PHOTOGRAPHS, 1889-1956

"Bertillon" cards In 1879, Paris police clerk Alphonse Bertillon devised a system of criminal identification called anthropometry ("man measurement"). He calculated that there was a 268,435,454-to-one chance that two people could have fourteen identical measurements (height, length and width of head, length of left forearm, etc.). Bertillon's system was deemed a success and was adopted by police departments throughout Europe and the United States, including New York City. The Bertillon cards have not been indexed by name.
The New York City Municipal Archives has a collection of about 6,000 "Bertillon" cards. Each card measures 3"x5"; full-face and profile photographs appear on one side and the criminal's name, Bertillon measurements and other information (nativity, age, crime) appear on the reverse.	Photograph collections, Bertillon cards: Luigi Giorrado, arrested for felonious assault on October 30, 1908. Bertillon photograph no. 20119.
Visting Nurse instructing mothers in a tenement house back yard, n.d. Collection: Department of Health, no. 2556.	Health Department - These images document the activities, staff and facilities of the City's Health Department from 1937-1979--total 19,000 images.
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WPA-Federal Writers' Project - The photographs date from 1936 to 1943 and were intended to illustrate the New York City Guide books. They depict street scenes, waterfront, buildings, people, parks, and WPA activities--total 5,000 black and white images.	Passengers aboard this "GG" train in 1937 could view the Manhattan skyline for a few minutes between the Carroll Street and Smith/9th Street stations in Brooklyn.Collection: WPA Federal Writers' Project, negative no. 681b.
Hepburn's Staff, Flushing (Queens) Pharmacy, 1907. Collection: Borough President Queens, negative no. 3119R.	Borough President Collections (Manhattan, Bronx and Queens)--early 1900s through 1950s--These photographs were taken to document construction of parks, beaches, highways, and public buildings and incidentally show streetcars, shopfronts, pedestrians, automobiles, private homes, gas stations--total 45,000 images;
Coney Island Boardwalk, December 6, 1922. Collection: Borough President Brooklyn; negative no. 2881.	Elevated Public Highway, June 23, 1937. The intense activity along the Hudson River waterfront is evident in this view of West Street, looking South from Duane Street, just prior to construction of the elevated highway. Collection: Borough President Manhattan; negative no. 1132-476.
Department of Bridges - The 15,000 glass negatives in this collection depict every city-built bridge and public structure and adjoining neighborhoods.	Municipal Building, January 11, 1912. View from Pearl Street showing construction. Collection: Department of Bridges, negative no. 3293.
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Dizzy Gillespie on the steps of City Hall, 1976. Collection: Mayor Abraham Beame	Mayors Collections - These official and unofficial photographs from each mayoral administration from LaGuardia through Dinkins encompass celebrities, parades, ceremonies, political events and personalities--total 10,000 images;
Department of Ports and Trade - The images depict the New York City waterfront, docks, piers, ocean liners, and waterfront activity from 1900 through the 1960s; glass plate and film negatives--total 25,000 images.	The Staten Island Ferry, operated by the City's Department of Marine and Aviation, circa 1950. Collection: Department of Ports and Terminals, transparency no. 5503.
Department of Sanitation - street cleaning equipment, facilities, departmental activities, 1900-1970.	World's Fair Preview Cleanup Parade, April 29, 1940. Broadway showgirls dance with Department of Sanitation street sweepers at Broadway and 46th Street. Collection: Department of Sanitation, neg. 2266.
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Nurses on the deck of the Training School, City Hospital, "Welfare Island," n.d. Collection: Department of Public Charities and Hospitals, no. 581.	"Inmates at Work," in the entrance to the South Pavilion at the City Home on Welfare Island, n.d. Collection: Department of Public Charities and Hospitals no. 468.
Department of Public Charities and Hospitals, 1900-1960 - buildings, staff and inmates / patients in city institutions.
Police Evidence - The photographs depict crime scenes and victims from 1910-1920--total 1,250 images. Brooklyn Law Department, 1935-1945--buildings condemned for the construction of the Brooklyn/Queens Expressway. COLLECTION STATUS: Selected photocopies of images from most collections described above are available for browsing purposes in the Municipal Archives Reference Room. The Borough President Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens collections have been microfilmed. The WPA Federal Writers' Project, the Department of Bridges glass plate negatives, selected series with the Department of Ports and Trade collection, have also been microfilmed. Caption databases for several collections are now available in searchable database form. Please visit our searchable online gallery to view and order more highlights from our photo collections.