HomeThe Bronx County Archives Finding AidsCity History Club/Edith McGinnis Collection, 1950s-1994

City History Club/Edith McGinnis Collection, 1950s-1994

Information, Description, and Finding Aid

Collection Information

Reference: MS-CHC

Dates: 1950s - 1994

Extent: 0.5 linear feet contained within 1 archival container

Finding Aid Information

Creator(s): Steven Payne, Ph.D., Librarian and Archivist

Date created/updated: May 14, 2020

Administrative History/Biography

The City History Club of New York was formed in 1897 to promote interest in the city’s traditions and future through popular, historical education. It ended with the death on March 23, 1992 of Edith McGinnis, who was a long-time member as well as the final president of the club. At this point, the assets of the club went into the hands of the Public Administrator of Bronx County, Robert S. Black, who contacted The Bronx County Historical Society as the club’s most obvious successor and inheritor. Thus, in October 1992 began a two-year project to dissolve The City History Club of New York and transfer its outstanding assets to The Bronx County Historical Society.

Description/Scope and Content

The collection comprises financial records of the City History Club, a copy of the club’s charter/constitution (1940s–1980s), incorporation materials with the State of New York, financial records, “Know Your City” radio broadcast notes and transcripts for schools and parents during the 1940s–1950s, and records of the dissolution process, 1992–1994.

Some of the collection as originally acquired, especially material associated with Freedomland, was distributed to the Research Library and Object collections. This occurred long before the tenure of Dr. Steven Payne, former Librarian and Archivist at the Society and currently the Director of The Bronx County Historical Society, who has instituted policies aimed at preserving archival collection integrity.

Provenance

The majority of materials in this collection were donated to The Bronx County Historical Society by Frank McGinnis, the nephew of Edith McGinnis of the City History Club of New York, in 1992 and 1993. The materials on the dissolution of the City History Club of New York were gathered by staff of The Bronx County Historical Society during 1992–1994.

Preferred Citation

[Item name or description,] City History Club Collection, box_, folder_, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

Points of Access

  • Bronx Organizations -- The Bronx County Historical Society -- The Morris Branch of the City History Club -- The New York Commercial Tercentenary Commission --
  • Businessess -- Chase Manhattan Bank -- Holt, Rinehart and Winston --
  • Individuals -- Bartlett, Susan -- Black, Robert S. -- Jack, Hulan E. -- McGinnis, Arthur -- McGinnis, Edith --McGinnis, Frank --
  • NYC Agencies and Offices -- Department of Commerce and Public Events, City of New York -- Manhattan Borough President --

Related Collections

  1. Bronx Council on the Arts records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  2. Bronx Chamber of Commerce records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  3. Bronx County Historical Society records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  4. Bronx Library Association records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  5. Bronx Museum of the Arts records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  6. Bronx Old Timers Association records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  7. Bronx Society of Arts and Sciences records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  8. Baychester Nereid Taxpayers and Civic Association records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  9. Department of City Planning, Bronx Office records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  10. History of New York City Project records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  11. Early Bronx Borough Presidents, Local Board records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  12. Gilbert Kerlin papers on the Riverdale Community Planning Association. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  13. Riverdale Garden Club records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  14. Regional Plan Association records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  15. Valentine-Varian House records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

Series

Series Title Box Folders
1 Subject Files 1 1–15

Container List

Series 1: Subject Files

Box

 Folder

Contents

Date

1

1

City History Club: General material:

    1. Helen Ginsberg, “The Morris Branch of the City History Club,” Morris Annual, 1910, photocopy, 1 p.
    2. Frank Bergen Kelley and The City History Club of New York, Historical Guide to the City of New York (New York: The New York Commercial Tercentenary Commission and The City History Club of New York, 1914), photocopy, 2 pp.
    3. Correspondence, to Hulan E. Jack, Manhattan Borough President, from Edith McGinnis, re: annual “Know Your City” exhibit, April 13, 1955, 1 p.
    4. Department of Commerce and Public Events, City of New York, “New York City Monthly Statistics,” May 1960, 4 pp.
    5. Department of Commerce and Public Events, City of New York, “New York City Monthly Statistics,” June 1960, 4 pp.
    6. City History Club of New York, Press release re: sneak-preview tour of Freedomland led by City History Club, June 12, 1960, 2 pp.
    7. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Susan Bartlett, Children’s Book Editor, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, re: publication of children’s book on Freedomland, June 17, 1960, 1 p.
    8. City History Club of New York, “Adult members of the City History Club of New York,” 1974–1976, 2 pp.
    9. City History Club of New York, “Officers,” 1978–1979, 1 p. 
    10. Correspondence, to Members of City History Club, from Edith McGinnis, re: annual meeting of City History Club, December 12, 1979, 1 p.
    11. City History Club of New York, Minutes, Annual Meeting, December 23, 1979, 5 pp.
    12. City History Club of New York, Proposition re: increase of annual remuneration paid to President and Treasurer Edith McGinnis, December 23, 1979, 1 p.
    13. Arthur McGinnis, “The City History Club of New York: A Short Review,” August 1993, 3 pp.
    14. Arthur McGinnis, “The City History Club of New York: A Short Review,” August 1993, 3 pp.
    15. City History Club of New York, “City History Club of New York, Inc., April 8, 1897,” n.d., 1 p.
    16. City History Club of New York, Membership lists, n.d., 24 pp.
 1897-1993

1

2

City History Club: Financial records:

    1. Chase Manhattan Bank, Account summary for City History Club, February 8–November 12, 1974, 9 statements
    2. Chase Manhattan Bank, Advice of Credit for City History Club, February 13–December 16, 1974, 28 record slips
    3. Chase Manhattan Bank, Canceled checks for City History Club, January 31–December 5, 1974, 15 checks
    4. Correspondence, to Unspecified (“Sirs”), from Edith McGinnis, re: financial report of City History Club, May 27, 1978, 1 p.
 1974-1978

