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: ¾” = 1ft.
Details: This view outlines the front of the mausoleum and the entrance. There is one step to the doorway. The family name is written above the doorway on the lintel below the roof in thick, capital letters. The roof is peak and made up of three separate slabs. There are decorative carvings with a curled motif on either side of the doorway.
Size: 18.4” x 16.4”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very Good. There is visible wear and tear along the edges of the plan, but this does not affect the readability at all. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan.
Scale: ¾” = 1ft.
Details: This blueprint shows the foundation layout of the mausoleum from the front to the back.
Size: 18” (at its widest) x 22” at its highest)
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Notes/Markings: In much lighter white ink is a handwritten note that reads: “Note: Lot is supposed to be level.”
Condition: Very Good. There is visible wear and tear around the edges with the edges being uneven. There are some rips and two large holes along the top.
Date: July 20, 1904 (Patent date March 18, 1903 as per blueprint)
Details: This shows the side view of the mausoleum with the outer wall slabs. The flat roof is also shown, as is the first step up to the entrance.
Size: 18.8” x 16.5”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very Good. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan and some minor wear and tear around the edges.
Details: The rear of the mausoleum is outlined here with the slabs of concrete making up the back wall. There is a peaked roof made up of 3 separate slabs. There is a window outline in the back center of the wall.
Size: 18.5” x 16.4”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan.
Details: This general plan outlines the basic layout of the inner mausoleum. From the entrance way the wall that makes up the mausoleum is noted with striped lines. The inside is split into three rectangle shapes with the center one divided into 3 squares. The back window is also noted. Two drains are drawn in on either side of the doorway.
Size: 18” x 16.2”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Granite.
Condition: Very Good. There is minor wear and tear around the edges and staples holes along the left side of the plan.
Details: The foundation blocks are shown up to the floor of the mausoleum with the outer wall of the building also outlined, including the peaked roof. This sectional view also shows the inside of the mausoleum with 4 squares on either side as well as the outline of the back window. A hangar from the ceiling up to the roof is also shown.
Size: 18.4” x 16.8”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Condition: Very good. There are staple holes along the left side of the plan.
Details: The left side of the plan shows the entrance way above the foundation, with a view of a decorative carving. Through the doorway the view of 4 catacombs is outlined. Each has a marble rosette on either end. From the ceiling of the mausoleum up to the roof is a hangar and above that the roof. The back of mausoleum shows the window opening and below that a thing column-like hangar below the window from the floor. There is a drain noted at the front of the mausoleum, going down into the foundation wall.
Size: 18.5” x 16.7”
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Marble
Notes/Markings: The bottom of the plan has a note above the foundation but below the floor of the mausoleum, “floor at front to set ⅜” lower than at back.”
Condition: Very good. There is minor fading along the right side of the plan and the left side has staple holes down the side.
Scale: 1” = 1ft.
Details: For General Plan, Longitudinal Plan and Transverse Sections, see Items E,F & G in this series.
The only differences in the above blueprints is that this entire blueprint is about the laying of the marble and slate in the mausoleum. The plans include a detailed breakdown for the “Fine Light Italian” Marble Schedule which includes notes on measurements and placement of each piece of slate and marble. The number of pieces needed for each are is also noted. The Slate Schedule is also detailed in the same way, only there is a diagram which notes where the slate is to be polished and rounded. The top right-hand plan on the blueprint is a detailed look at the make-up of the rosettes and how they will be attached. This diagram includes the screws to be used.
Size: 34.4” (at its widest) x 21.2” (at its highest)
Drawing Material: Blueprint
Materials Noted: Slate, marble, glass, granite & bronze
Notes/Markings: All the various notes about the slate and marble schedule. Also, notes around the rosette design.
Condition: Very good. There is minimal wear and tear around the edges with some visible rips in the top left-hand corner of the plan.
