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: This plan shows the general dimensions of the mausoleum: 12’ wide from side to side by 19’7” long from front to rear. The width of the walls and the width and length of the catacombs are also provided. The ground line is noted on either side of the building.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: In the title block: “Volkening Order No. 2715 / Stock Concord.” Written in pencil on the reverse are the notes “Volkening,” “30687/88,” and a series of numbers in three columns.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes on the left and tears along the left, top, and bottom edges. Approximately 7 inches is missing from the right side. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: The front of the mausoleum contains two bronze doors with grille work above the door handles and carvings below. The doors are framed by two Doric columns resting on one step. “VOLKENING” is cut into the architrave above the door, and a sunburst design is above the name. Two intricate reliefs are cut into the frieze, and the pediment contains carvings of palm fronds. The surface of the building is rusticated. The general size of the mausoleum, in addition to listing the width and length noted in Item A, notes the height as 16’.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: In the title block: “Volkening Order No. 2715 / Stock Concord.” Contains the stamp and signature of approval of Green-Wood Superintendent W. C. Grassau in the lower right corner.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes on the left side and tears along the top and bottom edges. The lower left corner and entire right edge of the plan are folded over. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This drawing shows the rusticated left side of the mausoleum with a window measuring 2’x 3’11” near the front of the structure. According to the specifications document, there are two stained glass windows – one on each side of the mausoleum.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: See Item B in this series.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes along the left edge and tears along the bottom, right, and top edges. The lower left corner and entire right edge of the plan are folded over. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This drawing shows the rusticated rear elevation.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: See Item B in this series.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes along the left edge and tears along the bottom and right edges. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1”= 1’
Details: This section shows the back half of the mausoleum where the catacombs are located. There are 15 catacombs (five rows of three), each measuring 2’8” wide x 2’2” high. The base of the walls are 1’4” thick, and the remainder of the walls measure 1’ thick.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: See Item B in this series.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes along the left edge and tears along the bottom, right, and top edges. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This drawing outlines the catacombs on the left and the vestibule (with window) and entrance on the right. The height of the doors is 6’10” and the Doric columns are to be “round and polished.”
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Notes/Markings: See Item B in this series.
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes along the left edge and tears along the bottom and right edges. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Scale: 1” = 1’
Details: This plan provides an aerial view of the mausoleum. The width of each catacomb is 2’8” and they are 7’6” long. The windows are 2’ wide. Each floor panel (3 total) within the vestibule is 9’ wide and 7’6” long. The general dimensions for the mausoleum are noted, as are the measurements for the columns and the entryway.
Size:
Drawing Material: Blueprint.
Materials Noted: Marble, granite
Notes/Markings: See Item B in this series. Written in black ink within the vestibule is a schedule: “Floor 2 in thick / Wainscot, Tablets 1 ¼ in / Ceilings 1 ½ in / All marble not less than 1 ¼” / Granite walls 1 ft.” On the reverse, written in pencil, is the note, “30687/30688.”
Condition: Embrittled throughout with staple and brad holes along the left edge and tears along the bottom, right, and top edges. Pieces are missing from the lower left corner. Encapsulated in Mylar.
Details: 5 pages long, including a cover page with “Estate of Bertha Volkening” signed in black ink. This document discusses the general conditions and dimensions of the mausoleum, along with notes on the foundation, granite, interior, bronze, and windows.
Size: 8.5” x 13”
Drawing Material: Typewritten on bond paper.
Materials Noted: Granite, slate, marble, light veined Italian marble, bronze, stained glass, plate glass.
Notes/Markings: Each page contains the stamped and signed approval by W. C. Grassau, Green-Wood Superintendent, on March 11, 1909.
Condition: Staple and brad holes are visible at the top of each page. The cover page is discolored and smudged; each page contains crease lines from being folded in quarters.
