History of the Bronxville History Center

     The Bronxville History Center had its origin in the collecting activities of Bronxville’s village historians, including Bertrand Burtnett, who can almost be called Bronxville’s first village historian. He served in the position for twenty years, from 1936 to 1955 and accumulated during that time an important collection of documents and, especially, of historic photographs. The Village Historians who followed him—Jean Bartlett (1967-1987), Mary Huber (1987-1999), Eloise Morgan (1999-2017), and Ray Geselbracht (2017- )—have all continued building the collection of historical materials relating to Bronxville that Burtnett began.

     In 1981, a Local History Room was created at the Bronxville Public Library to hold what was becoming a substantial collection of historical newspapers, documents, photographs, maps, and other items relating to Bronxville. The Local History Room was greatly enlarged, refurnished, and provided with its own environmental control system in 2001. In 2016, its name was changed to reflect its increasing commitment to making the Village’s history a living reality to both the people of Bronxville and people everywhere who are interested in Bronxville’s history. The new name—designating not just a place, but an organization with a mission which is essentially educational—is the Bronxville History Center.