Henry Street Settlement opens doors of opportunity for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social service, arts, and health care programs.
Henry Street Settlement is a working social service agency and does not maintain an onsite archive. To access historical information about the Settlement, please refer to the institutions below.
Social Welfare History Archives
320 Anderson Library, University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612.624.6394
The Social Welfare History Archives has the 140 manuscript boxes that contain the Henry Street Settlement Papers (http://www.hyperfind.org/). A detailed finding aid for the collection is available. The collection, although dating from 1892, best documents the years of 1933 to 1967. To a more limited extent, the collection contains material from both before and shortly after that period. The Social Welfare History Archives also has the Helen Hall Papers. This collection contains material about the Settlement’s second Executive Director, Helen Hall. A detailed finding aid for the collection is available. In addition to these two collections, the Archives also has the papers of the United Neighborhood Houses, the United Federation of Settlements, and other Settlement houses.
The New York Public Library Manuscripts Division
Room 328
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018-2788
Phone: 212.930.0801 (General Information); 212.930.0801 (Rare Books & Manuscripts Division)
The New York Public Library has the Lillian Wald Papers on microfilm (37 reels). A microfilm reel index which lists the content of the collection is available. The collection covers the years of 1893 to 1940. The papers were a gift of the Visiting Nurse Service in 1958.
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center
The Billy Rose Theatre Collection
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212.870.1639
The Billy Rose Theatre Collection has information on Henry Street’s arts programs as well as the Neighborhood Playhouse.
Columbia University Butler Library Rare Book & Manuscript Library
6th Floor East
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212.854.5153
Columbia University has the Lillian D. Wald Papers on microfilm. A list of the collection is available. The papers were a gift of the Visiting Nurse Service through Mrs. Eva M. Reese in 1967. There are approximately 30,000 items in the collection (97 boxes) on microfilm. Columbia University also has the Helen Hall Papers (150 items in five boxes and 2 oversize folders, the Bruno Lasker Papers (33 boxes), the Kelly Family Papers (1,800 items in 7 boxes), and the Herbert Lehman Papers- all of which contain information about Henry Street Settlement.
Teachers College of Columbia University Special Collections Department of the Milbank Memorial Library
525 West 120th Street
New York, NY 10027
Tel: (212) 678-4104
The Teacher’s College Nursing Archives has the Adelaide Nutting Papers, which are on microfilm and contain some correspondence with Lillian Wald along with information about Henry Street.
The City College of New York of CUNY M. R. Cohen Library Division of Archives and Special Collections
North Academic Center, Rm. 5-301
Convent Avenue at 138 Street
New York, NY 10031
Phone: 212.650.7609
The Russell Sage Collection at the City University Archives contains over 100,000 printed records of social welfare agencies between about 1880 and 1970. The collection is especially rich in the period before 1940. Annual reports and individual publications make up the bulk of the materials. Although the Collection does not have any of Henry Street’s annual reports, it does have some miscellaneous Settlement publications dating from several years before World War I.
Henry Street Settlement Development Office
265 Henry Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212.766.9200
The Development Office has information on recent Settlement activities including Biennial Reports, newsletters, a chronology, a bibliography and other publicity materials. In addition, the office manages a collection of photographs of the Settlement.
The Neighborhood Playhouse
340 East 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212.688.3770
The Neighborhood Playhouse has archival material from the early days of its founding, including photographs, programs, reviews, scripts and other items. In order to see the collection, it is necessary to call and make an appointment.
The Seward Park Library
192 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212.477.6770
The Seward Park Library has a section of materials on the Lower East Side, including several files of clippings and other items on Henry Street Settlement.
Visiting Nurse Service of New York
107 East 70th Street
New York, NY 10021
Phone: 212.794.9200
The Visiting Nurse Service of New York has information on its most recent activities as well as some historical materials including photographs.
