Office of the City Historian Records, 1898-2007

Summary

Abstract:
This collection consists of the records created during daily activities of past Rochester City Historians, Joseph Barnes, Edward Foreman, Blake McKelvey, and Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck. The materials date between 1818 and 2007. The records consist of correspondence, special projects, publications, events, and subject research files.
Extent:
68 Cubic Feet 23 record cartons, 90 clam shell document boxes, and 37 custom boxes.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Office of the City Historian Records, [Series name]. [box#:folder#]. Local History and Genealogy Division, Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County N.Y.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of the records created during daily activities of past Rochester City Historians, Joseph Barnes, Edward Foreman, Blake McKelvey, and Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck. The materials date between 1920 and 2007. The records consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, and manuscript drafts.

The topics covered in this collection include the World War Service Record volumes, Rochester History, the Rochester Historical Society, Rochester's Sesquicentennial, books and articles authored by past City Historians, and many other special projects and events that were organized by the City Historian's.

The records document the importance of having a city historian, their daily duties, and the work necessary to preserve Rochester's long history.

Biographical / historical:

In 1921, spurred by the desire for preservation of local war service records, New York state passed a law under the authority of the Educational Law of the State of New York (section 1198 and 1199) that mandated the appointment of a local historian. The law also defined the general duties. The law reads "A local historian shall be appointed as provided in the section for each city, town, or village, except that in a city of one million inhabitants a local historian shall be appointed for each borough therein."

The Office of the Historian was under the control of the Board of Trustees of the Rochester Public Library. In 1927, the Division of Local History was created in the Rochester Public Library. The position of Director was added to the list of City Historian's duties. In the late 20th century, the role of the City Historian changed slightly to include, publication of periodicals, articles and books, educational outreach, working with local historical and preservation organizations, and presenting lectures. The most notable change of the office was New York States assembly bill that added the "responsibility for the sound management of local records." The bill clarified that the historians were not only responsible for collection of local records but also to promote the establishment and improvement of the management and preservation of government records. The original law was rewritten and is now under the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, Section 57.07, Local Government Historian Law

The city of Rochester was one of the first communities to appoint a City Historian. The first City Historian elected was Elmer Adler. Adler was appointed by Mayor Hiram H. Edgarton in 1921. Elmer Adler resigned after less than a year and Edward Foreman was appointed on June 20, 1921.

Elmer Adler, 1921-1921
Edward Foreman, 1921- 1936
Dexter Perkins, 1936-1948
Blake McKelvey, 1948-1973
Joseph Barnes, 1973-1987
Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck, 1987-2007
Christine Ridarsky, 2008-Present
Acquisition information:
This collection was created during the daily operations of the City Historian's office.
Processing information:

This project was made possible by a grant from the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund.

This collection was found in file cabinets and the closet of the current city historian. The original processors retained the original order of the separate series or refined the chronological/alphabetical order of the original order. All staples and paperclips were removed, acidic papers were placed in acid free envelopes, and any deteriorating papers were photocopied or preservation methods were taken. Each series will have it's own scope and content note as well as biographical note due to the size of the collection.

Arrangement:

This collection consists of 149 boxes divided into 13 series:

Series I: Joseph Barnes, 1924-1985, bulk 1970-1985

Sub-series A: Correspondence, 1970-1985
Sub-series B: Sesquicentennial, 1978-1985
Sub-series C: Miscellaneous, 1924-1985, bulk 1970-1985

Series II: Edward Foreman, 1921-1939

Sub-series A: Personal Papers, 1921-1939
Sub-series B: Miscellaneous, 1921-1939

Series III: Blake McKelvey, 1818-2000, bulk 1936-1980

Sub-series A: Correspondence, General, 1944-1982
Sub-series B: Correspondence, Publishing, 1948-1973
Sub-series C: Correspondence, Urban History, 1940-1971
Sub-series D: Business as a Profession, 1978-2003
Sub-series E: Manuscripts, 1955-1994
Sub-series F: Panoramic History of Rochester, 1978-1971
Sub-series G: Personal Papers, 1898-2000, bulk 1930-1960
Sub-series H: Research Notes, 1937-1970
Sub-series I: Snow in the Cities research files, 1921-1995
Sub-series J: WWII Service Records, 1941-1947
Sub-series K: Miscellaneous, 1818-2000

Series IV: Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck, 1928-2007, bulk 1983-2004

Sub-series A: Correspondence, 1980-2007
Sub-series B: "A Growing Agitation," 1984-1986
Sub-series C: Personal Papers, 1984-1991
Sub-series D: Report on Toxic Chemicals, 1928-1986
Sub-series E: "Young People's History of Rochester," 1986-2000
Sub-series F: Miscellaneous, 1950-2004, bulk 1990-2000

Series V: Carol Fede, Secretary to the City Historian Correspondence, 1993-2000

Series VI: Instructional Activities, 1938-1995, bulk 1960-1986

Sub-series A: Blake McKelvey Student Papers, 1938-1984
Sub-series B: Naparsteck Student Papers, 1976-1991, bulk 1991
Sub-series C: Educational Outreach, 1939, 1964-1995

Series VII: Rochester Historical Society Correspondence, 1912-1938, bulk 1960-1986

Sub-series A: Publication Fund Series, 1912-1938, bulk 1921-1938
Sub-series B: Centennial History of Rochester, 1929-1934
Sub-series C: General Correspondence, 1927-1937

Series VIII: Rochester History, 1935-2011

Sub-series A: Subject research and correspondence, 1939-2011
Sub-series B: Financials, 1970-1998
Sub-series C: Indexing, 1939-2001
Sub-series D: Printing, 1935-2002
Sub-series E: Miscellaneous, 1985-2001

Series IX: Rochester Regional Library Council, 1970-2001

Series X: World War Service Record Correspondence, 1922-1934

Sub-series A: Correspondence, 1922-1928
Sub-series B: Reports, 1922-1924
Sub-series C: Volume II and III, 1924-1930

Series XI: Subject Research Files, 1824-2004

Series XII: Video Recordings, 1988-1996

Series XIII: Miscellaneous Records, 1789-2002, bulk 1970-1995

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this collection.

Terms of access:

Copyright is held by the Office of the City Historian, Rochester Public Library. Copyright of the papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder[s] of copyright and the Office of the City Historian before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Preferred citation:

Office of the City Historian Records, [Series name]. [box#:folder#]. Local History and Genealogy Division, Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County N.Y.

Location of this collection:
Rundel Memorial Building
115 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
585-428-8370
lochist@libraryweb.org