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: 1” = 1’
Details: The base of the mausoleum is of rougher masonry than the rest of the building, which is constructed in ashlar masonry. There is one step leading to the front of the building; two buttresses rest upon the step and frame the door. The lintel is carved with the name LONGMAN and intricate carvings on either side of the name extend down the buttresses. There is a solid pediment at the front.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Notes/Markings: The size of the mausoleum is 12’ wide by 20’ deep by 15’9” high.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: Most likely 1” = 1’
Details: This plan shows the left side of the mausoleum, with the rear of the building on the left side of the plan and the entrance on the right. The rough and ashlar masonry are visible, as is the carving on the left buttress. A window measuring 2’6” wide by 3’6” tall is cut in the center-right portion of the mausoleum; the top of the window aligns with the top of the buttress and bottom of the cornice at the front of the building. According to the specifications document, this is a stained glass window.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Notes/Markings: The length of the mausoleum, from front to rear, is 20’. A note in the roof reads “Pat. Mar. 10, 1903”.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: Most likely 1” = 1’
Details: The base is constructed of rough stone, and the rest of the building is smooth. The pediment is solid.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: Mostly likely 1” = 1’
Details: This plan shows five catacombs extending from the center of the mausoleum to the rear, each stacked on top of the other with 1 ½” shelves separating them. Dimensions are provided for the roof and walls. A window with a decorative frame is drawn in the front half of the mausoleum.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: Most likely 1” = 1’
Details: The interior of this mausoleum contains fifteen catacombs (3 columns of 5). Each one measures 2’2”. Measurements are provided for the floor, height of the catacombs, walls, roof, and air space.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Materials Noted: Wainscot.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: Most likely 1” = 1’
Details: This plan provides an aerial view of the mausoleum. The three columns of catacombs are shown on the left side and the entrance space with two symmetrically-placed windows is on the right. Measurements are provided for the width of the walls, space between catacombs, width of windows, width of door and entrance, length of entrance space, and length of mausoleum.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Condition: Good. Staple and brad holes are visible on the left side where it had been bound with other drawings.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This drawing shows the fifteen catacombs within the mausoleum. Five of them have the names and death dates of those interred and one contains handwritten notes in pencil.
Drawing Material: Black ink on linen with penciled notations added later.
Notes/Markings: “Drawn by J.L.M.” The penciled notation reads, “Exact size 7’5” x 32” x 6” / Max size box 7’x 91” x 25”.”
Condition: Good. Slight discoloration throughout.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This is a copy of Item G, without the penciled notations.
Drawing Material: Blueprint reproduction on paper.
Notes/Markings: “Drawn by J.L.M.”
Condition: Good.
Details: Typewritten in standard form document; discusses general conditions, dimensions, materials, and ornamental additions.
Drawing Material: Typewritten on thin paper.
Materials Noted: Light granite, stone, slate, marble, fine light veined marble, stained glass, bronze, plate glass.
Notes/Markings: Handwritten in pencil on the first page is the note, “4th Copy / Longman / C.E.T. 3/1/05” and the first page contains “Walter Longman” written in cursive in black ink.
Condition: Good. Two metal brads and embrittled paper were removed, leaving holes at the top of each page.
