The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          John Zukowsky                                               

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1975-1986, 1982-1986 (bulk)

Call No.:         Col. 25

Acc. No.:         81x470, 86x189

Quantity:        2 boxes

Location:        14 C 3

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

John Zukowsky (b.1948) was architectural archivist at the Hudson River Museum, where he developed his interest in Hudson River houses, and associate curator in the Department of Architecture at the Art Institute of Chicago.  He was a fellow at Winterthur Musuem, Garden and Library in 1977-1978 under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.  During this time he researched what was published in 1981 as Hudson River Houses, a facsimile reproduction of Edwin Whitefield’s sketchbook entitled “The Hudson River and Rail Road Illustrated.”  His interest in houses along the Hudson River led him to approach the publishers at Rizzoli about doing a picture book about some of the places.  His original idea was expanded, resulting in Hudson River Villas, co-authored with Robbe Pierce Stimson.  In addition to these books, Zukowsky has written several other studies about architects and architecture.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection is formed from two accessions: 81x470 and 86x189.  The earlier accession consists of Zukowsky’s correspondence from 1978-1981 with various individuals, including the artist Dan Flavin, and a number of letters from Zukowsky’s publisher at North River Press.  A few of the letters make references to Edwin Whitefield and his sketchbook.  Hudson River Houses contains a facsimile reproduction of a sketchbook by Edwin Whitefield; Zukowsky wrote the introduction for the book and captions for the sketches.  The work was published by North River Press in 1981.  (The original sketchbooks are in the manuscript collection at Winterthur in the Edwin Whitefield papers.)

 

The second accession centers around the production of Hudson River Villas.  It includes research correspondence with local historians along the Hudson River and with present owners of the houses documented in the book.  Most of the correspondence, however, is between Zukowsky and his publisher, Rizzoli, some of which notes Zukowsky's displeasure with the re-writing done by his co-author Robbe Pierce Stimson.  The original typescript draft of the book is included as is the revised and corrected typescript.

 

The collection contains photocopied maps of the Hudson River Valley on which are marked the location of the large houses that Zukowsky wrote about.  It also contains information on lectures he gave as a result of his research and writing and a few brochures and pamphlets about houses and historic sites along the Hudson River secured in the course of his research .  The collection also includes a group of photographs from the Hudson River Museum; most depict buildings along the Hudson River.  The rest are photos of a single map of Yonkers, New York.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

           

Accession number 81x470 is in one folder, Box 1, folder 1.  The rest of the collection is from accession number 86x189.  Those materials are divided into research correspondence; drafts of the manuscript; post-publication correspondence, including information about lectures; pamphlets; and photos.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Gift of John Zukowsky.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Cowan, Bill.

            Flavin, Dan.

            Stimson, Robbe Pierce.

            Whitefield, Edwin, 1816-1892.

 

Topics:

            Rizzoli International Publications.

            North River Press.

            Dwellings - New York (State)

            Authors and publishers.

            Publishers and publishing.

            Architecture, Domestic - New York (State)

            Suburban homes - New York (State)

            Hudson River (N.Y. and N.J.) - Description and travel.

            Yonkers (N.Y.) - Maps.

            Correspondence.

            Drafts (preliminary versions).

            Maps.

            Pamphlets.

            Brochures.

            Authors.

            Editors.

            Publishers.

 

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 14 C 3

 

 

Box 1:

 

Folder 1:          Hudson River Houses: correspondence, 1978-1981 (acc. no. 81x470)

 

Folder 2:          Hudson River Villas research correspondence, 1975-1978

 

Folder 3:          Hudson River Villas research correspondence, 1982

 

Folder 4:          Hudson River Villas research correspondence, 1983

 

Folder 5:          Hudson River Villas research correspondence, 1984

 

Folder 6:          Hudson River Villas research correspondence, 1985

 

Folder 7:          Original manuscript, Hudson River Villas, 1984

 

Folder 8:          Revised and corrected manuscript, Hudson River Villas, 1985

 

 

Box 2:

 

Folder 1:          Glossary, introduction, galleys, Hudson River Villas, 1985

 

Folder 2:          Maps, photocopied, 1984

 

Folder 3:          Maps, photocopied, 1985

 

Folder 4:          Post-publication correspondence and reviews, 1985-1986

 

Folder 5:          Lectures, 1985-1986

 

Folder 6:          Pamphlets and brochures about sites along the Hudson River

 

Folder 7:          Photographs from notebook Hudson River Museum I (photos of buildings along the Hudson River)

 

Folder 8:          Photographs from notebook Hudson River Museum II (photos of maps of Yonkers

 

Folder 9:          Photographs from notebook Hudson River Museum III (photos of buildings along the Hudson River)