The Bronx County Historical Society

The founders of The Bronx County Historical Society pose before Glover’s Rock in Pelham Bay Park, November 1960. Left to right in the front row are Joseph Duffy, Theodore Schliessman, Fred E.J. Kracke, John McNamara, and Bert Gumpert. In the back row are Ronald Schliessman, Theodore Kazimiroff, and Vincent Hunt.

The Bronx County Historical Society, founded in 1955, is a private, non-profit, educational and cultural institution chartered by the NYS Board of Regents. The Society, the historical agency for The Bronx, a county of New York State and a borough of the city of New York, is dedicated to the collection, preservation, documentation and interpretation of the history of The Bronx from its earliest historical references in the 17th century through the present. The Society disseminates information to the general public, students, historians, urban planners and staff of other museums and libraries on the historical, social and economic development of The Bronx. It utilizes its collections in exhibitions, both in-house and traveling, historical research, production of publications, educational and cultural programming, and in the operation of a Research Library, The Bronx County Archives and two national landmark historic houses as museums, the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage and the Valentine-Varian House/Museum of Bronx History.

History

The official seal of The Bronx County Historical Society. The image depicts Jonas Bronck and a Native American surveying the Bronck farm "Emmaus" in 1639.

It all started in September 1955 with a simple question a reader of the “Bronx Bandwagon” column in the New York Post Bronx edition posed to the journalist Burt Gumpert: “Why is there no Bronx Historical Society?”^[1][2]Recognizing a need for such an institution, Gumpert asserted that a historical society will be created by the end of that year. Soon enough, Gumpert, along with another seven individuals, met at the dental office of Dr. Theodore Kazimiroff to begin The Bronx County Historical Society.^[3] The Society began to give public lectures to discuss object collections, local history, and to build up support from fellow Bronxites. So entertaining and informative were these lectures that the audience size began to increase, prompting The Society to seek larger venues. After outgrowing the West Farms branch of the New York Public Library, The Society briefly operated in other libraries and churches, Fordham University and Lehman College. Walking tours became very popular at this time, while an annual journal began with its first printing in 1964, making it one of the premier history periodicals in the tristate region today. Then, in 1965, the historic Valentine-Varian House on Bainbridge Avenue was donated to The Society by William C. Beller, thus establishing the first permanent headquarters of The Bronx County Historical Society.^[4][5][6] Three years later, The Society opened the house as the Museum of Bronx History, the borough’s very first museum celebrating its historic heritage.

Expansion and Growth

The Society continued to expand by taking on other historic sites and facilities. In 1975, The Society began to administer the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, where the famous American writer spent his last years.^[7] Then in 1982, The Society once again expanded into another building on Bainbridge Avenue and opened it as a research library and administrative offices.^[8] The Society came into possession of another building just two doors away on Bainbridge Avenue. The latest building was opened as The Bronx County Archives in 2001.^[9][10] Today, The Bronx County Historical Society is considered to be one of the most active historical societies in the state of New York.^[11][12]

The Society's Ongoing Mission

The Society continues to collect all sorts of information such as books, reports, photographs, archival records, objects, and other artifacts about The Bronx. It then makes this information available to thousands of people each year, in its Research Library and Archives, by mail and over the phone, and via the Internet.^[13] The Society also works with the Bronx Library Center and Branch Libraries in sharing these resources. As for the future, The Bronx County Historical Society is expected to start their digitization project in 2017.^[14][15]

The historic Valentine-Varian House being moved from one side of Bainbridge Avenue to the other in 1965. The Society took over the house as its first permanent location. Today, the house is open as the Museum of Bronx History.

For over 50 years, The Bronx County Historical Society has honored Bronx High School Valedictorians with an awards ceremony held at the Museum for Bronx History. The event offers the opportunity to accentuate the positive in The Bronx and to meet and honor the borough's future leaders.^[16]

The Society is also the largest publisher of books and articles about The Bronx and produces the oldest continuously published historical periodical in The Greater City of New York, The Bronx County Historical Society Journal.

The Bronx County Historical Society's Research Library at 3309 Bainbridge Avenue (far left) and The Bronx County Archives at 3313 Bainbridge Avenue (far right).

Some of the books published by The Bronx County Historical Society.

Partnerships and Special Projects

The Bronx County Historical Society is a joint sponsor with Fordham University’s Department of African and African American Studies of The Bronx African American History Project.^[17][18]Over 230 oral histories have been done so far, four major archival collections accessioned, and many books, articles, and exhibitions have been produced.^[19] The oral histories are being cataloged and will be available to the public at The Bronx Archives Building.^[20] In 2009-2010, the Historical Society is continuing an Archival Survey of the records of African Americans in The Bronx.

In 2010, The Society launched The Bronx Latino History Project, which highlights Latinos who lived or contributed to The Bronx throughout its history.^[21][22]Because the Latino population is the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the borough since the mid-20th century (comprising more than half of the county's population),The Society’s education department is continuing the process of increasing it's collections to reflect The Bronx's current diversity.^[23] With the assistance of community organizations and certain devoted individuals, The Society will continue to fulfill its mission to preserve and share information that highlights major turning points in Bronx history.

Inside the The Bronx County Archives.

References