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 covers the general conditions that the contractor will provide, including materials and labor. The specifications discuss the foundation, front, roof, and floor of building. The document also covers the interior of the mausoleum and will have twenty (20) catacombs.
Size: 8” x 13”
Drawing Material: Tracing paper for typing
Materials Noted: Stone, cement, granite, marble, glass, and bronze.
Notes/Markings: The bottom of page 4 describes the floor of the building. There is a line crossed out referring to the use of granite. It is replaced in black ink with the words, “marble mosaic set on blue stone glaze 3.”
Condition: The specifications themselves are very good. There are folds along the corners of the documents and there is a hole at the top left of the plan where it looks like the staple of pin that held the pages together has been removed or fallen out.
Scale: ¾” = 1’
Details: There are four steps that lead up to the entrance of the building itself. There are three Corinthian-style columns on each side of the entrance way. There are two doors made of bronze. The doors have grilles with glass shutters in the bronze frame. Above the doors is a glass arch. The first part of the roof has the mausoleum name on it in block letters reading “CHARLES FELTMAN.” Above this is a decorative frieze which has two carved winged figures with a circle that has an “F” inside it. Above the “F” is a large decorative goblet. The peaked roof has a dome atop it with two urns on either side of the dome. The domes have three visible columns and a window. The dome itself leads to a granite figure of an angel. The measurement of the angel is 7ft high.
Size: 23.5” x 35”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: “Window” is written in the dome
Condition: Very good. There is visible wear and tear along the bottom of the plan with tear marks and a small chunk missing, but that does not affect the plan at all.
Details: This plan shows the entrance stairway inside the front doors with the columns laid out. Moving further inward are group pedestals and polished floors. Towards the back of the mausoleum are two thick granite piers with four equal sized rectangles.
Size: 23.5” x 34.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Granite and marble.
Notes/Markings: Handwritten in the center of the plan is “marble mosaic” and “Marble mosaic floor to be selected by purchaser.” It is signed by the architect.
Condition: Very good. Slightly faded but not unreadable. There is visible wear and tear around the edges, but does not affect the plan itself. There are three staple holes along the top of the plan. There is a visible center fold line.
Details: This view from the side of the building notes the 20 catacombs as well as the blue stone mosaic floor. A stained glass window is also shown along with the roof leading up to the domed top of the mausoleum. The domed roof notes the three columns in it as well as the window and the top of the dome itself. Sides of two of the columns are visible.
Size: 23.5” x 34”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Stone and glass
Condition: Very good, but it is faded, especially along the bottom of the blueprint page. There is visible wear and tear along the edges, but nothing that directly affects the blueprint design itself.
Details: This representation of the mausoleum from right to left shows the stairs leading up to the entrance of the mausoleum with three Corinthian-style columns visible from the top stair up to the roof entrance. Inside, the mosaic floor is noted, as is the main area of this view which is broken down into 8 various sized blocks. Behind that are 5 equal sized rectangular blocks with a larger square area at the top. The domed roof with the two decorative urns is shown with columns and windows visible as well as the domed top of the roof. The very bottom of the plan shows the brick foundation and the far left side has a barely visible column.
Size: 23” x 34”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Glass, mosaic tile.
Condition: Good. There is a great deal of wear and tear along the left side of the plan with a portion of it torn away. The rest of the blueprint is in good condition. There is more slight wear and tear along the edges of the blueprint, but not affecting the plan. Three staple holes are visible along the top of the plan.
Details: Aerial view of the mausoleum.
Size: 24” x 34.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good.
Details: There is a thick base of cement blocks as the rear foundational part of the rear view. Four Corinthian-style columns are shown, as is the base of the roof which is peaked, leading up to the dome base and the dome itself. The dome is simply an outline of the shape with no detail given at all.
Size: 23.5” x 34.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. Faded with visible wear and tear but nothing that detracts from the blueprint diagram itself. The top right corner is very faded with a deep fold line.
Details: This plan shows the left side of the mausoleum. The statue, dome, five columns, and entry stairs are visible.
Drawing Materiat: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: Signed and approved in the lower right corner
