The New York Historical Society: Mapping the Cultural Evolution of Washington Square Park

Exploring History, Literature, Art and Social Relations in the Village

The New York Historical Society stands as an invaluable resource for New York City history, art, literature and material culture. Mr. Edward O’Reilly, Manuscript Reference Librarian and Mr. Eric Robinson gathered rare and historically significant maps, manuscripts and exhibition catalogues that shed insight onto Washington Square Park’s diverse cultural history. Mr. Robinson shared with us an antiquated projected map of Greenwich Village during its earliest days and related the parks early American ephemera with Peter Warren’s land grant and ownership of the park’s property. The New York Historical Society’s archive of private papers is extensive and prominent around the world. Mr. Robinson explained that along with exclusive selections of Mr. Peter Warren’s papers the Library also own countless first account diaries that talk about everything going in and around the park, from it’s inception as a burial ground during the yellow fever epidemic until the present. Both Mr. Robinson and Mr. O’Reilly spoke pointedly about the breadth and high quality of objects, maps, paintings and prints in the library’s Department of Prints, Art and Architecture. In addition, the Historical Society’s collection of ephemera relating to social and environmental activism in and around the park is extensive and rich with documented conservation efforts from the likes of Shirley Hayes. I remained after and worked with Mr. Robinson on mapping a research plan for my two distinct but nonetheless creatively inspiring interests: Victorian era fashion of Washington Square Park and a study of the theory and aesthetics of Abstract Expressionists. Mr. Robinson was extremely helpful in articulating what resources would be most fruitful in dynamically inspiring a novel work either in painting, garment design or prose. Eric pointed me to a very special collection of fashion trade cards and items of related material culture in New York City from the Winterthur Decorative Arts Collection in Delaware. The New York Historical Society houses the entire collection on microfilm and I look forward to using this resource along with many of the other cultural treasures to support my research and to breathe the dynamic spirit of Washington Square into my project.