Harlem: Lost and Found

Long identified with African-American style and culture, Harlem is also a pillar of New York's social and architectural history. In this beautifully illustrated study, historian Michael Henry Adams presents an evocative portrait of the various and divergent Harlems of yesteryear, from the Native American settlements discovered by the Dutch in the seventeenth century to the vibrant community of present-day preservationists.

In addition to the legacy of residential architecture—Dutch farmhouses, Native American longhouses, mansions and country villas, thoughtfully planned row houses, and handsome apartment buildings, the author examines schools, industrial facilities, stores, churches, and more. Harlem's spectrum of designers ranges from the well known—McKim, Mead & White, responsible for part of Strivers' Row; George B. Post & Sons, architects of the monumental Shepard Hall at the City College of the City University of New York—to practitioners who, though today mostly forgotten, designed much of the urban fabric of Harlem and New York City. All have contributed to an extraordinarily rich streetscape that today preserves the best of Harlem's past.

Long identified with African-American style and culture, Harlem is also a pillar of New York's social and architectural history. In this beautifully illustrated study, historian Michael Henry Adams presents an evocative portrait of the various and divergent Harlems of yesteryear, from the Native American settlements discovered by the Dutch in the seventeenth century to the vibrant community of present-day preservationists.

In addition to the legacy of residential architecture—Dutch farmhouses, Native American longhouses, mansions and country villas, thoughtfully planned row houses, and handsome apartment buildings, the author examines schools, industrial facilities, stores, churches, and more. Harlem's spectrum of designers ranges from the well known—McKim, Mead & White, responsible for part of Strivers' Row; George B. Post & Sons, architects of the monumental Shepard Hall at the City College of the City University of New York—to practitioners who, though today mostly forgotten, designed much of the urban fabric of Harlem and New York City. All have contributed to an extraordinarily rich streetscape that today preserves the best of Harlem's past.

Library Journal

In this long-overdue introductory history, Adams (American Regional Rooms: A New Perspective on Traditional Design) chronicles the architecture of Harlem from early Native American dwellings to buildings of the early 20th century. He discusses the interior and exterior features of residential housing as well as churches, synagogues, colleges, and various places of business. Adams successfully relates architectural designs to Harlem's social and economic trends, emphasizing the influence of ethnic and religious groups. Although the text is not referenced or noted, the detailed descriptions evidence substantial archival research. The beautiful full-page illustrations, which work effectively with the text, include historical photos and color photographs recently taken by architectural photographer Rocheleau. The book's useful index includes names of people and buildings as well as a numeric listing of street addresses. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.-Eric Linderman, East Cleveland P.L. Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

Michael Henry Adams studied historic preservation at Columbia University and is an expert on the architecture and history of Harlem, where he lives and works. He is the author of American Regional Rooms and has contributed to African-American Architects in Current Practice and Long Island Country Houses and Their Architects, 1860-1940.

Among Paul Rocheleau's books are American Colonial: Puritan Simplicity to Georgian Grace, Farm: The Vernacular Tradition of Working Buildings; Henry Hobson Richardson: A Genius for Architecture; and Shaker Built: The Form and Function of Shaker Architecture.