HTS Highlights: Williamsburg Art & Historical Center
Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 3 2012, by Matt Newman
As the Holiday Train Show ramps up, we’ll be highlighting the cultural landmarks of New York City that have come to inspire the NYBG‘s many miniatures, as well as the established organizations behind each one. It’s an opportunity for our readers to not only come away with a fresh understanding of the beautiful architecture in our city, but of the important institutions that have helped to create our rich cultural landscape.
Like so much of New York’s iconic architecture, what would become the Williamsburg Art & Historical Center (WAH) began life as a very different establishment. The Kings County Savings Bank was designed in the French Second Empire style by William H. Wilcox, a bank partner, with ground broken at the corner of Bedford and Broadway in 1860. Construction continued in Brooklyn through the course of the Civil War to see completion by 1868, at which point the building began a century-long run as home to a succession of banks.
By the 1980s, the building was recognized by both the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and the National Register of Historic Places. And in 1996, thanks to the vision of artist and founder Yuko Nii, what was once a hub of finance became a non-profit center for all things creative. The Williamsburg Art & Historical Center set out with a mission to coalesce the diverse artistic community, creating a bridge between local and national artists, emerging and established creatives, and inspired minds of all disciplines.
The WAH Center is currently campaigning for capital development funds to continue and expand its legacy as an important landmark of New York City’s arts. Be sure to click through and do your part to support them!
In the meantime, this year’s Holiday Train Show features a number of new miniatures from Paul Busse and his talented team of builders. For a peek into our 2012 offerings, we join Visitor Services Coordinator Kevin Character for an overview of what’s fresh and exciting during this latest run of our winter tradition.
