As Pride Month Ends, LPC to Consider Designating Park Slope’s Lesbian Herstory Archives Row House

A Renaissance Revival row house at 484 14th Street, home to the Lesbian Herstory Archives and already part of the Park Slope Historic District, may soon become an individual landmark. In a move that was perhaps timed to coincide with Pride Month, the item was unexpectedly added to today’s schedule at the last minute, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to consider it at today’s meeting.

LPC Deputy Director of Research Margaret Herman introduced the building to the commission, saying it is culturally significant as the nation’s largest and oldest collection of lesbian-related material. The Lesbian Herstory Archives, founded in 1974, moved to the house in 1991 after it outgrew its original headquarters in an Upper West Side apartment.

“This building is where the archive expanded its collection, grew to national prominence and continues to serve as a vital educational organization, community space, and center for lesbian history and culture,” Herman told the commissioners.

The house was built in 1908 and designed by Axel Hedman as a two-family home for the Prospect Park Realty Company, Herman said at the meeting. Along with a row of six others, the French Renaissance-style building was included in the Park Slope Historic District in 1973. Herman said the Lesbian Herstory Archives has diligently maintained the building, which has a high degree of historic integrity and character in the surrounding streetscape.

She added that designating 484 14th Street as an individual landmark will “highlight the important history and emphasize an additional period of significance associated with the Lesbian Herstory Archives.”

“As a nationally important collection of LGBTQ materials, the Lesbian Herstory Archives plays an essential role in telling the story of a mostly unseen community of women who contributed to America’s social, cultural and political history.”

LPC Chair Sarah Carroll told the board the national archive is an invaluable national resource and one used by LPC’s research staff. She added that designation will “recognize the history that is so important to LGBTQ and also women’s history.”

“I’m very excited to be recognizing the Lesbian Herstory Archives at this particular moment, as we wrap up Pride Month and recognize the significance of women in our nation today.”

LPC will schedule a public hearing on the house’s landmarking.

Lesbian Herstory Archives Co-ordinator Saskia Scheffer told Brownstoner if the landmarking goes ahead, the house at 484 14th Street will likely get a plaque from the LPC that highlights the presence and history of the archives and the work it does.

“I’m really happy to get visibility for an organization that is so incredibly important,” Scheffer said.

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• Park Slope Historic District Could Be Expanded Again This Month

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