Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 222-4111http://www.brooklynhistory.org/default/index.html
BobCat: This catalog enables you to search books, periodicals, and maps within the Brooklyn Historical Society's collections. Bobcat is a cooperative catalog hosted by NYU.
● Emma: use this to search for Archives, Manuscripts, Oral History,
Photography Collections, and Special Collections
● Online Image gallery: Use this to search for individual Photographs.
(718) 222-4111http://www.brooklynhistory.org/default/index.html
BobCat: This catalog enables you to search books, periodicals, and maps within the Brooklyn Historical Society's collections. Bobcat is a cooperative catalog hosted by NYU.
● Emma: use this to search for Archives, Manuscripts, Oral History,
Photography Collections, and Special Collections
● Online Image gallery: Use this to search for individual Photographs.
_Brooklyn land conveyance collection:
● Documents Brooklyn land transfers from the late 17th Century through to 1896. Organized by block, these abstracts show seller (grantor) and buyer (grantee)
information.
● Documents Brooklyn land transfers from the late 17th Century through to 1896. Organized by block, these abstracts show seller (grantor) and buyer (grantee)
information.
Census records:
● Ancestry: Access to more than 5 billion names in more than 4,000 genealogical
databases including Census Records, Passenger Lists and UK & Ireland records
(can be accessed for free from the BHS or a subscription can be purchased)
● The BHS also has Brooklyn census records on microfilm.
Brooklyn directories:
● City directories: Organized alphabetically by name, these directories are
organized like phone books, but list addresses. Sometimes other information
such as occupation and work address is included.
● Elite Directories”: Their collection of these directories run from 1873 to 1913.
These are particularly helpful when trying to find the social history of a particular building. Once you know all of the addresses a particular place might have
had, you can consult the elite directories to find out who was living there.
● Blue Books: These are a collection of social directories. They do have a "by
address"search in the back of the book, which is helpful when trying to discover
who might have lived at a particular address.
● Ancestry: Access to more than 5 billion names in more than 4,000 genealogical
databases including Census Records, Passenger Lists and UK & Ireland records
(can be accessed for free from the BHS or a subscription can be purchased)
● The BHS also has Brooklyn census records on microfilm.
Brooklyn directories:
● City directories: Organized alphabetically by name, these directories are
organized like phone books, but list addresses. Sometimes other information
such as occupation and work address is included.
● Elite Directories”: Their collection of these directories run from 1873 to 1913.
These are particularly helpful when trying to find the social history of a particular building. Once you know all of the addresses a particular place might have
had, you can consult the elite directories to find out who was living there.
● Blue Books: These are a collection of social directories. They do have a "by
address"search in the back of the book, which is helpful when trying to discover
who might have lived at a particular address.
_Historical atlases:
● Spanning the years 1846-1932, the atlases included in the collection were
generated for various purposes, i.e., for insurance purposes, for use by real
estate brokers and/or lawyers, for the mapping of farm lines, or for the use
of government officials.The intended purpose of each atlas reflects which
features of the surveyed area are emphasized.
● Spanning the years 1846-1932, the atlases included in the collection were
generated for various purposes, i.e., for insurance purposes, for use by real
estate brokers and/or lawyers, for the mapping of farm lines, or for the use
of government officials.The intended purpose of each atlas reflects which
features of the surveyed area are emphasized.
Landmark reports:
● If your building is within a landmarked neighborhood, you will want to
consult the report published by the NYC Landmarks Preservation
Commission.
● If your building is within a landmarked neighborhood, you will want to
consult the report published by the NYC Landmarks Preservation
Commission.