Free Zoom Presentation
Wednesday , October 7, 2026 at 6:30 pm "Notable New Yorkers of Harlem: A New Book by Historian Jim Mackin" Jim Mackin's new book features more than 800 notables who lived in Harlem from the earliest days of the Dutch to the present. Learn about a Colonial Harlem, a Jewish Harlem, an Italian Harlem, a Spanish Harlem, a Finnish Harlem (!) and the African American Harlem where so many notables of the Harlem Renaissance flourished. In this presentation Mackin will share many tidbits of Harlem history and culture that may be unfamiliar to many of us. More information at our UPCOMING EVENTS page 
Watch Video of this Past Presentation
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 Jim Mackin
Free Walking Tours of Historic Bloomingdale
October 14, 2026, Wednesday at 6pm November 1, 2026, Sunday at 2pm December 6, 2026, Sunday at 2pm Meet at south end of Straus Park, Broadway at W.106th St No reservations needed Explore the history of the Upper West Side between W.96th and W.110th Streets Led by renowned local historian Jim Mackin More Information at our UPCOMING EVENTS page 
Our public archive of documents related to the history of the neighborhood is at the Bloomingdale branch of the New York Public Library, on West 100th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. The files are easy to find, near the circulation desk. Whether you are researching a specific topic or just browsing, you're welcome to copy pages in the library or to take a folder to one of the tables to read through it in comfort.
See the material available by clicking BNHG Library Collection See a new list of the books in our collection HERE Check out our Resources pages.
At our Resources pages you'll find fascinating Bloomingdale history under the following headings: Sources of Historical Information Useful Links and Resources Paterno Archive Bookshelf 2020 Project NYT Articles about Manhattan Valley from 1865-1998 Peter Salwen Collection Upper West Side History Quiz The Latest Blog on our BLOGS page
"The Pasteur Institute on Central Park West at 97th Street" written by Pam Tice, member of the BNHG planning committee 
"The Pasteur Institute on Central Park at 97th Street"
In 19th-century New York, a dog bite by a “mad dog” was a sure way of terrorizing a New Yorker, especially in the summer months. If a snarling, rabid dog with a foaming mouth bit us, within a few weeks, we would die from the disease, hydrophobia. This was an especially fearful event in the summertime.The scientists of the era, particularly at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, were applying “germ theory” to many diseases, discovering antidotes, and treating patients from around the world. Louis Pasteur was a highly respected scientist who had discovered how to make milk safe to drink by heating it to reduce bacteria. In 1884, he announced a cure for hydrophobia with a series of inoculations that, if taken in time, could prevent the onset of the disease and save the life of the person bitten by a rabid dog. It wasn’t long before New York City had its own research and treatment facility, the Pasteur Institute, built on Central Park West at 97th Street. Read this and 51 essays of interest on our BLOGS page 
We are a group of neighbors who banded together 26 years ago to explore the history of our region of the Upper West Side, roughly 96th to 110th Streets --- an area historically known as Bloomingdale.
We promote research and education about the history of the Bloomingdale neighborhood, and we are available as a resource. We share our findings through free public programs, walking tours, workshops, publications, a blog, our website, and a Neighborhood History Collection of materials housed at the Bloomingdale Branch of the New York Public Library. We’re reaching out to our Bloomingdale community for your support through a tax-deductible donation. (Checks should be made out to Columbus/Amsterdam Business Improvement District. If you wish to donate from a donor advised fund, Our EIN is 13-3466792) |
To receive email notification of upcoming monthly presentations and seasonal bulletins, please share your email at our CONTACT US page. Of course, we will not give your information to others.
The content of this website is offered for educational purposes; You may not reproduce, distribute, copy, sell or otherwise use any portion of this website for political or commercial purposes. If you know the identity of people depicted in historical photographs reproduced here, we’d love to hear from you.