“To put a city in a book, to put
the world on one sheet of paper -- maps are the most condensed humanized spaces
of all...They make the landscape fit indoors, make us masters of sights we
can't see and spaces we can't cover.”
― Robert Harbison, Eccentric Spaces
― Robert Harbison, Eccentric Spaces
Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory is listed on the Historic Register of Places in New
York. Our Map and Blueprint Collection is the only place to find many of the
unique maps dating from the 1890s. Even
the local historical societies do not have these maps, which represent the
history of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
This Collection is truly a record of the evolution of the property, buildings
and institution in its entirety.
The Cold Spring Harbor Map and Blueprint Collection consists of topographical maps, architectural drawings, pencil drawings, pencil sketches, and blue prints of the grounds and buildings over the course of 140 years.
These
records have been stored on site since their creation, originally in
administrative offices under various Laboratory Directors until their removal
to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library and Archives. Most of the material designates the sibling institutions
that commissioned the work: Brooklyn
Institute of Arts and Sciences, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Long Island
Biological Association and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Despite their historic importance, the
storage of the Map and Blueprint Collection has been deficient. Many of the documents had foxing as seen on
this map of lands leased to the Carnegie Institute, 1908.
Others fell prey to insect damage as shown on
this 1928 rendering of the George Lane Nichols building section.
While the damage can be repaired,
it is usually disproportionally expensive to the cost of proper storage.
Fortunately, we were able to stabilize
the entire Collection which should at least halt the progress of damage. Appropriate storage boxes, tubes and paper
were procured. Approximately 40 hours were spent boxing, wrapping and
preserving the Collection.
Now that it is stabilized, this
Collection can be used with its related Collections: the Carnegie Institute of
Washington, Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, Long Island Biological
Association and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to study and appreciate the many aspects
of our history. On the surface, the maps
and blueprints show the physical expansion of the lab from a rural, seasonal
facility to multiple campuses larger than many universities. On closer perusal, one can see how the types
of buildings commissioned demonstrate the Lab’s changing focus from marine
biology to genetics to cancer research. Expansion, development and renovation
exploded under the leadership of Dr. Watson in 1968 and the number of prints
and blueprints post 1970 reflect this. It is our hope that now that this
Collection has the proper care and organization, it can be used to supplement
historical displays both physically and digitally.
- E.P., Project Archivist
