HomeThe Bronx County Archives Finding AidsValentine-Varian House Records, 1934–1978

Valentine-Varian House Records, 1934–1978

Information, Description, and Finding Aid

Collection Information

Reference: MS-VVH

Dates: 1934–1978

Extent: 0.54 linear ft. across 1 archival box

Finding Aid Information

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

Date created/updated: June 11, 2020

Administrative History

Members of the Valentine family built what is now known as the Valentine-Varian House sometime around 1750. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and General Washington’s evacuation of New York, the Valentines fled, and the house was subsequently occupied by the British and their Hessian allies. After the Continental Army recaptured the area in 1777, the Valentines moved back into their house, which had managed somehow to escape destruction during the fighting. In 1791, Isaac Varian bought the house and 260 surround acres for the sum of $7,500. The Varian family owned the house until 1905, when it was purchased at auction by William F. Beller. His son, William C. Beller, donated the house to The Bronx County Historical Society in 1965 and paid for its transfer across the street to its present location. The Valentine-Varian House opened to the public as the Museum of Bronx History on Memorial Day, 1968.

Description/Scope and Content

The collection consists of surveys and documents related to the move of the historic landmark to its current location, documentation about the structure, and records from the first decade of its administrative by The Bronx County Historical Society.

Provenance

The collection was created by the Bronx County Historical Society.

Preferred Citation

[Item name or description,] Valentine-Varian House records, box _, item _, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

Points of Access

  • Community organizations -- The Bronx County Historical Society
  • Historic houses -- colonial-era fieldstones
  • Landmarks and geographical features -- Valentine-Varian House -- Van Cortlandt Mansion
  • Neighborhoods (The Bronx, New York) -- Norwood

Related Collections

  1. Bronx Towns and Topographical Bureau records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  2. Bronx County Historical Society records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  3. Bronx Old Timers Association records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  4. Bronx Society of Arts and Sciences records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
  5. Henry B. Dawson papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

Container List

Box

Item

Contents

Date

1

1

Plans for the Alteration of the Varian House (13.2)

1938

1

2

Proposed Relocation of the Varian House (13.3)

1960

1

3

Topographical Survey of Each 208th Street to Van Cortlandt Avenue East (13.5)

1962–1963

1

4

Topographical Survey of Each 208th Street to Van Cortlandt Avenue East (13.6)

1964

1

5

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House (13.7)

1964

1

6

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House, folder 1 (13.8)

1965

1

7

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House, folder 2 (13.9)

1965

1

8

Proposed Relocation of the Varian House (13.10)

n.d.

1

9

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House, folder 3 (13.11)

1965

1

10

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House, folder 4 (13.12)

1965

1

11

Survey of Van Cortlandt Avenue to East 208th Street; Drawings of Typical Fence Section for Varian House (13.13)

1961, 1965; 1966

1

12

Plans for the Erection of the Flag Pole at the Varian House (13.14)

1966

1

13

Moving and Restoration of the Varian House (13.15)

n.d.

1

14

Cellar Floor Plans of the Varian House (13.16)

n.d.

1

15

Proposed Relocation of the Varian House (13.19)

n.d.

1

16

 Miscellaneous (13.20)

n.d.

1

17

 Thomas W. Hotchkiss, "The Isaac Varian Homestead" (14.1)

1934

1

18

 Correspondence: William Kapelman to Nathan Kestenbaum [sic] (14.2)

1959

1

19

 Appeal to the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division (14.3)

1960

1

20

 Appellant's Brief and Papers on Appeal From Order (14.4)

1960

1

21

 Correspondence: General (14.6)

1960–1964

1

22

 Correspondence: J. Pitz and Cole Bros. Mgt. (14.7)

1961

1

23

 Correspondence: Nathan Kestubaum to various corporations (14.8)

1961, 1966

1

24

 Bills and bills Paid (14.9)

1961–1975

1

25

 "A Local Law" (Neumann-Goldman Memorial Plaza) (14.10)

1962

1

26

 Department of Air Pollution Control (14.11)

1962

1

27

 Correspondence: E. T. Klett and D. Cole (14.12)

1962

1

28

 "Recommended Guide for Bidding Procedures and Contract Awards" (14.13)

1963

1

29

 Correspondence: C. Beller and Cole Export Import Co. (14.14)

n.d.

