Researching Genealogy & Local History in the Bronx's "Little Italy": A
Guide
The New York City Municipal Archives
The Municipal Archives preserves historical government records from 1645
onwards. The resources housed within the collections include vital records,
directories, court records, photograph collections, and architectural
drawings.
Located at 31 Chambers St #103, New York, NY, 10007
For information on
using the Municipal Archives, see
the New York City Records and Information Services website.
Photograph collections: tax photographs depicting every NYC property in
1940.
If you know your block and lot numbers: Type “block=Block# AND
lot=Lot#” into the search bar and press search (eg. block=118 AND lot=8). To
find your block and lot, use NYCityMap or search by address (which will only
work if the address has not changed).
Photograph collections: tax photographs depicting every NYC property in
1980. Photos originally shot as single frames from Laser Video Disks (LVDs).
The BCHS Research Library holds the Bronx County Archives, which "contain
original documents, manuscripts, books, maps and city directories going back
to pre-Civil War days, covering not only Bronx history but also the history
of New York City and Westchester County. The Bronx County Archives is
located next door to the Research Library building. The Research Library and
Archives also boast an enormous collection of 19th and early 20th century
photographs, prints and postcards of The Bronx. The historic images include
75,000 photographs and slides, 4,000 glass negatives and 1,500 postcards and
stereocards."
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Use of the Research Library is by appointment only on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays from 8:30AM to 3:30PM.
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Email librarian@bronxhistoricalsociety.org or call 718.881.8900 x 105
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General research work at the library is $10 per person, per day.
Students and BCHS members do not have to pay a fee.
- Located at 3309 Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx NY, 10467
The New York Historical Society holds print collections of books, pamphlets,
maps, atlases, newspapers, and more. It also holds photographs, ephemera,
family papers, business records, and other materials that may help bring
texture to your research. Located at 170 Central Park West at Richard Gilder
Way (77th Street), New York, NY, 10024. For information on conducting
research with the New York Historical Society's collection,
visit their guide.
The New York Public Library
The Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History
and Genealogy collects publications documenting American history on the
national, state, and local levels, including extensive holdings on New York
City history. The Division has a renowned collection of family histories and
other genealogical collections, with a particular focus on the New York
region. Included in the collections are published works from the New York
Genealogical and Biographical Society library, photographs, vertical files,
postcards, and other visual ephemera.
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Some resources are available in-person that are not available online.
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Located within the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 476 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10018, on the first floor in room 121
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Regular hours are held Monday through Saturday and are listed
on the library's website.
To learn more about what is available on-site at the Milstein Division,
visit the
Library's guide to conducting research.
The Museum of the City of New York
The Museum holds over 750,000 objects in
its collection,
and continues to catalog newly obtained items. The digital collection
features over 5,200 images and objects from the Bronx.
- The Museum's digitized collection can be found online.
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Located at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St. and open daily from 10am-6pm
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For information on conducting research on-site at the Museum, refer to
the
Research Policy.