Memory Keeper's Notes: Property Research in New York City: A Case Study Part 2

In April I started to tell you about my search for a property record that would tell me why my Aunt who was pictured in a photograph from the 1920’s was standing in-front of a property for sale sign. Was it the future sight of my Grandfather’s second bakery or was it property that her husband was interested in purchasing.

I must admit that I know very little about the geography or layout of the city. Mainly because I have lived and worked on Long Island most of my life. This has made my research more difficult then for other genealogist and why I often refer to some resources that I will mention throughout this article to provide a guide for my research.

The New York City Municipal Archives is a great place to do research. In 2016 they published an authorized guide to the Archives. Although a little old it is still useful and is currently available electronically for purchase from the New York Genealogical and Biological Society. If you are doing a lot of research in New York City this resource is strongly recommended. Chapters 7 thru 9 cover property records.

Prior to 1966, New York City records are in several places an in different formats. Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens records are in the city register office in the borough that the property is located. Brooklyn records are in Queens City Register Office. They are on microfilm. Staten Island records are in the Richmond County Clerk Office.

Property cards existed between 1930 thru 1970. They were designed to assist the Department of Finance with property tax assessments. They give ownership, building classification and assessed valuation. Unfortunately This resource is not going to help me in my search because Property Cards were started in 1930. I am looking for resources covering the 1920-23 period.

The next resource are Business records. License and filings are held by the issuing agency. Older records are held at the state or county archives. In NYC the older records between 1818 - 1938 are held at Division of Old Records, New York County Clerk’s Office and can be reached at 646-386-5395. This seems like the next place to do research for my Grandfather’s bakeries. Of course the business records are arranged by owner. Therefore I will check under my Grandfather’s name as well as my aunt’s husband’s name, John J. Clark. When I contacted the Division of Old Record, I was given an email address to contact the person by email, Jvannost@ nycourts.gov and I waiting for a response.

I know most property record searches are done using deeds. In NYC from 1966 to present there is an electronic database ACRIS, Automated City Register Information System. https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/taxes/acris.page of course when we refer to NYC we are covering Manhattan, queens, Brooklyn and Bronx.one can search by lot and lot or by owner. This database would not help me in my research but is useful to know about.

Another resource is the Family Search database which has indexed New York State deeds and indexes up until 1880’s. There are a number of resources available on Family Search that include land records from the United States. The New York Land Records 1630-1975 database is an index that can be searched by property owner’s name, https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/New_York_Land_and_Property. When I searched this database, I my grandfather or aunt’s husband name did not appear.

Other resources to try include land auction catalogs, real estate tax records, newspapers, census records and Department of Buildings Records. Resources such as Assessed Valuation Real Estate Ledges. Again these resource is located in the Municipal Archives. If your not to familiar with the neighborhood as I am searching for neighborhood histories might give you a better background for doing research. I found some Google books that can provide backgrounds on neighborhood histories.

Other Resources:

The New York Public Library has a number of helpful Research guides that are online to help with your research. Visit the following hyperlink. https://libguides.nypl.org/househistory

New York Municipal Archives Blog:

https://www.archives.nyc/blog/2022/1/7/department-of-buildings-manhattan-block-and-lot-collection-1866-1977

https://www.archives.nyc/blog/2021/4/30/building-history-part-2

You can also contact the Division of Land Records using their electronic form. https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/about/contact-by-email/contact-recording-documents-general.page

I have used this electronic form and I am awaiting their reply.

Bronx County Office: 3030 3rd Ave, 2nd floor Bronx, NY 10455
Kings County Office: 210 Joralemon Street, 2nd floor Brooklyn NY 11201
New York County Office: 66 John Street, 13th floor New York, NY 10038
Queens County Office: 144-06 94th Avenue, Jamaica, Queens 11435

Property deeds for Staten Island are kept at the Office of the Richmond County Clerk.

Although I have not been successful as to finding out who own that particular property around the 1920’s. I know that there might be an answer coming soon in my email. I certainly feel that I have learned a lot about how to do property research in New York City.

Map Resources

Base Map of New York City showing street names

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/about/publications/maps/nyc-base-map.pdf

Map Collection Brooklyn City