Bruce Katz Photography
BRUCE KATZ photographer
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Past / Present

Past / Present is my exploration of the original property of the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattans’s oldest surviving house; a historic site that has witnessed the evolution of American life from 1765 to the present. The photographs presented here document the complex history of the original 130-acre property in Washington Heights that today spans fifty modern city blocks and traces its development from farmland to an urban environment. 

 

Drawing on source material from Morris-Jumel Mansion and various historic archives, I have identified and photographed significant features of the property: former stables, outbuildings, and roads—many of which have been overbuilt over the past 258 years and now exist only as apartments, buildings, and modern city infrastructure.  

 

Standing just north of the mansion is a 300+ year-old English Elm tree, a survivor whose presence pre-dates the Revolutionary War.  One can imagine General Washington watching the burning of New York in September of 1776 from near this tree. So too can we envision Thomas Davies drawing the battle of Fort Washington from the bluff above the Harlem River where Bronx Community College now stands, or Stephen and Eliza Jumel some 25 years later enjoying the grand view of the Hudson River from the northwest corner of their property, now J. Hood Wright Park.  What would these people think of New York City of the 21st century? 

 

This project was made possible by a Support for Artists grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. I would also like to acknowledge Shiloh Aderhold Holley, Catherine Hughes, Donald Rice, Cole Thompson, and Jeff Dugan for their invaluable help on this project. The exhibition ran from September 2023 thru September of 2024 at the Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum.

View of Northern Manhattan - MJM at left Thomas Davies Drawing Battle of Ft Washington 1776 -Morris house on left Harlem River - looking Southeast from SE corner of Jumel Property 1811 Thomas Davies drawing from Morris property circa 1777 NW Corner of Jumel property circa 1811 looking West Jumel property -Randel Composite Farm Map from MCNY Jumel's NE property as seen from across Harlem River NE Corner Jumel property circa 1811 Looking North NE Corner Jumel property circa 1811 Looking East Postcard circa 1900 Jumel's Eastern border as seen from across Harlem River NE Corner Jumel circa 1811 Looking East Lawson Painting Circa 1910 MJM as seen from SE corner of Jumel property circa 1811 Jumel's NW property as seen from across the Hudson at Ft Lee Corner of 159th and St Nicholas, former fish pond with cypress trees planted in 1815 Fish pond at 159 and St Nicholas 162nd Street, Morris Jumel Community Gardens, former location of the Jumel Stables / Barns circa 1811 British Battle plan 1776 Oldest Tree in Manhattan - Elm 163/St Nicholas Oldest Tree in Manhattan - Elm 163/St Nicholas Oldest Tree in Manhattan - Elm 163/St Nichola Farm Building location circa 1811 Wadsworth and 174th street Eastern Slope of Jumel Property 1811 Lawson Painting circa 1912 Highest point on Jumel Property (NW corner) View from Eliza Jumel's Bedroom - Looking Southeast MJM north garden, looking west toward Jumel Terrace Eliza Jumel's mausoleum at Trinity Cemetery Sylvan Terrace looking east toward MJM Sylvan terrace looking toward MJM
© 2022 Bruce Katz Photographer