THE New York Surrogates’ Court is one of the most extravagant Beaux Arts buildings in NYC and one building I’d really like to enter one day to see the fantastic interiors. It was constructed from 1899-1907 (Horgan and Slattery and John R. Thomas) and was originally the Hall of Records, the place you wrote to to obtain tax photos of nearly every NYC property, taken in 1940 and 1980 (I would write, but they never answered me. Fortunately everything is online now). The building’s frontage on Chambers Street features several historical figures associated with NYC, some household names, some not: David Pietersen de Vries, Caleb Heathcote, DeWitt Clinton, Abram S. Hewitt, Philip Hone, Peter Stuyvesant, Cadwallader D. Colden and James Duane. There are 54(!) such statues on the building exterior! I can’t seem to find a comprehensive list. By now many of these men (they are all men) are obscure except for the most throughly knowledgeable NYC historian, such as Mike Wallace of the “Gotham” books. The NYC landmarks page, written in the 1960s, is fairly thin on details and actually the wikipedia page is rather thorough.
The folks at Untapped Cities are able to get into places that I cannot, and thus, they have acquired interior photos that include its recently restored magnificent skylight.
Surrogates’ courts hear cases involving the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills, and the administration of estates and trust proceedings.
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5/23/24
9 comments
You probably could get in, at least to the lobby. Courthouses are generally open to visitors.
Come on,all that just to store records?Was that really necessary?
Reminds me of the Tweed Courthouse,another screwing of the taxpayer.
I have been lucky enough to have been inside the building several times over the past forty years. Some of those visits were to use the Municipal Archives. Another visit was to take the practical test for a New York City Department of Buildings License to hang suspended scaffolds. In the bowels of the basement, they had a large scale model of a building, and you were asked to hang scale models of suspended scaffolds on it to determine your level of proficiency. (Fortunately, I passed on the first attempt.) This is one of the most beautiful interior spaces I have encountered in New York City. It is truly jaw-dropping. If you ever have the opportunity to have business in the building, or to take a tour, do not pass it up.
In the early 80s I recall the lobby being rented out for events and films.
This building’s interior is nothing less than SPECTACULAR!
I have some pretty good photos of the sculptures at the Madison Square courthouse and should scan them in and send them to you. I do like the allegorical figures sculpted in outside of public buildings including courts and banks, Many of them are Victorian era nudies such as on one bank at Bowery and another in Brooklyn Heights..
It was originally Boss Tweed’s “clubhouse”
I believe the news conference scene in the original “Death Wish” movie was filmed in the lobby.
I took the “ practical test” for electrician helper in 1973, electrician in 1975, and for the NYC Master Electrician License in 1987. I do recall the lobby was fabulous, and the basement where the tests were given looked like Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory.
You’re right Kevin. Getting a tax photo requires an online request now. Years back, I had to go there in person and look in alarge reference book to get my block and lot numbers. After doing that, I then filled a paper application for a 8″x10″ picture of my house as it appeared in 1940.
Recently, I wanted a larger tax photo to frame. This time I filled an online application, sent credit card info, and then just waited for my larger photo to be mailed to me.