These are the links we looked at:
Office for Metropolitan History
These we didn’t, so here’s an explanation (which relates to your page of notes from Tuesday):
Conveyance records locations – locations of conveyance records – one for each of the boroughs.
ACRIS – This is the Finance Department’s on-line database of deeds/mortgages. It’s backloaded but certainly not to the 19th century. Click on the link, then from the home page click on “Find addresses and Parcels” – this is where you can get the Block and Lot number of the site you’re about to research. Enter the address for 488 Madison Avenue (Manhattan) (the Look Building) to get the Block and Lot number. Then, in the box below, click “Find BBL” (“Find Block and Lot”). (This page will also do the reverse – enter the B/L and get the address.) Once you have the Block and Lot number, go back to the home page by clicking “Main Options.” Now click “Search Property Records.” Then click “Parcel Identifier.” Enter the Borough, Block and Lot in the appropriate boxes. Leave date range blank, leave “document class” as “all document classes.” Now click “Search.” Up will come a page of material, with 10 listings. Find the box that lets you see “Max Rows” and change “10” to “99”. Choose any entry that looks interesting, and click on “DET” for a detailed listing. Go back to the 99 rows, and instead of clicking “DET” click on “IMG” – and up will pop a scan of the document in question. Then try this on your own building or apartment. A lot of information you thought was private is actually public.
PLUTO – This is the site for “Bytes of the Big Apple.” Click on the link to go to the main page. At the top click on “Maps & Geography.” Click on “NYC street maps” – then under the map click on “Launch NYC street map.” Explore. Then go back to the prior page, and in the side menu click on “NYC & Borough Base Maps.” Click on anything that looks interesting. Explore the rest of the site at your leisure….
Brooklyn Historical Society – this is an alternate location for Brooklyn conveyance records.
ProQuest – this we will look at next Thursday – it requires either a subscription, a visit to the library, or a NYC public library card (though unclear how much of it is available via library card). ProQuest is a service that started by scanning the entire run of the New York Times from 1851 to date, and making it searchable; it has since expanded to thousands of publications, PhD dissertations, books, and all kinds of other things – absolutely invaluable.
Brooklyn Eagle on-line (the site also includes two more Brooklyn newspapers) – This is a site that focuses on the Brooklyn Eagle, but only to a certain date.
Fulton History – on-line newspapers – this one is amazing – covers millions of pages of newspapers throughout New York State, including ones long closed that aren’t included in ProQuest (e.g., the New York Sun) plus obscure local papers (like “The Wave” – a newspaper for the Rockaways). A clunky search engine, but invaluable. We will look at next Tuesday.
Library of Congress – Chronicling America – historic newspapers – this is a national newspaper database.
The rest of these are pretty much self-explanatory – go explore!
New York Public Library:
Main catalog – what it sounds like.
Local history and genealogy room – the web site for this fabulous resource on local history
Research Borrowing Programs – a site recommended by one of our number Thursday evening, about additional borrowing programs
Other:
New-York Historical Society library – extensive library and “print room” (more of a rare book and image collection)
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society – excellent resource, especially if you’re a member
Jewish Genealogical Society – an extraordinary site, including material that relates to all genealogical records, not just the particularly Jewish sources
American Family Immigration History Center – at Ellis Island
Ancestry.com – a subscription site, but available at the public library (the big research libraries). I found my grandfather’s draft card on this site!
Genealogy resource guide – exactly what it sounds like
Brooklyn History Collection at the Brooklyn Public Library – a collection worth checking for any Brooklyn research
Bronx Historical Society – ditto for Bronx research
LaGuardia Community College archive – Queens interest, and LaGuardia (the Mayor) interest
Queens Collection (Jamaica branch, Queens public library) – fabulous Queens archive, amazing what you can find there
Queens Historical Society – worth a look
Staten Island Historical Society – essential for Staten Island