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Creator
City Club of New York
Call number
MssCol 553
Physical description
2.6 linear feet (6 boxes). 105 audio recordings. 61 moving image recordings
Language
English
Preferred Citation
City Club of New York records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Manuscripts and Archives Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The City Club of New York was founded in 1892 by Edmund Kelly as a men's club to promote effective and honest government in New York City. The collection dates from 1892 to 2004, and consists mainly of records from the early years of the organization, as well as the latter part of the 20th century. The files contain addressees, articles, correspondence, memoranda, memorabilia, meeting minutes, reports, and audio and video recordings.

Biographical/historical information

The City Club of New York was founded in 1892 by Edmond Kelly as a men's club to promote effective and honest government in New York City. Kelly (1851-1909) was a lawyer, political reformer and sociologist, born in France to American parents. Kelly returned to the United States with his parents in 1868. After completing his formal education with an LL.B, in 1877, Kelly embarked upon a career in the business world.

Kelly was propelled to prominence due to his advocacy against the New York City political machine, and was noted for overturning the Tammany machine that wrought corruption in the city. This work served an impetus for for the formation of the City Club of New York.

The Constitution, Article I, (amended March 18, 1907) states: "The purpose of the City Club of New York shall be to aid in securing permanent good government for the City of New York through the election and the appointment of honest and able municipal officers and the establishment of a clear and stable system of laws relating to the city." With this objective, the City Club was established as a non-partisan and pro-active organization that would serve as a watchdog to promote effective and good government.

The City Club administration was made up of the President, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and other committees devoted to specific issues such as subways, the environment, elections, club membership, and city government practices. Over time, the committees would evolve and change as different issues became a focal point. The Club took positions on cable franchises, pollution, rejection of New York City as the 51st state, campaign finance reform, support of term limits, and conducted Public Policy Forums. The City Club also joined other organizations such as the Citizens Union, Common Cause/NY, the New York Public Interest Group, and the Women's City Club of New York to petition the government. The City Club's positions on issues were frequently published in The New York Times, the Daily News, and the New York Post, as well as in its own publications.

The City Club Bulletin was their first newsletter, which was published from September 1895 through 1940. A new newsletter, City Club Comments, was created in 1959. It was edited for years by I. D. Robbins (former president and board member) and his wife, Caroline Robbins. City Club Comments was succeeded in 1978 by The Gadfly. This new publication was founded by Stanley Turkel with the purpose to heighten the awareness of the public about issues of importance to New York City. A feature of The Gadfly was "Impertinent Questions in Search of Pertinent Answers," which contained open questions to elected officials regarding important issues of the day.

Special events sponsored by the City Club included: the Friday Roundtable Luncheons, the Distinguished New Yorker Dinners, the Albert S. Bard Awards, and the Richard S. Childs Lectureship. The City Club Roundtable Luncheons met once a week on Fridays, and featured an invited speaker who was typically a member of the City Club. The Distinguished New Yorker Dinners, established in 1969, were held annually as a fund-raiser to honor a New Yorker who made a memorable contribution to civic well-being. Jacob S. Potofsky, President of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was the first person selected to be honored. Named in honor of Albert S. Bard (1867-1963) who fought for the improvement of civic life in New York City, the Bard Awards for Excellence in Architecture and Urban Design were first given in 1963. The Richard S. Childs Lectureship in Municipal Administration was established by the City Club Research Foundation during the celebration of Childs' 95th birthday in 1977. Childs was a reformer and civic leader who served as President of the City Club from 1930 to 1942.

The City Club dissolved in 2009 after a century of public service on behalf of New Yorkers.

Scope and arrangement

The collection dates from 1892 to 2004, and documents the City Club of New York's efforts to promote good government for New York City. The collection is arranged into four Series: General Correspondence; Administrative Information; Addresses, Memorabilia, and Related City Club Material; and Audio and Video Recordings.

The records from 1896 to 1908 focus mainly on the poor sanitation conditions during the first decade of the 20th century, and include reports from city watchers who observed the work of the street cleaners and street flushers.

There is a noticeable fifty year gap in the records of the City Club's activities. The later records from 1960s through 2005 concern the Albert S. Bard Awards for Excellence in Architecture, cable television franchises, environmental issues, rejection of the proposal to make New York City the 51st state, term limits, and residential zoning.

The City Club of New York records are arranged in four series:

  • Series I. General Correspondence
    1896-1925

    Series I focuses on the City Club's efforts to improve public health and safety. The letters, memoranda, and reports indicates that the City Club was not satisfied with services for the public. One of their major concerns addressed in these letters was street washing and snow removal. There are also several reports included from City Club inspectors observing snow removal. Additional correspondence concerns the wages of street cleaners and other municipal workers.

    Correspondence from 1907 to 1908, contains letter press copies of correspondence written by the secretary on behalf of the City Club. Included are discussions of financial and business matters, responses to inquiries from the public, and letters to the municipal government, courts, and other community organizations. The Series also contains an index of recipients.

  • Series II. Administrative Information
    1907-2004

    Series II contains board and executive minutes, reports on street cleaning, copies of certificates of incorporation, and information about the Bard Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Files in the Series are arranged alphabetically by topic or title.

  • Series III. Addresses, Memorabilia, and related City Club Material
    1901-1996

    This small Series contains a variety of City Club material including a 1923 address by Governor Alfred E. Smith before the Women's City Club and City Club; a report on the pollution of New York Harbor; notes for the City Club Bulletin; a biographical sketch of Edmund Kelly; and memorabilia from a dinner of the City Club for Mayor-elect Seth Low in 1901.

  • Series IV. Video recordings
    2001-2004

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

City Club of New York, 2009

Processing information

Processed by Valerie Wingfield in 2009.

Related Material

Albert S. Bard Papers. Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.

Stanley Turkel Collection of City Club Memorabilia. Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.

Using the collection

Location

Manuscripts and Archives Division
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328