tear around the edges with staple holes along the right side of the plan.
Duplicate of Item E in this series.
Size: 21” x 16”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan.
Scale: ½” = 1ft.
Details:
Transverse: Unlike the sections in “E” and “F” of this series, this transverse section shows the three crypts from ground level and how deep into the foundation they go. Between each crypt is a reinforced concrete slab. The very top of the crypts that is above ground has two 1” thick rings.
Longitudinal: this view is also different from “E” and “F” in this series. The side views of the three crypts are shown with reinforced concrete slabs between each crypt. Slate slabs are placed at the top of the top crypt.
Size: 19.9” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: concrete, slate.
Notes/Markings: Above the Longitudinal section of the plan there is a printed note that reads,“CRYPT ….1 and 3 are Vacant. CRYPT….2 contains the remains of MARY KRAFT MILLER.” The bottom of the plan also notes that the grade line is to be established and that the concrete is reinforced.
Condition: Very good. There are small staple holes along the right side of the plan.
Scale: ½” = 1ft.
Details: SEE “G” IN THIS SERIES. This plan is also mostly handwritten making it much harder to read.
Size: 19.9” x 14”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: there are numerous marking and notes, but they are mostly unreadable as time has blurred the ink. There is a penciled-in note above the plans and below the white printed ink notes that is difficult to make out.
Condition: Very Good. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan and a fold line down the first quarter of the page.
Details: This blueprint outlines the base moulds, the cap moulds and the carving details. The joints are also shown on the main portion of the moulds. The carving is ornate with a floral-like element to it.
Size: 19” x 23.8”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very Good. There is some visible wear and tear along the edges but the plan itself is very clear and readable.
