Collections

Record Group 22 - Department of Correction

The Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC) was established in 1969 as the successor to the County Sheriff and serves the public by providing an efficient, secure and humane means of detaining individuals with criminal matters pending in Westchester County.

Department of Correction Historical Records Collection, 1903, 1981, 1995
Series 309
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically. View box and folder list.

This collection gathers together materials documenting various events and activities in the history of the Department of Correction. Currently the collection includes a 1903 newspaper article about a jail escape, a DVD with news reports covering a July 1981 riot at the County Jail (including a few news stories reported by Meredith Vieira for the local ABC affiliate); and a June 1995 report on conditions at the Department of Correction (the “Marbach Commission Report”).

Department of Correction Scrapbook, 1986-1989
Series 307
1 volume. Arranged chronologically.

Photocopies of newspaper articles from June 1986-August 1989 relating to the Westchester County Jail in particular; correction facility issues in general such as overcrowding, AIDS, motherhood behind bars; and relating to correctional officers such as recruitment and retirement.

Indexes to Jail Blotter Books, 1914-1938, 1941-1943, 1946-1974
Series 311
25 volumes. Arranged chronologically. Index to: Series 310. Access Restricted for Records Less than 75 Years Old.

Provides name, address, and what city committed from, in addition to blotter record number which can then be looked up in a specific Jail Blotter Book (Series 310). Note, although there is an index for 1974, the Archives does not have a corresponding blotter book. Access for records less than 75 years old is restricted. Please contact the Archives Reference Desk for additional information.

Jail Blotter Books, 1903-1973
Series 310
37 volumes. Arranged chronologically. Indexed by: Series 311. Access Restricted for Records Less than 75 Years Old.

Ledgers maintained at Westchester County Jail recording data on individual inmates, including incarceration information (including date admitted, crime charged with, date of discharge, days confined, and number of prior convictions) as well as demographic information about inmate (including age, gender, race, place of birth, marital status, level of education, religion, and occupation). Some of the books, primarily from the 1910s, have loose papers in the front of them with cumulative inmate statistics. There are no indexes available for the blotter books from 1903-1913. Access for records less than 75 years old is restricted. Please contact the Archives Reference Desk for additional information.

Series Number Listing 301-350

Series 301 Access Restricted
Series 302 Board of Supervisors: Records of Commission on Government, 1926-1937 (bulk 1936-1937)
Series 303 Elizabeth Shepard Lough Papers: Commission on Government, 1914-1937 (bulk 1934-1936)
Series 304 Alfred B. Del Bello Subject Files, 1969-1981
Series 305 Westchester 2000 Commission and Affiliated Organizations, 1984-1995

Series 306 Government Videos and DVDs Collection, 1980s-present
Series 307 Department of Correction Scrapbook, 1986-1989
Series 308 Board of Legislators Board Meeting Packets, 1970-2000
Series 309 Department of Correction Historical Records Collection, 1903, 1981, 1995
Series 310 Jail Blotter Books, 1903-1973

Series 311 Indexes to Jail Blotter Books, 1914-1938, 1941-1943, 1946-1974
Series 312 Planning Department Maps Collections, 1943-present
Series 313 DPW Parks and Parkways Acquisition Maps, c.1920s-1970s (bulk 1920s-1930s)
Series 314 Parks Department Oversized Materials Collection, c.1896-1962 (gaps)
Series 315 Westchester County Atlases Collection, 1867-1984 (gaps)

Series 316 Sanborn Maps and Atlases Collection, 1887-1939 (gaps)
Series 317 Planning Department Correspondence and Memos, 1976-1978
Series 318 Charles Point Resource Recovery Facility Photograph Album, 1984
Series 319 Colonial and Revolutionary War Reference Collection, 1853, 1951, ca. 1990s
Series 320 Westchester Cross County Parkway Authority Calendars and Minutes, 1944-1948

Series 321 Planning Department Correspondence, Memos and Speeches, 1944-1971
Series 322 Parks Department Contact Sheets / Prints Collection, ca. 1930s-2006 (bulk 1980s-2006)
Series 323 Parks Department Slide Collection, ca. 1973-2007 (gaps)
Series 324 Veterans Peddler Applications, 1955-1970, 1974-1983
Series 325 Law Department Historical Records, 1915-1967

Series 326 Planning Department Aerial Photographs
Series 327 Supreme Court Cases Registers, 1847-1911
Series 328 Parks Department Marketing/Public Relations Subject Files 1967-2005 (bulk 1980s-1990s)
Series 329 New York State Laws, 1813-1815, 1850, 1899-1900, 1939
Series 330 Office of Communications Newspaper Clipping Files, 1997-2009 (gaps)

