New York City Watershed Proceedings, 1877-1917
Series 252
35 v. Arranged by watershed. View box and folder list alphabetically or by volume.
Transcripts of court proceedings dealing with lands to be acquired from Westchester and Putnam Counties for a clean water supply via reservoirs and aqueducts for the City of New York, including the Kensico Reservoir, Cornell Dam, and Croton Aqueduct. Proceedings also dealt with sanitary protection of the water supply for Mount Kisco Reservoir and “Reservoir A” in Somers. Volumes originally belonged to the Department of Public Works of the City of New York.
New York State Laws, 1813-1815, 1850, 1899-1900, 1939
Series 329
6 v. Arranged chronologically.
Laws of the State of New York for a few legislative sessions, plus New York State Justices' Manual that contains most of the NY penal law and criminal code for 1939. The latter is useful for interpreting offenses listed in the Jail Blotter Book collection held by the Archives.
Peekskill Scrapbook, c.1920
Series 186
1 v. Arranged chronologically.
Newspaper articles, love poems, school information, political tracts and other Peekskill-related items mounted in a volume of the Proceedings of the Board of Legislators by an unknown resident of the town.
Pforzheimer Papers: Commission on Government, 1921-1956 (bulk 1934-1937)
Series 164
5.5 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, speeches, and clippings created and compiled by the Westchester County Commission on Government which, under the Chairmanship of Carl H. Pforzheimer, wrote the County's first Charter. Several folders contain material added by Mr. Pforzheimer after the dissolution of the Commission in 1938. The bulk of the records reflect the deliberations of the Commission and provide much information about the thinking that went into the making of the Charter. In addition, the records provide an excellent overview of the state of the County--its schools, transportation facilities, police and fire departments, water supply, local governments, county government, etc.--in the mid- and late-1930s.
Related records: Series 302, Board of Supervisors: Records of Commission on Government, 1926-1937 (bulk 1936-1937); Series 303, Elizabeth Shepard Lough Papers: Commission on Government, 1914-1937 (bulk 1934-1936)
Pforzheimer Papers: Harrison-Purchase Citizen Committees, 1920-1952
Series 159
6 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Correspondence, memos, studies, charts and minutes gathered by Carl H. Pforzheimer during service on several Citizens Committees in the communities of Harrison and Purchase. The records include materials on zoning, planning, water supply, fire protection, welfare and social services, taxes, land valuation, and public health.
Related records: Series 158, Pforzheimer Papers: Purchase Property Owners Association, 1905- 1943.
Pforzheimer Papers: Joint Committee on Public Assistance, 1947-1952
Series 165
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically. View box and folder list.
Minutes, correspondence, pamphlets, press releases, surveys and clippings which document the Committee's efforts to analyze the causes of poverty and to encourage public support of Westchester County's public assistance programs. The records include discussions about budgets, particularly that of the Division of Family and Child Welfare. Also included are analyses of factors influencing individuals and families to seek public assistance, and comparisons of public relief efforts of communities outside of Westchester County. Records were collected by Carl H. Pforzheimer.
Related records: Series 160, Pforzheimer Papers: Westchester County Council of Social Agencies Records, 1933-1959; Series 173, Family and Child Welfare Division Reports, 1922- 1961.
Pforzheimer Papers: Miscellaneous Publications, 1921-1955
Series 162
2.5 cubic ft. Unarranged. View box and folder list.
Assorted publications, collected by Carl H. Pforzheimer, including directories of Social Agencies (1930s-1940s), directories of County officials (1930s), maps published by the Regional Plan of New York and Environs (1928), and other publications about Westchester County.
Pforzheimer Papers: Planning Commission, 1929-1956
Series 163
3.3 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Correspondence, memos, minutes and reports of the Commission. Carl H. Pforzheimer was the first Chairman of the Westchester County Planning Commission. His files discuss such topics as the County airport and land valuations. Also included are a number of annual reports (1939-1942), a detailed unpublished history of the early years of the Planning Department, and a comprehensive Planning Study (1934-1936) which surveyed land, aviation, electricity, history, population, health, housing, water supply, finances, police, and related topics in Westchester and its municipalities.
