William O'Gorman House

427 East 140th Street | Mott Haven | built 1900

Open on the map3 entries

The lot about 1940
About 1940. Via 1940s.nyc
The lot about 1985
About 1985. Via 80s.nyc

The city photographed every building for its tax records around 1940 and again in the 1980s. NYC Municipal Archives.

Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

  1. 1900

    January

    Walter Hornum's row ends with No. 427, the widest house and likely built for developer O'Gorman

    At 22 feet, No. 427 is the widest house in the 1897-1900 row Walter H.C. Hornum designed for William O'Gorman, and the only one faced in Roman brick. The Landmarks Preservation Commission thought it probably was meant for O'Gorman's own family. It has a rusticated rock-faced stone basement, a red tile mansard with a stone-trimmed gable, a carved stone doorway, stained-glass sash, and a three-part first-story window with carved figural wood mullions.

    Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

  2. 1900

    Irish-born builder William O'Gorman lives at No. 427 with his family and three servants

    The 1900 federal census lists William O'Gorman, a 55-year-old builder, as owner and occupant of No. 427. His household included his Irish-born wife Julia, 52, his son Edward, 15, daughters Gertrude, 16, and Lillian Smyth, 24, and a grandson, William Smyth, 2. Three servants lived in as well: Minnie Kane and Catherine Nagle, New Yorkers of Irish descent, and Saria Sander, 19, from Sweden.

    “The census of 1900 shows that developer William O'Gorman, a "Builder," aged 55, owned and lived in No. 427…”

    Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

  3. 1967

    The Lutheran church next door turns O'Gorman's house into a school and staff residence

    By 1932 the house had been joined with the empty lot to its east, No. 429. In 1967 the property belonged to the neighboring St. Peter's Lutheran church, which converted it into a school and a residence for staff. The City of New York took over the lot in 1981, along with the church's parsonage lot.

    “In 1967 the property was owned by the the neighboring church and was converted to a school and staff residence. In 1981 the City of New York took over lots 73…”

    Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

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