Flat Files Collection, 1754-2017

After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series IV. Buildings and Grounds, 1773-1971, bulk 1910s-1960s

This series, the largest in the collection, includes oversize lithographs, prints, architectural drawings, renderings, studies, maps, graphs, floor plans, watercolors, newsprint, illustrations, flyers, posters, and set designs. For additional materials, please consult the Columbia University architectural drawings, 1888-1957 at the Avery Drawings Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library.



Box 14-UA-1 Color Lithograph entitled "Columbia College, New York. Drawn and Engraved expressly for the New York Daily Mirror and Ladies' Literary Gazette. 1828.", 1828


Bailey, Vernon Howe, Four Drawings of Campus created for THE NY SUN, 1930s

(Columbia Boathouse at Spuyten Duyvil; Barnard College with Riverside Church in background; Casa Italiana; 119th Street Gate. 119th Street Gate drawing is matted)


Morningside Heights, Inc., Organizational Charts, 1951


Morningside Heights, Inc., Footprint Studies of Site, undated


Morningside Heights, Inc., Analytical Maps by Department of City Planning Manhattan CPD9 Showing Existing Land Use, Vehicular Planning, Public Transportation, and Issues, 1971


Morningside Heights, Inc., Map of Columbia Owned and Vacant Buildings, 1947


Morningside Heights, Inc., Morningside Heights General Base Maps and Street Plans, circa 1960s


Morningside Heights, Inc., Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan: Building Conditions and Institutional Properties, 1962-1965


Morningside Heights, Inc., Tentative Institutional Expansion Plan, 1965-1966


Morningside Heights, Inc., Zoning Maps, 1947


Morningside Heights, Inc., Photos of Morningside Heights: Aerial View with Building Keys, Aerial View with New York Times Article, Street Scene with Riverside Church, circa 1950s-1960s


Morningside Heights, Inc., Mock-Up of Publications: "New Neighbors are Coming," "Our King of Neighborhood is the Strength of America," Montage of Fliers and Questionnaires, "Here is Manhattanville: A Report to the People from the Community Advisory Committee, Morningside-Manhattanville Redevelopment," and "Morningside-Manhattanville Redevelopment Plan", circa 1950s, undated



Box 14-UA-2 Three Maps of Campus and Morningside Heights before and After Columbia, 1897-1898, undated


Deturk, Richard S., Barnes, R.M., and Emanuel, Manuel S. for Morningside Heights, Inc., Manhattanville Base Maps: High and Low Redevelopment Plans, 1949


Chandler Chemical Museum Floorplan, 1930s



Box 14-UA-3 Morningside Heights, Inc., Morningside Heights Statistical Graphs showing Housing Population, 1947-1950



Box 14-UA-4 Floor plan of Arden House, 1950


Floor Plan of Rockefeller Center-Radio City Music Hall, 1930


Architectural Drawings of Metalwork Elevations, 1877


Floor Plan of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Washington Heights, circa 1925


Detail Drawing of a Plaque Commemorating 1794 Construction of Fort Jay by Students and Faculty, 1952


Architectural Drawings of Proposed Gymnasium in Morningside Park, 1962


Renderings, Detail Drawings, and Floor Plans of Information Booth and College Walk around the Proposed Sun Ball or Sun Dial, 1939


Proposed Floor Plan of Ferris Booth Hall and the Columbia College Citizenship Center, 1953, 1957


Detail Drawings of Book Delivery Desk and Class of 1874 Memorial in Low Rotunda, 1900


Floor Plan of the 4th Floor of Butler Library, 1932


Drawings of Schermerhorn Extension (Anthropology Records), 1966-1967



Box 14-UA-5 Map of Morningside Heights, 49th Street, and Park Place Campuses with Comparisons of Plans and Total Area, 1904


Property Lot Maps of 49th Street Campus, 1850, 1891, undated


Elevations and Floor Plans of the Columbiana Library in Low, 1944


Property Lot Map of Park's Place Campus entitled "A Rough Draught of the Lotts-Kingsland", 1773


Gorham, W., Plan of Morningside Heights Campus entitled "A Map of Columbia University some time King's College in the City of New York", 1932



