Historic Districts
In New York City, certain districts and buildings are designated as "historical landmarks" by the NYC Landmark Preservation Commission. Starting in 1965, this commission is focused on "protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites by granting them landmark or historic district status, and regulating them after designation."
When reviewing these maps for historic districts - alongside their designation documentation - some questions you can answer include:
- What makes this district significant to New York City's history?
- What was the process for this district to gain historic district status?
- What individual landmarks (i.e. buildings) can be found within a specific historic district?
Please see below to see the resources that are available to conduct research into New York City's historic districts.
Resources on NYC's Historic Districts
Online Research Catalog
When using the portals listed below, you will come across the names of many historic districts in New York City. You can use these names as keyword searches in the Online Research Catalog to find historical and modern maps of these regions. When using the Online Research Catalog, you can conduct the following keyword search:
- District's name [excluding the words "historic district"]
- Make sure that "Cartographic" is checkmarked under Format.
Some examples include:
- For South Street Seaport District, you can keyword search South Street Seaport.
- For Gramercy Park Historic District, you can keyword search Gramercy Park.
You can also conduct searches for general maps related to historic districts. To do so, when using the Online Research Catalog, you can conduct the following keyword search:
- "Historic District" AND "borough name/New York City"
- Make sure that "Cartographic" is checkmarked under Format.
Some examples include:
Lastly, guidebooks will also often include information and maps related to these historic districts. To find this type of material, when using the Online Research Catalog, you can conduct the following keyword search (do NOT checkmark "Cartographic" under Format):
- "Historic District" [excluding the words "historic district"] AND "borough name/New York City" AND "guidebook"
- "District's Name" AND "guidebook"
Some examples include:
Database Portals
Maps via NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
The Maps page on the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission contains 2 resources that are of note:
- Historic District Maps: Under this section on this webpage, you can locate historic district maps that are organized by borough. These maps show the historic district's boundaries, building footprints, and tax lots. In addition, it includes the dates that pertain to its designation as a historic district. For ease, please see below:
- Discover New York City Landmarks: The webpage links to this portal, which provides overlays that depict NYC's designated historic districts, individual landmarks, scenic landmarks, and interior landmarks.
- To use the portal:
- If you click on the "Layer List" button, the dropdown menu allows you to see which type of landmark you are interested in reviewing. For this research guide's purpose, you can choose "Historic Districts."
- The resulting map will highlight the historic districts in yellow.
- When you click on a region, a pop-up will appear. The pop-up will include the landmark type, designation date, borough, and its associated designation report. Often, there will also be a photograph included. You can see the example below, for Brooklyn Heights Historic District.
- The designation report is important, as it will often provide both historical background on the district, alongside the reasoning for why it should gain landmark status. In some cases, the designation report might include maps to illustrate this reasoning.
- If a pop-up for a landmark has more than one page, it will be indicated at the top left corner as (1 of # pages). To move between pages, you can click the arrow in the top right corner of the pop-up.
- If you choose to do so, you are also welcome to use the search bar to directly type in the historic district(s) of interest.
- To use the portal:
Image Source: Discover New York City Landmarks portal focused on Brooklyn Heights Historic District
When using this portal, it is also important to remember that you can add multiple layers at once. This is especially helpful, when you want to research what individual landmarks are located within a historic district, or how those individual landmarks might have helped contribute to making the region qualify for historic district designation.
For instance, using Governor's Island as an example, you can include "Historic Buildings and Sites" and "Individual Landmarks" alongside "Historic Districts" on your map. As you can see, many different parts of the island have gained different types of landmark status.
Image Source: Discover New York City Landmarks portal focused on Governors Island Historic District
National Register of Historic Places via NPS
Of note is that the National Park Service also designates certain areas as historic districts on the federal level, as part of their National Register of Historic Places. To search, you can use their portal to locate regions of interest. Once you click on an area, a popup will appear, with information about the place and a link to the digitized report (if available).
To learn more about how to research historic places that have been designated by NPS, please review their page National Register Database and Research.
Image Source: National Register of Historic Places focusing on Gansevoort Market Historic District
- New York Harbor, East River : from Governor's Island to Bushwick Creek. 1863
- Map Div. 21-230
- Note: Covers region where part of it will become part of Governor's Island Historic District.
- Tentative subdivision & sale map of Fieldston, borough of the Bronx, New York City / C.C. & A.E. Wheeler, Civil Engineers and City Surveyors. 1923
- Map Div. 21-87
- Note: Covers region that is now the Fieldston Historic District.
- Map of property on Brooklyn Heights, or, Pierrepont Estate, and neighbourhood. [1849?]
- Map Div. 01-1838
- Note: Depicts area that becomes part of Brooklyn Heights Historic District.
