November | 2018 | A City Grows Around Us:

The Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide was published from 1868 to 1922, and the Baruch College Archives, as part of our Durst Collection is fortunate to have the volumes from 1890 to 1909. These volumes include a weekly report on building activity in New York City and the surrounding areas. The expansion of the city is phenomenal and is chronicled on every page of the volumes. The incorporation of Greater New York in 1898 spurred increased building activity and expansion of the city into the outer boroughs. A sampling from the volumes provides a glimpse of the economic activity in New York City at the turn of the twentieth century.

Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York September 11, 1909

Supreme Court June 3, 1899

New Municipal Building. February 25, 1893

Transportation in Brooklyn. April 29, 1905

Museum of Natural History. February 11, 1893, Supplement

This month we are recognizing the 100 year anniversary of the end of World War I. The war also known as the Great War, was a global war that spanned the period from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918. On November 11, 1918 Germany signed an armistice with the allied forces which ended the four year conflict that took the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians. The United States entered the war in 1917 which helped turn the tables against Germany and the eventual end to the war.

The periodical Current History was a monthly magazine published by the New York Times Company, and the Baruch College Archives has a sampling of the magazine as part of the Durst Collection. The issue for November, 1918 is particularly interesting since the theme was peace. Included among the articles are photographs illustrating people, places and events related to the war.