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
There are two documents, exact duplicates, that are stapled together.
Details: This document contains all the information regarding the construction and materials of the mausoleum. The document is not dated, nor is it signed or approved by the architect or Green-Wood.
Size: 9” x 14”
Drawing Material: Specifications Document
Materials Noted: Concrete, granite, slate, marble, bronze, glass
Condition: Good. The cover pages of both specifications documents are faded and dirty, the content however is in excellent condition.
Scale: ¾”
Details: This blueprint shows the front entrance to the mausoleum. There are three steps leading up to the front door. There are two Greek Ionic style columns flanking the front doors. The double doors each have a large cross engraved on them. The mausoleum family name is engraved into the lintel, “PONVERT” (large capital letters). Two columns in the Roman Tuscan style are shown on the sides of the mausoleum going from the base of the steps to the bottom of the roof. The roof is peaked and made up of three stones meeting at a point. The stones that make up the mausoleum walls are shown too, with the measurements of each are written down the right side of the plan.
Size: 14.7” x 23.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are three staple holes along the top of the plan.
Drawing is a duplicate of Item B in this series.
Size: 14.7” x 23.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Good. More faded and showing wear and tear unlike “B” in this series. There is also a visible fold on the lower left corner of the plan.
Details: This outline shows how the mausoleum will be laid out according to the architect. Two column tops flanking the front doorway are visible. Inside, the mausoleum is divided into 7 rectangles, two on each side of the wall. The middle is divided into three. There are “slate rests” in the middle of either side. The outer wall of the mausoleum is also shown with a shaded pattern.
Size: 14.5” x 23”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Slate
Notes/Marking: The bottom right corner of the plan has a note in orange pencil that reads: “Front line 3’ 6” in from path & 2 ft. above ‘K’ on Survey.”
Condition: Very good. Some minor wear and tear along the edges with a visible fold on the bottom left corner. There are staple holes along the top of the plan.
Details: This view outlines the grade line for the foundation as well as brickwork for the side wall of the mausoleum. sOne column is shown at the entrance on the base of the doorway. The side view of the roof is also drawn. There are two vents on the ceiling of the inner mausoleum. Another vent is shown on the side wall.
Size: 23.5” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: In orange pencil the grade line is highlighted with a handwritten note next to the inner vent that says, “vent moving up.” In lead pencil there are drawn in boxes where the foundation would be to give it an outline and depth.
Condition: Good. The blueprint itself is in very good condition. There is visible wear and tear around the edges of the paper, with some minor tears in the paper.
Drawing is a duplicate of Item E in this series. The only differens is there are no pencil markings on this blueprint.
Size: 23.5” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There is some fading along the right side of the plan and there are staple holes along the right side.
Duplicates of Items E and F in this series.
Size: 23.5” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the right side of the plan and some wear and tear along the bottom of the plan.
Details: The foundation section and the entrance way above it are outlined here. The foundation is marked in an arch of concrete with concrete pillars below ground for the sides of the mausoleum. The above-ground part of the mausoleum is outlined with 4 squares (possible catacombs?) on each side of the wall with a ceiling of 1 ½” thick and vents are marked. The peaked roof is also shown.
Size: 14.3” x 23”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: Some handwritten measurements are in the foundation part of the plan.
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the top of the plan.
Duplicate of Item H in this series.
Size: 14.3” x 23”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. Staple holes along the top of the plan.
Dupicate of Item D in this series.
Size: 15.8” x 23”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. Staple holes along the top of the plan.
Details: This plan shows 8 above-ground catacombs, each with two rosettes on the side. The floor is marble and there are vents at the base of the ceiling. There is a visible column at the entrance way and the concrete foundation is outlined.
Size: 23” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Marble, concrete
Condition: Very good. There is visible wear and tear along the top of the pan, with tears and a small portion missing. There are staple holes along the right side of the plan.
Duplicate of Item K in this series.
Size: 23” x 15.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the right side of the plan.
Details: Divided into two parts, both of which are very faded, and the lower plan is missing half along its right side. The top part notes the raise of the floor above the foundation platform, the lower plan seems to outline the steps and grade of the floor level. The outside wall of the building is also noted on the top plan.
Size: 22.3” (at its widest point) x 26” (at its longest point)
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Fair. Plan is very faded and the lower half is missing. It is not the easiest plan to read.
