Joan McClure papers, 1955-1980s, bulk 1955-1989

Joan McClure papers, 1955-1980s, bulk 1955-1989

Summary Information

Abstract

Joan McClure (1914-2005) was a resident of the West Village in New York City for more than sixty years and active in many local civic and social issues. She was closely involved in the planning for the Westway highway along the Hudson River, the creation of a landscaped traffic island at Abbingdon Square, and the founding of the Village Halloween Parade.

At a Glance

Bib ID:
6636546 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
McClure, Joan, 1914-2005
Repository:
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Physical Description:
7 document boxes; 1 print box
Language(s):
English .
Access:

This collection is available for use by appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. For further information and to make an appointment, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.

Unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. All original copies of audio / moving image media are closed. Email avery-drawings@columbia.edu for more information.

Description

Scope and Content

The collection includes correspondence, meetings and speeches notes, articles, newspaper clippings, communicational material, proposals and petitions, research material, photographs, audio recordings, [35mm film] and realia related to the community activism of Joan McClure from the 1960s through the 1980s. The material is arranged into three series: Westsiders For Westway (Formly Villager For Westway), Community Files, and Media Files.

Series I: Westsiders For Westway (Formly Villager For Westway)

A more extensive documentation of McClure's close involvement with the West Side (Westway) Highway Project through the community organization she founded, the series contains administrative records of the organization, correspondence with affiliated personnel and agencies, as well as related information, study and research of the project.

Series II: Community Files

The series consists of administrative records, correspondence, newsletters, flyers, documentational photographs, articles and newspaper clippings of McClure's other community organizational activities such as Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Bank/ Bethune Block Association and various other initiatives with primarily focus on the West Village neighborhood.

Series III: Media Files

This series contains mixed media material including audio cassette tapes, ¼" audio reels, 35mm films, [large format posters] and some realia related to the files arranged in the previous two series as well as other civic activities.

Arrangement

This collection is made up of three series: Series I: Westsiders For Westway (Formly Villager For Westway); Series II: Community Files; Series III: Media Files

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

This collection is available for use by appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. For further information and to make an appointment, please email avery-drawings@library.columbia.edu.

Unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. All original copies of audio / moving image media are closed. Email avery-drawings@columbia.edu for more information.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Columbia University is providing access to the materials in the Library's collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of Columbia University is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. In addition to permission from Columbia University, permission of the copyright owner (if not Columbia University) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distributions, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. Columbia University makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.

Preferred Citation

Joan McClure papers. Located in the Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.

Custodial History

Gift of Joan McClure, 1994.007

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Gift of Joan McClure. Accession number--1994.007.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Chialin Chou (Archives Intern) under the supervision of Shelley Hayreh, Avery Archivist, in 2013.

Revision Description

2009-06-25 File created.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Biography

Joan McClure was a resident of the West Village in New York City for more than sixty years and active in many local civic and social issues. Worked initially as an advertising copy writer for Vogue, and later became full-time community activist, McClure's many activities ranged from the local beginnings of the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, the creation of a landscaped traffic island at Abbingdon Square, to the close involvement in the planning for the Westway highway along the Hudson River.

Westway was first proposed in 1969 by the city planner Samuel Ratensky responding to the rapid deterioration of the highway along Manhattan's Far West Side which was originally built in the 1930s. In 1971, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) proposed to build the highway at the Interstate standard. The UDC plan, the "Water Edge Study," called for the highway to be routed along the ends of the then mostly abandoned piers on the Hudson River and some additional land for parks and apartments, all to be constructed on concrete platforms between the bulkhead and the pierhead lines. Renamed "Westway" in 1974, the final plan called for burying the highway in new landfill south of 40th Street, placing the accompanying development on land instead of on platforms, and a construction budget of $2.1 billion. The project had since become the largest development battle in New York City history in the following sixteen years.

McClure's concern about increasing park space in the Village prompted her in the 1980s to work enthusiastically in favor of the proposed Westway highway and park on Hudson River landfill. She organized community support, participated in many regional development meetings and led a protest after then Mayor Koch announced against the project. In 1982, the U.S. District Court blocked the permit, and the order was subsequently affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. On September 30, 1985, the City officially gave up on the project, allocating portions of its interstate highway funds to mass transit and the "West Side Highway Replacement Project".

In addition to Westway, McClure was involved in setting up free health clinics in the Village and Chelsea in the 1960s and 70s, supporting people with H.I.V., and working with Housing Works in finding places for homeless people with AIDS to live. She organized for the first Halloween Parade, helped address several neighborhood safety issues from adding lights to the sidewalk to implementing the whistles program.

