What is urbanography?

A site devoted to writings on urban history and civil society, with an eye to recognizing the present by understanding the past.

Why 'urbanography'?

urban – from Latin, pertaining to a city or town;

-ography – "Forming nouns denoting processes or styles of writing, drawing, or graphic representation, or (more commonly) names of descriptive sciences or similar disciplines"– O.E.D

A visit to
The Five Points

by Charles Dickens

When New York had Two Police Forces

The Police Riots of 1857
reported by Gregory Christiano

The Dead Rabbits,
the Bowery Boys...

The Gang Riots of 1857
reported by Gregory Christiano

Vitagraph studio

Where The Dream Was Made
The Vitagraph Studio in Brooklyn
by Irvin Leigh Matus

Depiction of the 5 Points, New York

New York's Five Points
as depicted in the contemporary press
by Gregory Christiano