New York, NY - Urban Archive

South of Union Square

Story

Preserving Bronx History: Frank Cousins

The New York City Art Commission hired architectural photographer Frank Cousins to document "50 old buildings of historical as well as architectural interest." A number of them were selected because their demolition seemed to be imminent in areas that were rapidly developing.

These are some of Cousins' selections from the Bronx.

By

NYC Public Design Commission

1

Howe's Headquarters (Ferris Mansion)

Howe's Headquarters (Ferris Mansion)

Howe's Headquarters served as the British Army's nerve center during the Revolutionary War.

2

Howe's Headquarters (Ferris Mansion)

Howe's Headquarters (Ferris Mansion)

The mansion had been owned by revolutionary James Ferris. British Admiral Richard Howe seized this mansion from Ferris in 1776.

3

Ferris House

Ferris House

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Ferris family owned a number of homes in the Throggs Neck area of Westchester (now the Bronx.)

4

Ferris House

Ferris House

Supposedly, the home had been used by a movie studio as the backdrop for period romance flicks in the 1910s.

5

Van Cortlandt House Museum

Van Cortlandt House Museum

This Georgian mansion is the oldest existing building in the Bronx. During the American Revolution, a Van Cortlandt descendant used it to preserve vital documents.

6

Van Cortlandt House Museum

Van Cortlandt House Museum

Augustus Van Cortlandt served as a city clerk under British rule. In 1776, he retrieved all of the city records from Manhattan and hid them in this house before moving them to a family burial ground. Once the war ended, Van Cortlandt turned over the records to the new government.

Privacy Policy Terms of Service