Related records: Series 22, Planning Board Minutes, 1939-1972.
Pforzheimer Papers: Purchase Free Library, 1924-1944
Series 157
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Correspondence and memos related primarily to the finances of the library. Carl H. Pforzheimer served as Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of the library.
Pforzheimer Papers: Purchase Property Owners Association, 1905-1951
Series 158
1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Minutes, correspondence and memos of the organization, a citizen's group which campaigned for and against various changes in the community. Carl H. Pforzheimer was an officer in the organization. The records include discussions of such issues as zoning regulations, fire protection, a proposed airport in the Purchase area, state aid to schools, and taxes.
Related records: Series 159, Pforzheimer Papers: Harrison-Purchase Records, 1920-1952.
Pforzheimer Papers: Westchester County Association, 1950-1952
Series 161
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Minutes and correspondence. Carl H. Pforzheimer was a director of the Association which was formed in 1950 by leaders of government, commerce, industry, labor, the press and the general public to study the impact of changes in Westchester County brought about by the influx of major corporations. The records contain data and recommendations on topics such as education, museums, civil defense, highways, transportation, and public works.
Pforzheimer Papers: Westchester County Council of Social Agencies, 1933-1959
Series 160
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Memos, correspondence, minutes and reports maintained by Carl H. Pforzheimer, who was a Director and Treasurer of the Council. The WCCSA was a voluntary organization of public and private health and welfare agencies which planned and coordinated their activities to increase efficiency. The Council was founded in 1921 and was a forerunner of the United Way of Westchester County.
Related records: Series 165, Pforzheimer Papers: Joint Committee on Public Assistance Records, 1947-1952.
Pforzheimer Papers: Westchester County Library System, 1936, 1939, 1945-1956
Series 156
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Memos, correspondence, booklets and feasibility studies compiled during a study of Westchester's libraries conducted under a Carnegie Foundation grant by a committee chaired by Carl H. Pforzheimer. The study proposed the development of an umbrella organization which is today the Westchester Library Association (WLA).
Research Articles Based on the Collections of the Westchester County Archives, 1987-2011
Series 298
1.25 cubic feet. Arranged chronologically. View box and folder list.
This collection of articles, resulting from research using the collections of the Westchester County Archives, or telling about such research, demonstrates the wide variety of subject matters covered by the Archives’ holdings. The topic of the research articles varies from the Bronx River Parkway and other historical sites and events in Westchester to Jean Harris and the Scarsdale murder case to a photograph of a construction site in 1913 used in a Japanese publication. Items that may be of interest to researchers are the Master Plan for Shoelace Park, iconic photographs used by Westchester Magazine, genealogical resources, invitations to the Lower Hudson Conference using signatures from the archives, and how a group of Eastchester students used archival records to fill in some gaps about their town’s history.
Sanborn Maps and Atlases Collection, 1887-1939 (gaps)
Series 316
18 v. Arranged geographically. View box and folder list.
Sanborn insurance maps and atlases for Bedford, Chappaqua, Greenburgh, Katonah, Mount Kisco, Mount Vernon and White Plains. For Sanborn maps for additional locations, check the collections of the Westchester County Historical Society.
WALDO: Miscellaneous Articles, Lists and Reports, 1981-1990 (bulk 1985-1990)
Series 196
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
News releases, reports, lists and a directory of the Westchester Academic Library Directors Organization (WALDO).
Related records: Series 194, WALDO: Narratives, Correspondence and General Meeting Minutes, 1983-1990; Series 195, WALDO: Subcommittee Files, 1987-1990.
WALDO: Narratives, Correspondence and General Meeting Minutes, 1983-1990
Series 194
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Correspondence, narratives, minutes, forms, contracts and by-laws of the Westchester Academic Library Directors Organization (WALDO). The records document the growth of the Organization and its development of an online cooperative catalog, PALS. The County Archives is an associate member of the consortium and maintains the organization's archives.
