nbenton@jjay.cuny.edu

This Digital Photo Archive is a searchable database of more than 15,000 images from six major sources and multiple collections. The archive was originally developed by the Larchmont Historical Society in 2010 and we are now moving the collection to a new platform that offers more reliability and sustainability. We are also considering how to integrate the Larchmont Historical Society collection with the Mamaroneck Historical Society.

Today you can browse each collection separately. We are testing a technology to permit searches across collections based on themes and topics. To try this click on the “Search Images in Galleries” link on the top menu and enter an name such as “Bevan” for the Bevan Hotel, or “Palmer” for Palmer Avenue and you will see pictures with these expressions in the photo title.

It is not necessary to log in or register to use this archive. You can browse all of the photos in a particular collection or search for images across the entire archive.

The following is an example of a collection of photographs of Larchmont properties before 1950 from the Mamaroneck Town Assessor’s Office. Click on any photo to see an enlarged version.

Town Assessor Photos of Residences

These photographs or residences were maintained by the Town of Mamaroneck Assessor’s Office from the 1930s through the 1960s. The collection consists of properties within Larchmont Village because the collection was original set up by the Larchmont Historical Society. You can search for a specific property by clicking on the “Search Images in Galleries” link on the top menu and enter a street name and number, like “Beach149.” You can also enter a name such as “Bevan” for the Bevan Hotel, or “Palmer” for Palmer Avenue and you will see pictures with these expressions in the photo title. 

Town Assessor Photos of Businesses

The photographs were maintained in the Town of Mamaroneck Assessor’s Office from the 1930 through the 1970s. The collection consists of properties within Larchmont Village because the collection was original set up by the Larchmont Historical Society. You can search for a specific property by clicking on the “Search Images in Galleries” link on the top menu and enter a street name and number, like “Beach149.” You can also enter a name such as “Bevan” for the Bevan Hotel, or “Palmer” for Palmer Avenue and you will see pictures with these expressions in the photo title. 

Introduction to the Photo Archive

Larchmont Historical Society’s Digital Photo Archive is a searchable database of more than 7,000 images from six major sources and multiple collections. The archive was originally developed in 2010 and we are now moving the collection to a new platform that offers more reliability and sustainability.

Today you can browse each collection separately, and we are activating a technology to permit searches across collections based on themes and topics.

It is not necessary to log in or register to use this archive. You can browse all of the photos in a particular collection or search for images across the entire archive.

Viewing Each Collection

The list of collections is to the left. They are grouped under the six participating organizations – names CAPITALIZED – who shared their collections with the Archive. Click on a collection and you can browse all of the photos in that collection.

Searching Generally

Searching by Address

You can type a street name combined with a 3-digit street number like prospect007 or beach149. A 4-digit number is necessary for Palmer Avenue or the Post Road, like palmer1906 or bpr2112. You enter these into the Search Tool and hit “execute search” you will get a listing of all of the images indexed to the addresses involved.

General Keywords

We have also set up a list of indexing keywords. While indexing is not complete, if you search on these keywords you will reach those images that have already been indexed. For example, click on the keyword “halloween” below and you will see ghosts and goblins past.

park – residence – business – lyc – hhyc – lsc – thruway – business – WWI – WWII – korea – vietnam – school – soccer – sail – worship – parade – storm – housetour – ad – hotel – map – art – civilwar – veteran – detail – halloween – manorpark – flintpark
Government and Public Service

 

vol – tom – vom – mayor – trustee – supervisor – towncouncil
Fire and Police

 

lpd – tmpd – lfd – tmfd – fire – workingfire
When users suggest additional search keywords we add them to this list.

Obtaining Photographs

To obtain a photograph you must contact the organization that has custody of the photograph.

Local Cemeteries

Between 2007-2008, Ned Benton took photos of every grave marker in all six local cemeteries and posted them in the Photo Archive.  As information becomes available, the images are annotated with information about the people identified by the markers.

cemeteries

 CEMETERY PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTIONS

The cemeteries documented include:

The collection can be searched in the Photo Archive by family name or by cemetery: 

The Philip Severin Collection

Philip Severin 1894-1986

Known as “Mr. Larchmont,” Philip Severin played an integral role in the evolution of our present-day community. Severin was a realtor, developer, planner, landscape architect, historian, artist and writer. He recorded his surroundings and experiences  in both his art and his writing, preserving a record of life in Larchmont that brings the past to life today. His contributions are memorialized on a plaque in the West Gazebo of Manor Park. The Historical Society acquired a collection of his original sketches in 2006.

Severin was born in 1894 in New York City. The Severin family moved to Larchmont in 1899. They lived on 28 picturesque acres know as Wilmarth Farms, stretching from the Post Road to Palmer Avenue and from Chatsworth Avenue to the stone wall along Concord Avenue, Virginia Place, Devon Road and Nassau Road. His father, Jacob Zvirin (name changed later) was a printer who also operated Zvirin’s News Store. The Larchmont Historical Society is fortunate to have several of the beautiful photo postcards that he published and sold to residents of Larchmont Village in the early 1900s.