Box 15-L-5 Color Illustrated Plan of Morningside Heights Campus, 1954



Box 14-UA-5 Black and White Illustrated Plan of Morningside Heights Campus, 1984


Property Lot Map of Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1935


Property Lot Map of Park Place Campus, circa 1790


Montresor, John, 1855 Valentine's Manual print of original 1775 map of Lower Manhattan with the Columbia Campus site indicated, 1855


Academic Acropolis: A Map of the Academic and Religious Institutions of Morningside Heights in New York City, circa 1985


Troop Movement Map of the Battle of Harlem Heights, 1776 September 16, 1776

(1944 photo of original held by New York Historical Society)


Property lot map of Park Place Campus entitled "Map of lands Belonging to Columbia College in the Third Ward of the City of New York", 1830



Box 14-UA-8 Floor Plans and Maps for the Columbia University Club, 1916, undated



Box Flat Box 1 Hale, Walter, Drawing of Alma Mater, undated


Drawing of Alma Mater, undated


Photoprint of Alma Mater Statue for Cover of Educational Number, circa 1903

(see Photograph Collection for photoprint without lettering)


Print of Low Library from Harper's Weekly, 1894 November


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of Low Library, 1938


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of East View of Morningside Campus Including Low Library and Plaza, St. Paul's Chapel, Alumni/Buell Hall, and Philosophy Hall, 1938


Lindenmeyer, Henry, Print of Engraving of Low Library, circa 1935


Print of Engraving of Low Library, circa 1930s


Needlework Image of Low Library, undated


Gotchschwarte, Anne [À], Engraving of Low Library, undated


Murray, Jason F., Drawing of Low Library, undated


[Glumann], West View of Morningside Campus including Low Library, Lewisohn Hall, Earl Hall, and Dodge Hall, circa 1930s


[Snyden, E.H.], Print of Engraving entitled "The Library Columbia" from Series "25 View of New York", circa 1910


Balch, V. Print of Park Place Campus entitled "Columbia College, New York" for the New York Mirror and Ladies' Literary Gazette, 1828


Dodworth, Harvey B., Print of Park Place Campus entitled "Old College Sycamore Schottissch", 1852


Walton, H., Print of Park Place Campus entitled "Columbia College", undated


College of Pharmacy, undated


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of Earl Hall, 1938


Prints from Harper's Weekly of Grant's Tomb, 1897 May 8


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of Hamilton Hall, 1938


Fridenberg, Percy, Drawings of 49th Street Campus


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of Kent Hall, 1938


Adams & Grace Company, Color Print of Panoramic North View of Morningside Heights Campus, 1923


Chrystie, Edward Punnett, Print of Drawing of Trinity Church Schoolhouse (Original King's College Site 1754-1760), 1955


Print of 49th Street Campus in Scientific American, 1887 August

(see Newspapers for original)


Print of 49th Street Campus in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 1887 April 23

(see Newspapers for better copy)


Print of 49th Street Campus in Harper's Weekly, 1874 August 8


Calcott, Frank, Print of Engraving of North View of Morningside Campus including Low Library (Final and Preliminary Versions), 1935



Box Flat Box 2 Copy Print of Engraving of King's College Building on Park Place, undated

( See also Drawings and Prints Collection: Publications Illustrations for "Thumbnail Sketch" features by James Kip Finch)


Drawing of the Entrance Hall/Vestibule of Low Library, 1932


Finch, James Kip ('06 E), Print of Drawing of Philosophy Hall, 1947


Grant, Henry Adams, Drawing of Pupin Hall Physics Building with Roof of University Hall in foreground, 1926


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of Riverside Church as viewed from Columbia Campus, 1937


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of Riverside Church, Union Theological Seminary, and University Hall entitled "The Towers", 1939


Print from Harper's Weekly of Schermerhorn Hall with Hall of Physics (Fayerweather Hall), 1896


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of the School of Mines Portal and Le Marteleur Statue, 1939


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of University Hall entitled "Night Shadows in the City", 1933


Roth, Ernest D., Print of Engraving of the School of Mines, 1938


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of Sundial with Partial view of South Field and Butler Library, 1934


Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of School of Mines entitled "Night Shadows", 1928


