Solving History Mysteries with the Municipal Archives
Do you have a history mystery? We all have questions about who was where when, but Googling only gets you so far. If you want to dig into real history, you need to tap into the 400 years of City history found in the collections of the NYC Municipal Archives.
We’ve lured long-time archivist Kenneth Cobb to the Upper West Side to help us do just that. Using a bit of techno-wizardry, he’ll guide us along secret passageways leading to fascinating records that go back to the first Dutch settlers in the 1600s; the Almshouse Ledgers from Blackwell’s Island; two centuries of mayoral papers; “Bodies in Transit” (pretty much what that sounds like); millions of birth, death and marriage certificates; photos of every house and building in the City dating from 1940; crime scene photos; maps, blueprints, videos, sound recordings; the architectural plans for construction of Central Park – the paths of discovery are practically endless!
Whether you’re doing a deep dive into family history, would like to find out more about your home, neighborhood or city, or simply enjoy seeing what a master researcher can conjure up, this will be a truly enjoyable evening of exploration–and who knows, we may even solve a mystery or two!
Speaker Kenneth R. Cobb has been associated with the NYC Municipal Archives in the Department of Records & Information Services (DORIS) for more than 40 years. Mr. Cobb served as Director of the Municipal Archives from 1990 to 2005, when he was appointed Assistant Commissioner at DORIS. The Municipal Archives is one of the largest archival repositories in North America, housing more than 225,000 cubic feet of world-class historical records dating back to the 1600s. A native of Poughkeepsie, New York, Mr. Cobb received an M.A. in American History at Columbia University.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VENUE IS NOT FULLY ACCESSIBLE: THERE IS ONE FLIGHT OF STAIRS DOWN TO THE SPACE. OUR APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE!
Where: Landmark West!
45 W. 67th St.
212-496-8110 Price: $10-15
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Do you have a history mystery? We all have questions about who was where when, but Googling only gets you so far. If you want to dig into real history, you need to tap into the 400 years of City history found in the collections of the NYC Municipal Archives.
We’ve lured long-time archivist Kenneth Cobb to the Upper West Side to help us do just that. Using a bit of techno-wizardry, he’ll guide us along secret passageways leading to fascinating records that go back to the first Dutch settlers in the 1600s; the Almshouse Ledgers from Blackwell’s Island; two centuries of mayoral papers; “Bodies in Transit” (pretty much what that sounds like); millions of birth, death and marriage certificates; photos of every house and building in the City dating from 1940; crime scene photos; maps, blueprints, videos, sound recordings; the architectural plans for construction of Central Park – the paths of discovery are practically endless!
Whether you’re doing a deep dive into family history, would like to find out more about your home, neighborhood or city, or simply enjoy seeing what a master researcher can conjure up, this will be a truly enjoyable evening of exploration–and who knows, we may even solve a mystery or two!
Speaker Kenneth R. Cobb has been associated with the NYC Municipal Archives in the Department of Records & Information Services (DORIS) for more than 40 years. Mr. Cobb served as Director of the Municipal Archives from 1990 to 2005, when he was appointed Assistant Commissioner at DORIS. The Municipal Archives is one of the largest archival repositories in North America, housing more than 225,000 cubic feet of world-class historical records dating back to the 1600s. A native of Poughkeepsie, New York, Mr. Cobb received an M.A. in American History at Columbia University.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VENUE IS NOT FULLY ACCESSIBLE: THERE IS ONE FLIGHT OF STAIRS DOWN TO THE SPACE. OUR APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE!
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