With her husband, Dean McClure, an architect, Joan lobbied for years for a green traffic island at Abingdon Square. The proposal came through after she'd moved to California in 1995. She died in August 2005 at the age of 90.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form
Sound recordings
Video recordings (physical artifacts)
Place
Greenwich Village (New York, N.Y.)
Greenwich Village (New York, N.Y.) -- Buildings, structures, etc
Greenwich Village (New York, N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
Westway (New York, N.Y.)
Subject
City planning -- New York (State) -- New York
Community development -- New York (State) -- New York.
Waterfronts -- New York (State) -- New York
Women in community development -- United States
Women political activists -- United States

Series I: Westsiders For Westway (Formally Villager For Westway)

A more extensive documentation of McClure's close involvement with the West Side (Westway) Highway Project through the community organization she founded, the series contains administrative records of the organization, correspondence with affiliated personnel and agencies, as well as related information, study and research of the project.


Box 1 Folder 1-4

Correspondence [4 Folders], 1971-85

Includes correspondence with James Larocca, Edward Koch and Mario Cuomo


Box 1 Folder 5-6

Notes [2 Folders], 1971-84

General and for meetings, trials, public hearings and some newspaper clippings


Box 1 Folder 7

Finance, 1976-81


Box 1 Folder 8

Statements of Support, 1974-84

From Congressman John M. Murphy, Richard S. Kaye, Dean McClure, New York City Partnership and Greenwich Village Chamber of Commerce


Box 1 Folder 9

Speeches, 1978-84

At CB2, Army Corp Public Hearing, and City Planning Commission. Includes resources


Box 1 Folder 10

Administrative Files, 1978-85

Notes, proposals, meeting attendance, membership, contributors, file lists and some clippings


Box 1 Folder 11-13

PR & Communication Material [3 Folders], 1978-85

Press release, media list, mailings, labels, pamphlets, flyers, newsletters, campaign and advertisements


Box 1 Folder 14-15

Miscellaneous [2 Folders], 1975-85

Notes, correspondence, steering committee, articles and newspaper clippings


Box 1 Folder 16

Research [1 of 2], 1976-82

Traffic, planning, federal aids, notes, article "The Mass Transit Panacea" by Charles A. Lave and some newspaper clippings


Box 2 Folder 1

Research [2 of 2], 1976-82

Traffic, planning, federal aids, notes, article "The Mass Transit Panacea" by Charles A. Lave and some newspaper clippings


Box 2 Folder 2-7

Articles and Clippings [6 Folders], 1972-85

Greitzer letters, Letters to The Editor on NYT and Voice and anti-Westway clippings


Box 2 Folder 8-9

West Side Highway Project (WSHP), General Information [2 Folders], 1972-81

Fact books, pamphlets, concept drawings, travel studies, Applications for indirect source permit, work program, Letters to NY State Legislate, correspondence with Dept. of Transportation, private development plan and memorandum of understanding


Box 2 Folder 10

West Side Highway Project (WSHP), Plans and Court Decisions, 1982-85

Public Notice, press release, some correspondence and member's communication


Box 2 Folder 11

Environmental Studies, 1971-84

Clean Air Act, Land Fill, Wateredge Development Study


Box 2 Folder 12

Photographs, [1982]

17 photos and negatives


Box 2 Folder 13

Land Use, Planning and Related Development, 1978-83

Westway Park, piers, bus garage, biking, ramps at Chelsea Clinton Neighborhood, list of possible resource and some newspaper clippings


Box 3 Folder 1

Westway Coalition, 1977

Membership meeting notice, press conference and some newspaper clippings


Box 3 Folder 2-3

Community Board 2 (CB2) [2 Folders], 1977-84

Application, correspondence, meeting notes and waterfront committee


Box 3 Folder 4

Sunshine Suit, 1977


Box 3 Folder 5

Village Advisory Committee on Westway (VACOW), 1977

Attendance, correspondence, "The Artist Looks At WestWay" talk and surveys


Box 3 Folder 6-8

New York Citizens for Balanced Transportation (NYCBT) [3 Folders], 1980-85

Notes, correspondence, memos, meeting minutes, agendas, statements, mailings, newsletters and position paper


Box 3 Folder 9

Regional Plan Association, 1980-82

News release, reports, membership newsletters, and annual dinner invitation


Box 3 Folder 10

Army Corp of Engineers, 1982-85

Public Notice, press release, some correspondence and member's communication


Box 8

West Side Highway Project Environmental Impact Statement, 1974?

Draft environmental impact statement and section 4(f) statement for West Side highway, Interstate route 478, Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel to Lincoln Tunnel, New York County / [by] U. S. Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and New York State Dept. of Transportation.


Box 8

WFW landfill photos

Xerox copies


Box 8

West Side Highway News clippings

Series II: Community Files

The series consists of administrative records, correspondence, newsletters, flyers, documentational photographs, articles and newspaper clippings of McClure's other community organizational activities such as Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Bank/ Bethune Block Association and various other initiatives with primarily focus on the West Village neighborhood.