Series 331 Health Department Press Releases, 1994-2006
Series 332 Division of Public Health Education and Information Materials, 1984-2006 (bulk 1990s-2003)
Series 333 Good Roads Records, 1901-1917
Series 334 Personnel Office Scrapbooks, 1947-1971
Series 335 Finance Department Scrapbooks, 1930-1950

Series 336 Special Proceedings Registers, 1817-1911 (bulk 1847-1911)
Series 337 County Court Registers, 1847-1911
Series 338 Planning Board Meeting Materials, 1939-1992 (bulk 1969-1992)
Series 339 Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting Minutes, 1926, November 1928-1971, 1974-1976
Series 340 Board of Legislators News Clippings and Press Releases, 1983-2006 (bulk 1990-1998, 2001-2005)

Series 341 County Court Case Index, 1868-1933
Series 342 County Court Minutes, 1853-1911
Series 343 Naturalizations – Court Orders, July 1929-December 1986
Series 344 Supreme Court Minutes, 1869-1916 (bulk 1869-1911)
Series 345 Supreme Court Equity Judgments, 1830-1912

Series 346 County Executive Subject Files, 1933-1973 (bulk 1939-1972)
Series 347 Parks, Recreation and Conservation Biodiversity Studies, 1977-2010 (bulk 1990s)
Series 348 County Court Case Files, ca. 1847-ca. 1911
Series 349 Special Proceeding Case Files, ca. 1847-1922
Series 350 Park and Parkway Property Acquisition Deeds, ca. 1910s-1930s

Record Group 15 - Department of Public Safety

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety was created on July 1, 1979, through a merger of the Westchester County Sheriff’s Department and the Westchester County Parkway Police. They are committed to increasing the safety and security of all those who live, work and recreate in Westchester County.

"In Memoriam" Collection, 1792, 1925-1985
Series 285
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically. View box and folder list.

Single page notices circulated to Department of Public Safety personnel via e-mail on anniversary of deaths of 17 Public Safety (mostly County Parkway Police) officers who died while on active duty (most in the line of duty). Notices can include the officer's name, date of incident, incident details, and biographical details on officer, although the extent of the details varies. Some of the folders include photographs of the officers. The dates of the incidents run from 1792 (the nation's first law officer killed in the line of duty) to 1925-1985.

Sheriff Darius Lyon Receipt Book, 1865-1871, 1888
Series 286
1 v. Arranged chronologically.

Book in which Westchester County Sheriff Darius Lyon pasted receipts for payments made for supplies and for bail and other law enforcement expenses, some of which were made after his term had ended. Sheriff Lyon was elected by the public to serve as County Sheriff from 1865-1868.

Sheriff's Summons and Orders of Arrest Register, 1865-1867
Series 189
1 v. Arranged by court term.

Book recording service of documents by sheriff and his deputies. Volume is divided into three separate sections, including one specifically designated as for the Court of Oyer and Terminer. First section was for several courts, including Westchester Supreme Court, County Court, and Surrogates Court. Information recorded includes names of defendants, plaintiffs, attorneys, and who made the service, whether the defendant was served or not found, date of service and fees collected.

Digital Collections

Tibbetts Brook Park, ca. 1925 (PLS1513)

The Westchester County Archives is endeavoring to digitize many of its photographic collections, as well as maps and document-based collections, in order to improve accessibility to our collections. The Westchester County Archives Digital Collections Web site (hosted by CONTENTdm) contains item-level catalog records for entire collections. These records have been cataloged using CONTENTdm, a digital management software that allows all the catalog records to be searched using keywords.

Currently there are twenty-three digital collections:

Virtual Archives
Painting by Colman The Westchester County Archives serves as the backbone and continuum of the Virtual Archives. Its online projects were developed in collaboration with the Westchester County Historical Society, the agency that serves as the Westchester County Historian and whose partnership with the Westchester County Archives is essential to the site. In addition, other local governments, libraries, museums and historical societies have supported the website with contributions of their own important primary source materials.

Note: Because the Westchester County Archives is just one of many Westchester institutions contributing historical records to the Virtual Archives, be sure to check the individual item’s catalog sheet and contact the appropriate repository for information regarding access to the original, reproduction and publication restrictions.

The topics exhibited on the Virtual Archives focus on some of the history for which the County is best known: