Series 1: Assessment Binders, circa 1859-circa 1962, inclusive

The sub-series has three levels of arrangement. Beginning with the highest level:

1) The sub-series is arranged overall by map designation (Map B, Map C, so forth) indicated on the assessment booklet.

2) In addition to a map code, most books also refer to a district number and some also further refer to a sub-division number. Within a set of maps, books without a district designation appear first, followed by those with just a district designation, then followed by those with both a district and sub-division designation.

3) Each of the above segments is arranged in order of assessment book number.

A few assessment books either had no specified map code, or referred only to the 29th Ward. These are at the end of the sub-series.

Regarding the date ranges found in the container list, the researcher should consider all to be circa dates. There are several documents within each assessment book, often with a range of dates, and the processing archivist used a single representative date for each book to establish the approximate date range.

The sub-series is arranged in assessment binder number order, which corresponds to a roughly chronological order.

In its original state, most of the material was held in hard-cover binders by metal fasteners; in these cases, the material was removed from the binders. The cover of the original binder, which included a project description, was photocopied and included with the retained documents (generally, the retained documents also include a form of this description, but a photocopy was taken in case the cover referenced additional details). Most of the documents refer to the original assessment binder number, but when they did not, the archivist noted the binder number in [brackets] on both the photocopy of the cover and on an internal document.

Most of the original binders included the date that the material was "confirmed by the Board of Assessors." In some instances, this date was recorded on the inside of the binder cover itself. In those instances, the archivist transcribed the Board of Assessor confirmation date onto an internal document; this appears in brackets as [CBA] with the transcribed date enclosed. In only the earliest binders, another date was recorded, that of "confirmed with Tax Col[lector]'s copy." These were also transcribed by the archivist and appear as [CTC] with the transcribed date enclosed.

Generally, all binders were discarded after the documents were removed, the cover photocopied, and the CBA and CTC dates transcribed. If the inside binder covers contained any notes other than the dates, these were photocopied. (Some binders noted that the information had been included on a wall map. This note was not photocopied.) Two binders (numbers 26 and 57) were retained as representative samples of the bulk.

In some instances, documents were bound into their covers. The entire bound matter was retained in these instances. These are foldered together, roughly sequenced with the loose documents.

Regarding the date ranges found in the container list, the researcher should consider all to be circa dates. There are several documents within each binder, often with a range of dates, and the processing archivist used a single representative date for each binder to establish the approximate date range.

Although the binders were found in no organized state by the processing archivist, it appears that the original order of the post-consolidation binders was in sequential assessment book number, which was roughly chronological. These numbers ranged from 1 to circa 3200. In an effort to enhance user access to the collection, the archivist referred to a document within each binder to determine the local sewer district approving the project (e.g., Bay Ridge, Flatbush, etc.). The binders are arranged in alphabetical order by these local sewer districts. Binders referring to two districts are placed with the first district appearing alphabetically (e.g., binders referring to both Flatbush and New Lots districts follow the Flatbush only binders). Within each district, the binders are arranged by assessment binder number. (The first 200 or so post-consolidation binders had no reference to a local sewer district; these binders were organized separately by the archivist, in the Transitional sub-series. A few later-dated binders with no referenced district were retained in the Post-consolidation sub-series as "Unspecified.")

The districts appear as follows:

Bay Ridge

Bay Ridge and Flatbush

Bay Ridge, Flatbush, and Prospect Heights

Bedford

Bedford and Williamsburg

Bushwick

Bushwick and Williamsburg

Flatbush

Flatbush and New Lots

Flatbush and Ocean Front

Flatbush and Prospect Heights

Greenpoint

Heights

New Lots

Ocean Front

Prospect Heights

Prospect

Prospect and River Front

Red Hook

River Front

Williamsburg

Unspecified District

In its original state, most of the material was held in hard-cover binders by metal fasteners; in these cases, the material was removed from the binders. The cover of the first 1000 or so original binders included a project description; this was photocopied and included with the retained documents (generally, the retained documents also include a form of this description, but a photocopy was taken in case the cover referenced additional details). Most of the documents refer to the original assessment binder number, but when they did not, the archivist noted the binder number in [brackets] on both the photocopy of the cover and on an internal document before discarding the binder cover.

Approximately 1600 of the original binders recorded on the inside cover the date that the material was "confirmed by the Board of Assessors." In those instances, the archivist transcribed the Board of Assessor confirmation date onto an internal document; this appears in brackets as [CBA] with the transcribed date enclosed.

Generally, all binders were discarded after the documents were removed, the cover photocopied, and the CBA date transcribed. If the inside binder covers contained any notes other than the dates, these were photocopied. (Some binders noted that the information had been included on a wall map. This notation was not photocopied.)

In some instances, documents were bound into their covers. The entire bound matter was retained in these instances. These are foldered together, roughly sequenced with the loose documents. Some thick or multi-volume bound materials were boxed separately well out of sequence.

Regarding the date ranges found in the container list, the researcher should consider all to be circa dates. There are several documents within each binder, often with a range of dates, and the processing archivist used a single representative date for each binder to establish the approximate date range.

The sub-series is arranged in assessment binder number order. One folder in the Post-Consolidation Sub-series includes some documents relevant to Brooklyn District (see folder titled "Ocean Front - Brooklyn Binders 3021 - 3057" in Box 99).

Regarding the date ranges found in the container list, the researcher should consider all to be circa dates. There are several documents within each binder, often with a range of dates, and the processing archivist used a single representative date for each binder to establish the approximate date range.

The series is arranged in chronological order.