- Available online via NYPL Digital Collections: Click here to access.
- Downtown Manhattan/downtown Brooklyn. [1990?]
- Map Div. 92-15655
- Notes: Shows land use, historic districts, and subway lines.
- This is Brooklyn : a guide to the Borough's historic districts and landmarks / written by Andrew S. Dolkart ; photography by Tony Velez. [1990], ©1990.
- AA735 N4B7 D68
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
- West Side landmarks : [Manhattan, New York City] / map, Eli Sela. 1990
- Map Div. 00-141
- Note: Shows locations of landmarks and extent of historic districts, with dates of district designation.
- Historic Jackson Heights visitors guide / this brochure was produced by the Jackson Heights Beautification Group ; design/typography, Warren Shaw & Sara Reynolds. [1996?]
- Map Div. 96-6690
- Note: Shows historic district, restaurants, historic sites, and subway stations.
To find supplementary books and documents that generally relate to historic districts in New York City, please conduct the searches listed on this page's "Catalog Tips" with "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked in our Online Research Catalog. From these results, you can also checkmark any of the other listed formats. See below for a list of recommended materials when "Text" is checkmarked:
- History preserved : a guide to New York City landmarks and historic districts / by Harmon H. Goldstone and Martha Dalrymple. 1976, ©1974.
- F128.7.G64 1976
- Courtesy of Princeton University Library
- Gentrification and historic districts : public policy considerations in the designation of historic districts in New York City / Eric W. Allison. 2005
- FC31- 51,249
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
- The landmarks of New York : an illustrated, comprehensive record of New York City's historic buildings, historic districts, interior landmarks, sidewalk clocks, streetlights and cultural medallions / Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel. [2016]
- Desk-USLHG F128.7 .D55 2016 or *R-ART Desk F128.7 .D55 2016
To find supplementary books and documents related to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, please conduct the searches listed on this page's "Catalog Tips" with "Cartographic" NOT checkmarked in our Online Research Catalog:
- Author Search: New York (N.Y.). Landmarks Preservation Commission
- Author Search: "Landmarks Preservation Commission"
From these results, you can also checkmark any of the other listed formats. See below for a list of recommended materials:
- New York City landmarks. 1972
- JX 22-17268
- Note: Guidebook published by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.
- Landmarks & Landmarks Preservation Commission. 1977-1986.
- F128.18 .L353 1977g
- Notes:
- Includes: [Report of the Landmarks Committee issued May 1986] ; Report to the people re: Landmarks Preservation Commission 1974-1977 under the charimanship of Beverly Moss Spatt (includes "Grants secured for the Landmarks Preservation Commission by Beverly Moss Spatt") ; Landmark buildings: millstones or opportunities? / by Victor John Yannacone Jr. '76 tax law favors rehab of historic structures / Ronald A. Morris ; Statement of John Robert White Chairman, Landmarks Committee, The Real Estate Board of New York [against the creation of the Upper East Side Historic District); Upper East Side goes historic / [photographs by Karen Mantlo].
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
- Theater landmarking : Drama Desk panel discussion. [1988]
- *LTC-A 1886
- Note: Representatives of the New York City Planning Commission, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, local preservation groups, and members of the theater community meet to discuss the effect of theater landmark designation on the interests of theater owners and producers.
- Rules / The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. [©1994?]
- AA127 N4 N46
- Courtesy of Columbia University Libraries
We also recommend reviewing the website for the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission for current information and documentation. Some highlights include:
- Types & Criteria: Provides definitions of the different landmark types and the general criteria on how to receive landmark designation.
- Proposed Landmarks: Provides a current list of proposed landmarks, alongside supporting documentation.
- Rules & Resources: Provides links and manuals, guiding "the Commission's application and public hearing procedures, and the rules and standards for work on buildings in historic districts and individual landmarks."
- Discover: Provides links to Digital Photo Archive, Story Maps, Image Galleries, Walking Tours, and Love NYC Landmarks.
A Note on Historic District Designation Reports
While the designation reports are available online via the Discover New York City Landmarks portal, you are welcome to request physical copies at NYPL's Research Center.
To search for them in the Online Research Catalog, you can search for them in either manner:
- Use the Advanced Search function to perform the following type of search:
- (Keyword Search) "Name of the landmark" + (Author Search) New York (N.Y.). Landmarks Preservation Commission
- Example:
- Conduct a keyword search with the landmark's number in the Online Research Catalog. You can find this number in Discover New York City Landmarks, after the end of the landmark's name. The number is formalized as LP-#
- Using St. George/New Brighton's Historic District as an example, please see below:
Image Source: Discover New York City Landmarks focusing on St. George/New Brighton Historic District and NYPL's Online Research Catalog search for this district's designation report.