The New Rochelle Public Library Archive holds unique and irreplaceable documents relating to the history of New Rochelle. The Photography Collection is one of the largest collections, in excess of 15,000 images, covering the city’s history from 1861 to 2018, and presenting photo processes from tintypes and lantern slides to glossy prints and digital photography. The collection is well-organized and housed in acid-free containers in secure archival storage. A detailed finding guide is available. Photo subjects include the infrastructure and built environment of the city; residential neighborhoods; the streetscape of local businesses; railway transportation; urban development; city parks, churches, and schools; the waterfront and Davids Island; aerial views of the city; social life and its diversity; and public events such as historic anniversaries, festivals, and parades. Much of the collection was donated to the Library by Dominick Bruzzese (1919-2018), a long-time resident and employee of the New Rochelle Police Department. The photography is significant as the only comprehensive and well-preserved photographic survey of the City of New Rochelle through the years of its urban growth and social development from the mid-19th century.
Of the 97 boxes of photographs in the collection there are 15 glass plate negative boxes in four different sizes. The subject matter is similar to the above, with special focus on farming, landscape, early houses, railways, Hudson Park, Fort Slocum, Long Island Sound, and the New Rochelle Water Company and pump station.