1

30

 Topographical Description (14.15)

1963

1

31

 Supreme Court of the State of New York (14.16)

1963

1

32

 Great New York Insurance Co., "Audit Invoice" (14.17)

1963–1964

1

33

 Correspondence: Alex Cole to various (14.18)

1963–1964

1

34

 Correspondence: Department of Parks (14.19)

1963–1964

1

35

 Statements billed to Federal Estates, Inc. (14.20)

1963–1964

1

36

 Correspondence: H. H. Lilien and D. Cole (14.21)

1963–1964

1

37

 Department of Buildings, Permits and Applications (14.22)

1963–1966

1

38

 Correspondence: Cole Bros. Mgt. and various (14.23)

1963–1967

1

39

 Correspondence: Various to D. Cole (14.24)

1963–1967

1

40

 Correspondence: S. Steinberg and M. J. McCarthy (14.25)

n.d.

1

41

 Workman's Compensation and Employer's Liability Renewal Agreement (14.26)

1964

1

42

 Resolution Adopted by the Board of Estimate (14.27)

1964

1

43

 Empty envelopes (14.28)

n.d.

1

44

 Newspaper clippings (14.29)

n.d.

1

45

 Correspondence: McCarthy and Nathanson to A. Cole and City Planning Commission (14.30)

1964–1966

1

46

 C. Lilien and Associations Architects and Engineers (14.31)

1965

1

47

 Agreement, between Fed. Estates and E. Scervino (14.32)

1965

1

48

 William C. Beller, The Bronx County Historical Society, and New York City (14.33)

1965

1

49

 Bills and Bills Paid, folder 1 (14.34)

1965–1966

1

50

 Bills and Bills Paid, folder 2 (14.35)

1965–1966

1

51

 Statements: Masonry, Plastering, Tile, Federal Estates (14.36)

1965–1966

1

52

 Correspondence: Nathan Kestubaum and D. Cole (14.37)

1965–1966

1

53

 Bills and Bills Paid (14.38)

1965–1973

1

54

 Correspondence: D. Cole to Department of Buildings (14.39)

1966

1

55

 Correspondence: Tropp and Steinbeck (legal matters) (14.40)

1966

1

56

 Receipts (14.41)

1966

1

57

 Correspondence: D. Cole to various companies (14.42)

1966–1967

1

58

 Statements from Palma Contracting Co. (14.43)

1966–1969

1

59

 Correspondence: Neumann-Goldman Post #69 to various (14.44)

1966–1973

1

60

 Correspondence: D. Cole to Alan Michel Plumbing (14.45)

1967

1

61

 Correspondence: Titan Air Conditioning Corp. to Bronx Museum (14.46)

1973

1

62

 Agreements, ADT Co. (14.47)

1973

1

63

 Boy Scout Troop 105 (14.48)

1973

1

64

 Andrew Tsarsis, registered architect, Cost Estimates (14.49)

1973

1

65

 Correspondence: G. Hermalyn to Alfred Greenberg and Laurence Kallman (14.50)

1973

1

66

 Correspondence: A. Signorielli, Architect (14.51)

1973–1974

1

67

 A. Greenberg, Report on the Valentine-Varian House (14.52)

1973

1

68

 Xerox Company, Service Agreement (14.53)

1974

1

69

 Ideal Electric Motor Company (14.54)

1974

1

70

 ADT, Automatic Smoke Detector and Fire Alarm Manual (14.55)

n.d.

1

71

 New York City Fire Department, Violation Order (14.56)

1974

1

72

 Request for Scope Approval (14.57)

1974

1

73

 Correspondence: I. L. Guss to G. Hermalyn (14.58)

1974

1

74

 Correspondence: J. Wittenstein and A. Signorielli to E. Dweck (14.59)

1974

1

75

 Correspondence: Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (14.60)

1974

1

76

 Gun Hill Fence and Perfect Cornice and roofing Co. (14.61)

1975

1

77

 Survey of Historic Buildings (14.62)

n.d.

1

78

 Valentine-Varian House History (14.63)

n.d.

1

79

 Valentine-Varian House/Museum of Bronx History (14.64)

n.d.

1

80

 Correspondence: R. D. Anderson to T. Schliessman (14.65)

n.d.

1

81

 Landmarks Preservation Commission, Varian House (14.66)

n.d.

1

82

 Photograph of Van Cortlandt Mansion (14.67)

n.d.

1

83

 Museum of Bronx History, A Historical Report (14.68)

n.d.

1

84

 Agreement between The Bronx County Historical Society and the Parks Department (14.69)

n.d.

1

85

 Plan to Create a Dutch Door (14.70)

n.d.

1

86

 Notes Concerning Items in the Garden at the North Lawn of the Varian House (14.71)

n.d.

1

87

 Cards Representing Various Companies and Blank Coupon (14.72)

n.d.

1

88

 Miscellaneous (14.73)

n.d.

1

89

 History of the Van Cortlandt Mansion (14.74)

1976

1

90

 Miscellaneous (14.75)

n.d.