The content of most Municipal Archives collections is evident from the title. Patrons researching “New York District Attorney Closed Case Files” will have a general idea of the types of documents and subject matter in the collection. But for other collections, the content may not be so apparent. The Old Town Records is one example. What does “Old Town” mean?  And “Records” is certainly not a very helpful description.   

One of the most important functions that archivists perform is assisting patrons understand the intellectual content of a collection and how it might inform the subject of their research. This is accomplished by a variety of tasks. Archivists determine the provenance of the collection, i.e. what individual or office created the records. They determine the date span, types of material, and most important, what subjects are addressed by the records. The ultimate goal is to create a “finding guide” that presents this information, along with inventories and other guidance. 

Thanks to generous funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the Municipal Archives has been processing and digitizing the Old Town Records collection, as well as developing a finding guide. This work will help researchers understand that “Old Town” refers to the towns and villages in Queens, Richmond, and Kings Counties that existed prior to consolidation into the Greater City of New York in 1898. The Guide will also define the various subjects that can be researched in the collection.   

For the Record previously published several posts about the Old Town Records Collection project. Processing the Old Town Records Collection, Dog Licenses in the Old Town Records, and most recently, The Genealogical Possibilities of Manumissions in the Old Town Records have helped highlight collection content.   

This week’s article highlights another important topic in New York City history that can be researched in the Old Town Records: oysters. 

Although somewhat difficult to envision now, two centuries ago, the waters surrounding New York City were clean and fertile enough to provide ample sustenance for the region’s inhabitants. The first European settlers of what became New York City—at the time a scattering of towns and villages across each of the current five boroughs—depended on the land and water around them to survive. One way they accomplished this was to harvest oysters.

Oysters are considered a delicacy today, but until the early 20th century, when pollution made the waters unsafe, they were a regular part of the diet. Available in great abundance, they were an affordable food, available to rich and poor alike. Oysters became associated with New York City, and travelers from around the world expected to enjoy these delicious during their visits.

The waters surrounding New York City provided an unlimited supply of oysters. It was very common to see oyster houses, carts, and markets on the streets of Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island (consisting of Brooklyn and Queens). Pearl Street, in lower Manhattan, was named for its role in oyster farming and selling. Tottenville on the southwestern tip of Staten Island was known as “The Town that Oysters Built.” A town on the northern coast of Queens was named Oyster Bay (it is now contained within Nassau County). 

The practice of oyster farming was ubiquitous enough that it began to be regulated. The Old Town Records collection contains records of oyster permits and applications to plant oyster beds, as well as minute books from what are called Oyster Boards. These were governing bodies dedicated entirely to regulating the oyster industry. Some records refer to Ruffle Bar, which is an island in Jamaica Bay between Brooklyn and Queens. Others are from the towns of Jamaica, Queens and Flatlands and Gravesend on the southern coast of Brooklyn.

Although oysters filter the water they live in, their shrinking numbers, combined with the dumping of raw sewage into the river and ocean, a practice that began in 1849, made the water they lived in too toxic to survive. The last oyster bed in New York was closed in 1927.

Interestingly, oysters are now being planted around New York Harbor, not for human consumption but to clean the water.