National Register of Historic Places

Harlem Courthouse

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
April 15, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80002692

About this property

The Harlem Courthouse at 170 East 121st Street on the corner of Sylvan Place – a remnant of the former Boston Post Road – in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was built in 1891-93 and was designed by Thom & Wilson in the Romanesque Revival style. The brick, brownstone, bluestone, granite and terra cotta building features gables, archways, an octagonal corner tower and a two-faced clock. It was built for the Police and District Courts, but is now used by other city agencies. In 1936, during the New Deal, Federal Art Project artist David Karfunkle painted a mural, "Exploitation of Labor and Hoarding of Wealth" on its third floor. The city government used the building as a laboratory to measure air pollution. At the time of the 1966 New York City smog, it was the city's only station to measure the air. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1967, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Location

170 E. 121st St.
New York, New York County, New York
40.80113, -73.93861

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Elmendorf Reformed Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Harlem Savings Bank
Industrial
0.2 mi
Mount Morris Bank
Industrial
0.3 mi
Harlem Fire Watchtower
Industrial
0.3 mi
Fire Hook and Ladder Company No. 14
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Harlem Heights
1776Revolutionary War
1.5 mi
Fall of Fort Washington (1776)
1776Revolutionary War
3.5 mi
Battle of Fort Washington
1776Revolutionary War
3.5 mi
Fort Lee Evacuation
1776Revolutionary War
3.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Harlem Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Harlem Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Harlem Courthouse?

Harlem Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Harlem Courthouse?

The period of significance for Harlem Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Harlem Courthouse?

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