Print from Harper's Weekly of University Hall, 1896 December 26


Lindenmeyer, Henry [À], Print of Engraving of Van Amringe Memorial, undated


Drawings of Ironworks near Housatonic Railway Line entitled "View of Stack No. 2", circa 1900


Burgess, R.P., Drawing entitled "Pasture Road", undated


De Santis, M., Watercolor Painting of River View with Trees, undated


Finch, James Kip, Drawing entitled "The George Bridge at Cahop, France" presented to Frank D. Fackenthal, 1934


Rood, Odgen Nicholas, Watercolor Paintings of New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1936


[Mane], Engraving of a Seine River View in Paris, undated


Erie Canal, undated


Renwick, James (1790-1863), Original Water Color Sketch, undated


J. Chereau (Paris Printer), "Representation du feu terrible a Nouville Yorck…la nuit du 19 Septembre, 1776", undated


Print from Harper's Weekly of a Panoramic Northwest View of the Morningside Campus, 1905 April 8


Boathouse, undated


Grant, H., North View of Morningside Heights Campus including Low Library and South Field, undated


J.K.F., Drawing of Butler Library, undated



Box Flat Box 4 University Hall Illustrations, Harper's Weekly, 1896 December 26


Article and Illustrations of Low Library, Harper's Weekly, 1894 November 3


Flyers advertising the Columbia University Bookstore, circa 1953-1954

(these flyers also include ads for the Lion's Den in John Jay Hall, a list of important dates from the Academic Calendar, and information on the student ticket plan for all of Columbia's home athletic events)



Box Flat Box 5 "Challenge" The Columbia Gymnasium Building Fund, 1960s


Floor Plan of 546 W 113th Street (Department of Slavic Languages), 1970 May 5


Floor Plan of Haskell Hall (negative mylar), 1968 December


Floor Plan of 635 W 113th Street (drawings and negative mylar), 1971 April 1



Box Flat Box 6 Alexander Kouzmanoff and Associates, "Avery Project" Library extension, Graduate School of Architecture and Planning, 1974



Box Flat Box 7 Arnaud, Leopold, Detail Studies for Bicentennial Plaque, 1952


Arnaud, Leopold, Detail Studies for Baker Field Banners, 1953


Proposed Rendering of Assembly Hall, circa 1910


Detail Drawings of Kent Hall Clock, 1912


Detail Drawings of Kent Hall Library Clock, 1912


Detail Drawings of Gift of Class of 1910 Fountains, undated


Rendering of Ferris Booth Hall, 1957


Rendering of the Engineering Center for the School of Engineering, circa 1950


Elevation for the Columbia Grammar School at the Park Place Campus, 1829


Elevation of the Columbia College Building on the Park Place Campus, undated


Elevation and Floor Plan for the Columbia College Building on the Park Place Campus, circa 1800


Elevation of the Columbia College Building on the Park Place Campus, undated


Rendering of the Fences, Walls, and Gates of the President's House, circa 1915


Arnaud, Leopold, Sketches of the Reception Room of the Faculty Club, circa 1950


Detail Drawings of the Bronze Rail and Lamp Post on South Court and Low Plaza Stairs, undated



Box Flat Box 8 Guerin, Jules, Color Print of Drawing of Low Library, 1906


Maricano, John D., Drawing of the Columbia College Building/Deaf and Dumb Asylum on the 49th Street Campus (Depiction of 1849), circa 1945


Elevation and Floor Plan for the Samuel Wilde Observatory, circa 1912


Elevation of the Sun Dial and Sun Ball, 1910


Arnaud, Leopold, Detail Studies of the Processional Cross and Verger's Staff for St. Paul's Chapel, 1950-1951


Arnaud, Leopold, Detail Study of the Portable Lectern for St. Paul's Chapel, circa 1950


Detail Drawings of Plaques Dedicated to Librarian James Hulme Canfield in St. Paul's Chapel, circa 1915


Rendering of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at 59th Street, 1886


Rendering of Avery Quadrangle, circa 1910


Arnaud, Leopold, Floor Plan Study for the Reception Desk of Columbia University Press Office, 1955


Floor Plan for the Columbia College Building on the Park Place Campus entitled "J. O'Donnell Proposal", undated