Related records: Series 195, WALDO: Subcommittee Files, 1987-1990; Series 196, WALDO: Miscellaneous Articles, Lists and Reports, 1981-1990.
WALDO: Subcommittee Files, 1987-1990
Series 195
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Minutes, correspondence, treasurer's reports and miscellaneous records of subcommittees of the Westchester Academic Library Directors Organization (WALDO). The records document issues of access, online database funding, search strategies and standardization.
Related records: Series 194, WALDO: Narratives, Correspondence and General Meeting Minutes, 1983-1990; Series 196, WALDO: Miscellaneous Articles, Lists and Reports, 1981- 1990.
Westchester 2000, 1971-1998
Series 275
2.33 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically (Task Force materials) and chronologically (reports). View box and folder list.
Westchester 2000 was a public and private partnership that was established between the Westchester County Association and the Westchester County Government in order to address the issues facing Westchester County as it entered the 21st century. Some of the issues covered include: government waste, economic development, housing, and education. The Westchester 2000 project reported its findings in numerous reports, which were made available to the public. The project ended with a series of recommendations for change that the project felt would help improve the quality of life in Westchester County for the year 2000 and beyond. The material collected in this series does not show whether these recommendations of the Westchester 2000 project were implemented and/or successful. Materials in this collection include: correspondence and minutes of various Westchester 2000 task forces, reports on governmental structures in Westchester County, drafts and appendixes to reports, several newsletters, and pamphlets.
Related Series: Series 281, Westchester 2000 -- Sal Prezioso Collection, 1957-1988; Series 305 Westchester 2000 Commission and Affliated Organizations, 1984-1995
Westchester 2000 -- Sal Prezioso Collection, 1957-1997 (bulk 1984-1988)
Series 281
13.67 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically in three sub-series. View full finding aid or box and folder list.
Westchester 2000 was a public and private partnership established in September 1983 between the Westchester County Government and the Westchester County Association. Its purpose was to address the issues it anticipated that Westchester County would face as it entered into the 21st century, including housing, economic development, arts, health and government. The entire initiative involved approximately 800 participants and lasted until August 1987, when the final report was released. The project ended with a series of recommendations for change that the project felt would help improve the quality of life in Westchester County for the year 2000 and beyond.
This collection contains the papers kept by Dr. Sal Prezioso, who was appointed the head of Westchester 2000 in February 1986. The materials are organized into three sub-series: County/Town/Village Task Forces, Westchester 2000 itself, and the five ensuing commissions including the Advisory Board of Intergovernmental Relations, Education Consortium and the Charter Revision Commission.
Related records: Series 305 Westchester 2000 Commission and Affliated Organizations, 1984-1995; Series 275 Westchester 2000, 1971-1998
Westchester 2000 Commission and Affiliated Organizations, 1984-1995
Series 305
9.67 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically and chronologically by subject matter. View box and folder list.
Westchester 2000 was a public and private partnership established in September 1983 between the Westchester County Government and the Westchester County Association. Its purpose was to address the issues it anticipated that Westchester County would face as it entered into the 21st century, including housing, economic development, arts, health and government. The entire initiative involved approximately 800 participants and lasted until August 1987, when the final report was released. The project ended with a series of recommendations for change that the project felt would help improve the quality of life in Westchester County for the year 2000 and beyond. A key individual in this organization was Dr. Sal Prezioso, who was appointed the head of Westchester 2000 in February 1986. The materials in this collection were given to the Westchester County Archives by Dr. Prezioso, although it is unknown whether they were his private papers or came from the offices of Westchester 2000 (it is suspected the latter).
This collection includes correspondence and memoranda; reports and studies; articles and newspaper clippings; Board meeting minutes and agendas (and the reports, studies, articles, and other materials distributed to Board members for preparation for meetings); as well as some budgetary, financial and taxation materials.