1

3

City History Club, Incorporation records:

    1. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Albert B. Corey, re: inadvertent dissolution of City History Club, April 15, 1959, 1 p.
    2. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Albert B. Corey, re: inadvertent dissolution of City History Club, April 15, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    3. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Albert B. Corey, re: inadvertent dissolution of City History Club, April 15, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    4. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: mistaken dissolution of City History Club, April 18, 1959, 1 p.
    5. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: mistaken dissolution of City History Club, April 18, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    6. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: mistaken dissolution of City History Club, April 18, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    7. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: procedure to reinstate City History Club, April 21, 1959, 1 p.
    8. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: procedure to reinstate City History Club, April 21, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    9. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: procedure to reinstate City History Club, April 21, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    10. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Sol Slutsky, Counsel, Corporation Division, re: mistake in Certificate of Annulment of Dissolution, April 27, 1959, 1 p.
    11. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Sol Slutsky, Counsel, Corporation Division, re: mistake in Certificate of Annulment of Dissolution, April 27, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    12. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Sol Slutsky, Counsel, Corporation Division, re: mistake in Certificate of Annulment of Dissolution, April 27, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    13. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: thank you for expediting annulment of previous charter, May 8, 1959, 1 p.
    14. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: furnishing of Certificate of Incorporation of The City History Club of New York, May 12, 1959, 1 p.
    15. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: thank you for expediting annulment of previous charter, May 8, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    16. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: furnishing of Certificate of Incorporation of The City History Club of New York, May 12, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    17. Correspondence, to Edith McGinnis, from Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, re: furnishing of Certificate of Incorporation of The City History Club of New York, May 12, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    18. Correspondence, to Caroline K. Simon, Secretary of State, New York State, from Edith McGinnis, re: thank you for expediting annulment of previous charter, May 8, 1959, photocopy, 1 p.
    19. Correspondence, to H. Adams Ashforth, from Edith McGinnis, re: request for any items associated with City History Club, March 30, 1964, 1 p.
    20. Correspondence, to H. Adams Ashforth, from Edith McGinnis, re: request for any items associated with City History Club, March 30, 1964, photocopy, 1 p.
    21. City History Club of New York, By-Laws, n.d., 10 pp.
    22. City History Club of New York, Constitution, n.d., 6 pp.
    23. Edith McGinnis, “Documentary proof concerning my rights and responsibilities with respect to the Corporation of the City of New York,” n.d., 2 pp.
    24. Edith McGinnis, “Documentary proof concerning my rights and responsibilities with respect to the Corporation of the City of New York,” n.d., photocopy, 2 pp.
    25. New York State Department of State, Certificate of Incorporation for City History Club of New York, March 13, 1980, 6 pp.
    26. New York State Department of State, Certificate of Incorporation for City History Club of New York, March 13, 1980, photocopy, 6 pp.
    27. New York State Department of State, MISC Filing Receipt Copy for City History Club of New York, March 14, 1980, 1 p.
 1959-1980

1

4

City History Club: Tax records

 1973–1986

1

5

Know Your City - Broadcast transcripts and educational material:

    1. City History Club of New York, “Hear ye! Hear ye! Know Your City!,” 1945, brochure, 8 pp.
    2. City History Club of New York, “Know Your City,” 1957–1958, 1 p.
    3. Correspondence, to Principals, Teachers and Children, from Edith McGinnis, n.d., 1 p.
    4. City History Club of New York, “List of Schools for the Know Your City Program,” n.d., 2 pp.
    5. n.a., Untitled [=Advice for Christmas mailing], n.d., 1 p.
    6. City History Club of New York, Know Your City, broadcast transcripts, November 1949–May 1950, 44 pp.
 1945-1958

1

6

Know Your City - Exhibits:

    1. Correspondence, to School principals, from Edith McGinnis, re: Know Your City Freedomland exhibit, 1960, 2 pp.
    2. n.a., “Children Star In Bank Exhibit,” Bronx News, November 9, 1977, photocopy, 1 p.
    3. n.a., “Children Star In Bank Exhibit,” Bronx News, November 9, 1977, photocopy, 1 p.
 1960-1977

1

7

Know Your City - Questions submitted by classrooms:

    1. P.S. 8, Class 4-1, Questions submitted for Know Your City, November 1960, 6 pp.
    2. P.S. 8, Class 4-2, Questions submitted for Know Your City, November 1960, 6 pp.
    3. P.S. 64, Class 4-3, Questions submitted for Know Your City, November 1960, 15 pp.
    4. P.S. 64, Class 4-3, Questions submitted for Know Your City, May 1961, 22 pp.
 1960-1961

1

8

Know Your City - School Broadcast Manuals:

    1. Edith McGinnis, Know Your City (A School Broadcast Manual), first ed. (New York: The City History Club of New York, 1949), 56 pp.
    2. Edith McGinnis, Know Your City: A School Broadcast Manual, second ed. (New York: The City History Club of New York, 1954), 137 pp.
 1949-1954

1

9

 City History Club Dissolution - General 1992–1994

1

10

 City History Club Dissolution - Assets (Folder 1) 1992–1994

1

11

 City History Club Dissolution - Assets (Folder 2) 1992–1994

1

12

City History Club Dissolution -
Court documents

1992–1994

1

13

City History Club Dissolution - Internal communication, BCHS

1992–1994

1

14

City History Club Dissolution - Notes of Gary Hermalyn

 1992–1994

1

15

City History Club Dissolution - Tax records

1991–1994