Box 3 Folder 11

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Invitations, Flyers and Press Release, 1975-78


Box 3 Folder 12

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Articles and Newspaper Clippings, 1976-79

Includes "Confessions of A Grownup Trick-or-Treater" in The New Yorker


Box 3 Folder 13

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Correspondence and Notes, 1977-80


Box 3 Folder 14

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Presentation Booklet, [1978]


Box 3 Folder 15

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Photographs, 1979-81

90 photos, contact sheets, and negatives


Box 8

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Photographs


Box 3 Folder 16

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Fundraising [1 of 2], 1979-82

Notes, plans, flyers, grant applications, contributor lists, receipt books, financial and legal files


Box 4 Folder 1-2

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Fundraising [2 of 2] [2 folders], 1979-82

Notes, plans, flyers, grant applications, contributor lists, receipt books, financial and legal files


Box 4 Folder 3

Lights for the Sidewalks of New York (LFSNY), Administrative Files, 1967-74

Correspondence, notes, stationary, information pamphlets, press contacts, memberships, Harvard Club meeting, Historic District Council Meeting and Municipal Arts Society speech


Box 4 Folder 4

Lights for the Sidewalks of New York (LFSNY), Articles and Newspaper Clippings, 1972-73

Includes "And the Mayor Said, Let There Be Lights....?" in The South Manhattanite


Box 4 Folder 5

Lights for the Sidewalks of New York (LFSNY), Bank/Bethune Association Lighting, 1973-74

Correspondence, product brochure, design sketches, 3 drawings


Box 4 Folder 6

Lights for the Sidewalks of New York (LFSNY), Photographs and Slides, 1974

12 photos and 127 slides


Box 4 Folder 7

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Abingdon Square Park South, 1967-81

Notes, correspondence, photos, proposal to improve the park and the location plan for installing new benches


Box 4 Folder 8-9

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Traffic Plan [2 Folders], 1979-82

Final and drafts of the plan, Manhattan Valley studies, maps of the area, sketches of the existing traffic condition, drawings of the proposed fitch barrier installation, design for the safety triangle, 2 photos, and 48 slides


Box 4 Folder 10

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Administrative Files, 1979-82

Correspondence, block association list, file organization, meeting sign-up sheets, legal and financial files; demonstration rally and CRASH meeting


Box 4 Folder 11

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), General Information, 1980-82

Memos, maps of the area, introduction texts, proposed traffic plans and drawings


Box 4 Folder 12

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Declaration, 1981


Box 4 Folder 13-14

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Flyers and Mailings [2 Folders], 1981-82

Includes Xerox originals and the original 1981 AD on The Villager


Box 4 Folder 15

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Meeting Notes, 1981-83

For Community Board No. 2, Horatio Street Block Assc, Dept. of Transportation Info Session, 19 photos and film negatives


Box 4 Folder 16

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Miscellaneous Notes, 1981

Includes notes for speeches and hearing prep


Box 4 Folder 17

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Newspaper Clippings, 1981-82

Includes 1981 The Villager "Letters to the Editor"


Box 4 Folder 18

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Signed Coupons, 1981

Mailing lists and blank copies of the coupon


Box 4 Folder 19

Beautiful Abingdon Square Is Coming (BASIC), Signed Petitions, [1981]

Duplicates and blank sheets


Box 5 Folder 1-3

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Administrative Files [3 Folders], 1971-75

Constitution and By Laws, structure of organization, logo film, membership, attendance lists, correspondence, notes, articles, clippings and 2 copies of the publication "The Grass Roots Primer" by James Robertson and John Lewallen (pp. 189-199)


Box 5 Folder 4

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Meeting Minutes and Notes, 1970-74


Box 5 Folder 5

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Flyers and Newsletters, 1972-75

Includes the originals


Box 5 Folder 6

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Block Party, 1972

Announcements, notes, permit, 66 photos, contact sheets and film negatives


Box 5 Folder 7-8

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Whistles [2 Folders], 1967-76

Programs, safety campaigns, correspondence, crime studies, 1976 Apr. Good House Keeping Magazine article "Blowing The Whistle On Crime", other articles and newspaper clippings


Box 5 Folder 9

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Waterfront/ Piers, 1971-76

Notes, correspondence, maps, 2 drawings, petitions for pier 49, the Waterfront booklet by City Planning commission and Warehouse Newsletter - Piers 48 and 51


Box 5 Folder 10

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Various Initiatives, 1972-76

Trees & Tree Fences; Stolport; Garden Committee Reform; Resolution for Westway; West Village Housing; Water Quality, Landmarks and Shoe Repair


Box 5 Folder 11-13

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Traffic [3 Folders], 1971-75