Alterations to the Columbiana Library in Low Library, 1944


Eggers & Higgins, Proposed Administrative Building, 1956



Box Flat Box 9 Calcott, Frank, Print of Drawing of Low Library entitled "The Library-Columbia University-at Night", circa 1932


[Kasimir, L À or Kosminsky, Craig À], Color Print of Print of West View of Morningside Heights Campus including Low Library, South Court, Earl Hall, and Riverside Church, circa 1930


Panoramic Print of Low Library to Butler Library, facing East, 1976


Watercolor of the Lobby of Hartley Hall entitled "Mantel in Lobby of Hartley Hall-Columbia University", circa 1925



Box Flat Box 10 Drawing of Park Place Campus entitled "Old King's College", undated



Box Flat Box 11 Map for African Anatomical Expedition of Columbia University and American Museum of Natural History, 1929


Plan of Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1900


Plans of Morningside Heights Campus, 1929-1949


Map of Proposed Site for Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1892


Campus Plans and Development Maps for Morningside Heights Campus including 1904 map with campus size comparisons to Park Place and 49th Street Campuses, circa 1892, 1904


Plan of Bloomingdale Asylum on Morningside Heights Campus, 1888


Property Lot Map for Park Place Campus, 1852


Baker Field/ "Riggs Property", 1891



Box Flat Box 12 20th century depictions of 1755-1835 Plans and Property Lot Maps of Park Place Campus, circa 1910-1950


Drawing of Arrangement of Proposed Buildings on Morningside Campus, 1894


Plans of Morningside Heights Campus, 1954-circa 1998


Sewage System Plan for Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1915


Wheelchair Accessibility Map of Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1995-2001


Property Lot Map of Park Place Campus entitled "College Ground 1780 June 20" with photocopy, 1780


Photoprints of Historical Surveys and Property Map of Campus and Trinity Church Vicinity, circa 1930


Commencement Route Plan for Morningside Heights Campus, circa 1915


Construction Maps for Morningside Heights Campus, 1995


Property Lot Map for Park Place Campus entitled "Plan of the College Land in New York", circa 1790


Property Lot Map of the Park Place Campus entitled "Map of the property belonging to the Trustees of Columbia College with the buildings as they now stand", circa 1800


Property Lot Map of Park Place Campus, 1830


Property Lot Map of Greenwich Village entitled "part of Map of Breevort Estate-before division", circa 1820


Photoprints of 49th Street Campus, circa 1890


19th century prints of 18th century Maps of Lower Manhattan, late 1700s


Campus Plans and Development Maps of Morningside Heights Campus, 1894-1896


Photoprints and Original Maps of Morningside Heights, 1820, 1844, 1851


Photo of New York from Montgomery Schuyler, The Patrons and Lords of the Manors of the Hudson, 1932



Box Flat Box 13 Poster of Statue of Liberty Window in Journalism Building, undated


Signs for Bookstore, Health Department, Library, and Safety Regulations, 1874-1940



Box Flat Box 15 Blueprint of the Gates, circa 1900


Floor Plan of the Brander Matthews Theater, undated


Floor Plans and Elevation Cut-Aways of the Heat, Light, and Power Plant, circa 1896


Floor Plan of the Zoology Department in Schermerhorn Hall, 1929


Floor Plan of the Science Library in Schermerhorn Hall, 1944-1945


Arnaud, Leopold, Rearrangement of Floor Plans of the Chancel of St. Paul's Chapel, 1936


Floor Plans of St. Clair Apartments, circa 1965


Set Designs for "Kiss Me, Kate" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in the Brander Matthews Theater, 1956


Arnaud, Leopold, Detail Study of the Rotunda Lectern in Low Library, 1954



Box Flat Box 16 Floor Plan of the McMillin Academic Theater, undated


Floor Plan of the Interchurch Center: Riverside Drive & 120th Street, New York, 1957 June 7


Blueprint for Wardrobe in Brooks Hall at Barnard College, 1907


Columbia South: An Approach to Redevelopment Prepared for Grayson Kirk, 1954



Box Flat Box 13 Pacing Survey, Camp Columbia, June 1941

(compiled by Squad 10: Bishop-Manson-Schwarz)