The Preservation History Database is the first-stop encyclopedic resource for those interested in topics related to the history of preservation.
This educational tool is meant to function as an encyclopedia of New York City’s preservation history, a gateway for academic researchers, and a resource for contemporary preservationists. Entries in the database are not in-depth explorations and analyses; their purpose is to provide comprehensive, accurate, and succinct facts that direct visitors to other available resources. To make the Preservation History Database a useful research tool, the Archive Project aims to identify archival collections, oral histories, and digital resources that are relevant to each entry and make information on their locations and accessibility easily available. The database is continuously updated with new topics and new information. Contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
You can view records organized by: People, Places, Organizations, and Public Policy Explore This Collection >
Brooke Astor
Brooke Astor contributed funding from the Vincent Astor Foundation to a wide variety of preservation-related projects.
Albert S. Bard
Also known as Albert Bard, Albert Sprague Bard, and A. S. Bard
Albert S. Bard drafted the Bard Act (1956), the enabling legislation for the New York City Landmarks Law.
Juliet Bartlett
Also known as Juliet M. Bartlett
Juliet Bartlett was one of the original commissioners of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and was involved with the agency’s first designations.
John Belle
The architect John Belle was a founding partner of Beyer Blinder Belle, a New York-based architectural firm which has spearheaded some of New York City and Washington, D.C.’s largest restoration and conservation projects.
Thom Bess
Thom Bess was a historic preservationist who advocated for the preservation of the Longwood Historic District in the Bronx, served as a board member of the Historic Districts Council and was a leader in the preservation fight in Harlem.
Walter Binger
Walter Binger is remembered for his technical assistance to the opponents of the Brooklyn Battery Bridge and for his role in preventing the demolition of Castle Clinton.
Bronson Binger
An architect, preservationist and fifth generation New Yorker, Bronson Binger was a co-founder of the Historic Districts Council and played a pivotal role in the New York City preservation movement during the 1960s-1980s.
C. C. Burlingham
Also known as Charles Culp Burlingham, Charles C. Burlingham, and CCB
C. C. Burlingham spent his life laboring for civic concerns and was involved in the opposition to the Brooklyn Battery Bridge, and the preservation of Castle Clinton and Greenwich Village.
Alan Burnham
Alan Burnham’s work and research provided the intellectual foundation for the historic preservation movement.
Paul Byard
Also known as Paul Spencer Byard
Paul Byard contributed to the preservation movement in New York City as an architect, lawyer, educator, and author.