Observation of Library/Archive

The time frame that my research is generally within is between the 1920s and 1960s. A number of my primary sources are maps and texts, such as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper archives; and many other secondary sources are also maps and text, such as articles found online. The Robert Moses website will provide many of the leads for locating governmental agencies involved in the city planning, finding documents and recorded information, and understanding political motives. The focus of my research is on Hudson Avenue, particularly the motive behind the urban renewal that caused it to be altered from the original construction. The context of my research is aimed at the point where Hudson Avenue intersects York Street. There were many major technological developments during the 1920s and 1960s, such as the radio and automobile. Aerial photography was used in surveying the landscape of Brooklyn. This timeframe also was just after World War I and enveloped World War II, which played a major role in the industry and urbanization of Brooklyn. The Navy Yard was utilized primarily for the wartime efforts. This also played a major role in the development of Vinegar Hill. Robert Moses and Mayor Laguardia, along with other influential agencies, played an important role in the development of Brooklyn and the relationships with nearby localities. There are many documents that can be retrieved from archives or online from governmental public records that can assist me with my research project. Knowing and understanding the contexts (primarily political and economic) for all of the urban development and renewal is a major aspect of truly capturing the accuracy of my research project.

2 thoughts on “Observation of Library/Archive

  1. Nora Almeida

    This historical context is key. Development in technology (like the automobile) likely had a significant impact on the infrastructure of Vinegar Hill and the surrounding area, which changed dramatically to accommodate the BQE and public housing projects. The Robert Moses papers and Laguardia papers (http://archives.nypl.org/mss/1673) will likely offer insight into some of the important NYC agencies that played a role in shaping Vinegar Hill and who also collected information that may be useful for delving deeper into this time period.

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