Correspondence, traffic light petition and truck traffic research


Box 5 Folder 14

Local Affairs [1 of 2], 1970-79

Issues about traffic, crimes, community exterior, includes correspondence with Rita Lee about Abingdon sq., Traffic Speakout pamphlets, traffic regulation pamphlets, text about The Woonerf, 34 photos and negatives; Bethune St. Parking and The South Manhattanite, publication of Neighborhood Gov't


Box 6 Folder 1-2

Local Affairs [2 of 2] [2 folders], 1970-79

Issues about traffic, crimes, community exterior, includes correspondence with Rita Lee about Abingdon sq., Traffic Speakout pamphlets, traffic regulation pamphlets, text about The Woonerf, 34 photos and negatives; Bethune St. Parking and The South Manhattanite, publication of Neighborhood Gov't


Box 6 Folder 3

Community Board 2 (CB2), 1969-77

Appointments, by laws, correspondence, flyers, women's house of detention and documents related to Arthur Stoliar


Box 6 Folder 4

Various Initiatives, 1971-79

Art, Street painting, Roller rinks, Post office, Trees NYC, Tree Fences, health clinic and sanitation


Box 6 Folder 5

Save Our Stores, 1970-76

Press release, notes, correspondence, flyers, articles on Hal Mayerson speech (published in Village Independence Democrats) and clippings


Box 6 Folder 6

West Village Committee, 1970-79

Bulletins, newsletters, meeting agenda, West Village Housing info, correspondence and clippings; general housing research including rent control origins and squatters housing


Box 6 Folder 7

Welfare Hotel, 1970-72

Committee meetings announcements, programs and heroin research


Box 6 Folder 8

Village Neighborhood TV, 1970-73

Notes, correspondence and grant proposals


Box 6 Folder 9

People's Community Board 2, 1975

Notes, correspondence, ruler & procedure, letterhead, flyers, membership and clippings


Box 6 Folder 10

Westbeth, The Artists' Community (463 West Street, New York, NY 10014), 1979-80

10th Anniversary celebration, party and photos and clippings


Box 6 Folder 11

Miscellaneous, 1971-81

Political Correspondence, speeches, lists, letterheads and research on NYC Government


Box 6 Folder 12-14

Personal Papers [3 Folders], 1973-85

Contains the1979 Oct, Villager article on McClure House and personal files and the Village of Saltaire Lawsuit

Series III: Media Files

This series contains mixed media material including audio cassette tapes, ¼" audio reels, 35mm films, [large format posters] and some realia related to the files arranged in the previous two series as well as other civic activities. Bank / Bethune Block Association Meeting typically included annoucements and messages from committee members on sanitation and dog behavior; traffic and transportation; local history; crime prevention; entertainment; trees and plantings; recycling.


Box 7 Folder 1-2

Westway, Audio Recordings [2 Folders], 1972, 1981, 7 audiocassettes


7 audio cassettes, 2 in original envelopes. WSHP meetings


Box 7 Folder 13

West Side Highway Project Meeting on the Amendment to the Federal-Aid Highway Act, circa 1973 , 1 audiocassettes



Box 7 Folder 5-8, 11, 13

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Audio Recordings - Meetings, 1971-1973, 21 audiocassettes


23 audio cassettes. Includes steering meetings, general meetings, W12th St. members meeting, pier meetings, planning speak out, Traffic meeting, emergency meeting and CPC HRG - CPD #2.


Box 7 Folder 9

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Audio Recordings - Block Party, 1972, 6 open reel audiotapes


6 1/4" audio reels. Bethune Street Block Party Sound Roll #1-6. Wild Track Pop Com.


Box 7 Folder 10

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Audio Recordings - Whistle Program, undated, 1 open reel audiotapes


1/4" audio reel. New York, New York Interview


Box 7 Folder 11

Interview with Joan McClure about Block Association and Whistle Program, 1 audiocassettes



Box 7 Folder 11

Neighborhood Government / Block Associations Meeting, 2 audiocassettes



Box 7 Folder 11

Bank / Bethune Block Association and South Manhattan Committee for Neighborhood Government Joint Meeting, 1 audiocassettes



Box 7 Folder 11

Community meeting with male speaker , 1 audiocassettes



Box 7 Folder 11

Conversation with Village inhabitant [Helen Shanley?] talking about growing up in the neighborhood , 3 audiocassettes



Box 8

Bank/ Bethune Block Association, Film Recordings - Block Party, ca. 1970s, 4 film reels


Series IV: Ephemera


Box 7 Folder 3

Westway, "Save Westway" Buttons, [undated]


Box 7 Folder 4

Village Halloween Parade (VHP), Buttons, [undated]


Box 7 Folder 12

Miscellaneous Buttons, [undated]

Includes election campaign buttons