NYC 1940s Tax Photos: Houses that John Magilligan Built
There are 125 photos below, but probably at least some in the first row were built by others. Look for where Magilligan changed the facade. It started flat. Then a pointed two-window bay. Then the bay got a flat nose. Then it became a three-window bay, which Magilligan called an octagonal front. At the end he (or his son) alternates between the octagon and semi-circle. Also note how he scaled up the number of houses that he built at a time.
Houses were built in batches of about five. The masons started a batch, then the inside men came in. A black bar betwwen thumbnails is the seam between batches.
To find images, go to Department of Finance: Brooklyn 1940s Tax Photos and do a search. Be sure to read the "How to."
In the slide show (click on any image to start) the images are 560 × 840 pixels.
1866. East side, between Lafayette and DeKalb Avenues.
1867. East side, between DeKalb and Willoughby Avenues. The house is 25' wide.
1869. North side, just east of Flatbush Avenue. Note that they are identical to the next batch.
1870-1872. North side between 6th and 7th Avenues. Five houses in the row.
1871-1872. South side, between 6th and 7th Avenues. Five houses in the row.
circa 1873. South side, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Number 50 is 21', and in 1873 was the first house in from 6 Ave. The Extension II Designation Report has some builder and some Not Determined. Seven houses in the row.
1874-1875. South Side, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Ten houses in the row.
1876-1877. North side between 6th and 7th Avenues. Note two houses at the right have one less floor. Five houses in the row.
1879-1880. South Side, between 6th and 7th Avenues.
1879. South Side, between 6th and 7th Avenues. Façade switch here for Magilligan. All from now on have bay windows.
1881. South Side, between 5th and 6th Avenues. His only row with all houses having two floors over a basement. Five houses in the row.
1882-1883. South Side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Ten houses in the row.
1884-1885. North Side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. The bay windows now have a flat front. Twelve houses in the row. Magilligan's longest row.
1886. North Side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Eight houses in the row.
1887. North Side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Here is the switch to the bay window having three windows. Six houses in the row.
1888-1889. North Side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Seven houses are in the row.
1889. South side, between Fiske and Polhemus Streets. Nine houses are in the row.
1891-1893. South side, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Ten houses are in the row. 498 through 488 were built first. Then 486-480.
1894. South side, between 7th and 8th Avenues.. The last in Park Slope. And the last sites that Magilligan could walk to from his home.
1895. North side, between Brooklyn and Kingston Avenues. This row may have been built by Magilligan's son. Has alternating bay window styles. The curved was coming into style. Eight houses in the row.
