Dwight B. Demeritt, Jr. Brooklyn Navy Yard photographs and negatives
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Abstract
The collection includes exterior views of Marine Hospital and gate house; views of the Barrier Forts Monument, the Navy Yard bell, and cannons located outside of Marine Hospital; exterior and interior views of the Chief Surgeon's Quarters; several copy prints of floor plans for the Chief Surgeon's Quarters (circa 1865); and one copy print of the plan of the Brooklyn Navy Yard (1860).
Biographical note
Dwight B. Demeritt, Jr. graduated from the University of Maine in 1951 and has since published several books including Maine Made Guns & Their Makers (2003) and Brooklyn Gunsmiths and Gunmakers (1966), among other titles. As an amateur photographer, he has photographed scenes in Brooklyn, including the buildings and grounds at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. His father, Dwight Burgess Demeritt (1898-1972), was a Professor of Forestry at various universities throughout the United States and served as Head of the Forestry Department at the University of Maine (1933), from which he earned a BS following his service in the United States Navy during WWI.
Historical note
The origins of the Brooklyn Navy Yard (officially known as the New York Naval Shipyard) date back to 1801, when the United States Navy acquired what had previously been a small, privately owned shipyard in order to construct naval vessels. By the time the Department of Defense ceased shipbuilding activities at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1966, 88 vessels had been manufactured at the facility. In 1967, the Brooklyn Navy Yard was acquired by the City of New York and was converted for private commercial use.
Scope and Contents
The Dwight B. Demeritt, Jr. Brooklyn Navy Yard photographs and negatives consist of 19 35mm black-and-white negatives and 10 photographic prints (reproduced from the negatives) taken by Demeritt of the Brooklyn Navy Yard grounds in March of 1989. The collection includes exterior views of Marine Hospital and gate house; views of the Barrier Forts Monument, the Navy Yard bell, and cannons located outside of Marine Hospital; exterior and interior views of the Chief Surgeon's Quarters; several copy prints of floor plans for the Chief Surgeon's Quarters (circa 1865); and one copy print of the plan of the Brooklyn Navy Yard (1860).
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Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished works is protected until 70 years after the death of the creator. For information on securing rights to publish or reproduce, please see the Brooklyn Historical Society Reproduction Rights Policy.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Dwight B. Demeritt, Jr. Brooklyn Navy Yard photographs and negatives, V1989.015, Box number, Object ID number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source and date of acquisition for this collection are unknown. The collection was formally accessioned in 1989.
Other Finding Aids
Item level description and digital versions of images from the collection are available for searching via the image database in the library. Please consult library staff for more information.
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Processing Information note
Fully processed to the item level.