The materials relate not only to Westchester 2000, but also to some of its successor affiliated organizations, particularly the Education Coalition, the Westchester Housing Forum, and the Advisory Board for Intergovernmental Relations. Other subjects covered in the collection, although to a lesser extent, include Enhanced 911 services (E-911), the "Visions & Views into the 21st Century" and "Government at the Crossroads" reports issued by the Westchester 2000 Commission, issues regarding economic development, the Westchester Housing and Human Services Forum, the Charter Revision Study Commission.
Related records: Series 281, Westchester 2000 -- Sal Prezioso Collection, 1957-1988; Series 275 Westchester 2000, 1971-1998
Westchester County Atlases Collection, 1867-1984 (gaps)
Series 315
29 items. Unarranged. View box and folder list.
Published atlases held by the Archives. Most are of Westchester County, although there are some that include maps of New York City, surrounding counties in the Hudson Valley and parts of Connecticut. A few of the atlases are for Westchester cities, such as Yonkers. Some of these atlases have been scanned and are available online. The maps in these atlases, and others not included here, are indexed in an Archives’ in-house database.
Westchester County Building Commission – Courthouse Construction Records, March 1915-November 1916
Series 389
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.
In April 1915 the Westchester County Building Commission, consisting of Robert S. Brewster, Arthur W. Lawrence and George E. Mertz selected Benjamin Wistar Morris as the architect for the addition to the Westchester County Courthouse. These files are the correspondences between Morris and the Building Commission for 1915 and 1916. The majority of the correspondences are from Morris to the Commission and there are several replies from the Commission to Morris. There are also a few letters from Morris to others, mainly John T. Brady, about supplies and fixtures. The correspondences deal with such subjects as materials, elevators, furnishing decisions, setting steel, estimates, requests for payment and insurance. The series also contains the contract between Morris and the Commission.
Westchester County Government Publications, 1901-present
Series 200
91.5 cubic ft. Arranged by department. Index available online.
The Westchester County Archives is the official repository of publications produced by County Government departments. This Series is maintained as a separate collection, and a list of all publications is available online.
Westchester County Government Videos and DVDs, 1980s-present
Series 306
Arranged by department. Index available in Archives’ Reading Room.
Videotapes (of various sizes and formats) and DVDs covering a wide variety of topics primarily created by the County Executive’s Office of Communications, but also from the County Health Department, Office of the Aging, and County Parks Department. Includes multiple programs of the same series such as "This is Westchester" (ca. mid-1980s to early 1990s) and "Westchester's Most Wanted" (ca. 1990s); press conferences, primarily from the administration of County Executive Andrew J. Spano (1999-2009); public service announcements; State of the County addresses; and other programming. Collection currently being processed; indexing not yet completed.
Related records: Series 293, County Historian Videotapes, 1984-1994; Series 213, Board of Legislators Meeting Videotapes/DVDs, 1990-2009.
Westchester County Tricentennial Committee Records, 1980-1983
Series 44
2.5 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.
Memos, correspondence, clippings, booklets, reports, minutes, resolutions and other records of the Committee which was appointed by the County Executive in 1980 to plan the celebration of Westchester's Tricentennial in 1983.
Related records: Series 48, Bicentennial Commission of Westchester County Records, 1974- 1981.
World War I Alien Registration Forms, 1918
Series 373
2.66 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. Indexed online.
After the United States entered World War I, the Department of Justice required that all German and Austrian immigrants not yet naturalized file alien registration forms with their local police departments. The purpose was to collect intelligence on ethnic Germans who might have ties to the Central Powers. The government’s aim was to detect threats to national security and intervene if necessary. These forms, which vary slightly based on the sex of the registrant, include information about home address, length of residence in the United States, alternate residences since 1914, employment details, immigration history, criminal history, and physical characteristics. They also include fingerprints and a photograph of the registrant.
The WWI Alien Registration Forms collection held by the Westchester County Archives is for registrants with last names beginning with the letters H through Z who filed their forms with the Yonkers Police Department. These records have been indexed in our online naturalization index because they contain detailed demographic information, including immigration history, regarding registrants.