Sniffen Court Historic District

The Sniffen Court Historic District is one of New York City's smallest historic districts,[1] created on June 21, 1966, by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.[2] Sniffen Court, named after John Sniffen, a local builder,[2] is a small close-ended mews that runs perpendicularly southwest off of East 36th Street between Third and Lexington Avenues in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. The district encompasses the entire alley, which consists of 10 two-story brick stables built in 1863-1864 in the early Romanesque Revival style.[1][3]

Sniffen Court Historic District
(2012)
Locationoff East 36th Street
between Third and Lexington Avenues
Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates40°44′49″N 73°58′41″W
Built1863-1864
Built byJohn Sniffen
Architectural styleEarly Romanesque revial
NRHP reference No.73001224
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 28, 1973
Designated NYCLJune 21, 1966

As the need for carriage houses lessened, the buildings were converted for other uses.[2] In 1918, two of the stables (#1, also known as 150 East 36th Street, and #3) were bought by the Amateur Comedy Club, which has been in existence since 1884, to be their clubhouse and theatre; they remain that today.[4] In the 1920s, the process of conversion continued,[1] and by 1966 one of the buildings was in use as an architect's office, the gabled building at #2 (156 East 36th Street) was the home of a noted architect, while the remainder were small private residences.[2]

Two artists associated with the mews were the sculptors Malvina Hoffman and Harriet Whitney Frishmuth, both of whom had studios in the Court.[1][5] On the rear of the alley are mounted two sculpted plaques of Greek horseman by Hoffman.[2]

On November 28, 1973, the Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

  • Sniffen Court is the location used for the cover of the Strange Days album by The Doors, released in 1967.[6]
  • 1 Sniffen Court is also 150 East 36th Street
  • The buildings on the east side of the mews
  • Sculpted plaques by Malvina Hoffman

See also
  • List of New York City Landmarks
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in New York County, New York

References
  1. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1.
  2. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, "Sniffen Court Designation Report" Archived 2017-08-09 at the Wayback Machine (June 21, 1966)
  3. White, Norval; Willensky, Elliot & Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-19538-386-7.
  4. Amateur Comedy Club brochure
  5. "Harriet Frismuth" on the Fine Old Art website
  6. "Classic Album covers : Strange Days – The Doors". Nevermindthebuspass.com. 2012-02-02. Archived from the original on 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
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