I have received the following question:

"I am a musician and sound artist.  I will be doing a sound installation in the crypt of Old St. Patrick's and I would like to base it on historical sounds.  Do you know of any archives of sound recordings of New York City?  Anything from speeches to concerts to street recordings would be helpful."

The question does not specify a time period, though the building in question is about 150 years old.  Nor does it specify that authentic field recordings are required.  I suppose recordings of sound effects with the noises of  horses' hoofs, iron-wheels-on stone, streetcar bells & so forth would be acceptable.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.