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
Details: This document contains all the labor estimates, materials, and plans for the mausoleum. It also includes the dimensions of the mausoleum and how it will be constructed, as well as the specifics required by the mausoleum owner.
Size: 8” x 13”
Drawing Material: Typewritten on bond paper.
Materials Noted: Concrete, granite, stone, cement, marble, slate and bronze.
Notes/Markings: Approval stamp and signature of Green-Wood on every page.
Condition: Very good. All clear, no rips or tears.
Details: This letter was written by the architect and builder to the cemetery regarding the sending of the finished building to Green-Wood as it has already been completed in their Barre workshop.
Size: 8.5” x 11”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: An "Answered" stamp by Green-Wood is at the bottom of the letter.
Condition: Very good. The letter only has a stamp hole on the top right corner.
Scale: ¾” = 1'
Details: This blueprint shows the front of the mausoleum with three stairs leading up to the double doors that lead inside the mausoleum. There are four columns, two on either side of the doors. The doors are ornate with bronze grille work and a handle on each door. The roof is made up of flat slabs. The mausoleum name, RICHARD HYDE, is written in block letters above the door in a frieze.
Size: 16.8” x 19.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There is minor visible wear and tear with a fold line along the center of the page.
Details: This blueprint outlines the entire layout of the mausoleum from a birds-eye view. From the entrance way there are the tops of two columns visible either side of the front door. The inside of the mausoleum has a granite floor and is split into three long rectangles with a wall around the inner mausoleum and outside.
Size: 16.8” x 19.4”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Granite
Condition: Good. There is a large amount of visible wear and tear around the edges with deep fold lines outline a square fold in the blueprint.
Scale: ¾” = 1'
Details: From this view the side wall and sides of two of the columns are visible. Steps up to the base of the columns and entrance way are also noted. There are four vents shown - two on the bottom of the mausoleum and two on the top of the mausoleum. Large slabs for the roof are also noted.
Size: 16.8” x 19.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Silver
Notes/Markings: At the base of the roof is a note written in: “GERMAN SILVER COVERS ON RAISED JOINTS.”
Condition: Very good. Minor wear and tear around the edges of the plan. There is one visible fold line.
Scale: ¾” = 1'
Details: This plan is the back view of the mausoleum with two of the columns visible on each side on the top of the second step. The roof is flat with a smaller slab on the top of a larger one.
Size: 16.4” x 19.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. Very minor wear and tear around the edges. There is a deep fold along the horizontal line of the page. The back of the blueprint has tape over the fold line.
Scale: ¾” = 1"
Details: This blueprint shows the side of the inner and outer mausoleum. The left side of the plan has two steps leading up to the entrance way of the mausoleum. There is a Roman Doric style column shown in front of the doorway. Inside the mausoleum are three crypts each with two rosettes on either end. The floor of the mausoleum is pitched and there is a drain on the floor of the front part of the mausoleum.
Size: 16.7” x 19.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: The bottom crypt has a note that reads, “Hole 1 ⅛” to receive rosette.” The floor of the mausoleum has a note that reads: “floor pitched to ¼” to front.”
Condition: Very good.
Scale: ¾” = 1'
Details: The blueprint notes the base of a bronze statue on the left side with the bronze rod at the top, running from the ceiling to the base of the roof. Each side of the mausoleum contains three equal sized squares. The outline of the wall shaping the mausoleum is also present. Four vents are also shown.
Size: 16.5” x 19.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Bronze
Condition: Very good. Minor wear and tear around the edges of the plan.
Scale: ¾” = 1'
Details: This is the plan that was included with the letter in “B” of this series. It is split into 3 sections, laying out different foundation areas for the mausoleum. It is very faded and hard to read.
Size: 26” x 21.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Fair. The plan is very hard to read as it has faded greatly over time. There are deep fold lines in the paper - folding the paper into sixths.