Alan Burnham Collection

Alan Burnham (1913-1984) was a well known local Greenwich resident and architect. He founded the American Architectural Archive, which started as a group of files in boxes in his closet. He was a well known name in landmarks and architectural history having written the 1963 book "New York Landmarks: A Study and Index of Architecturally Notable Structures in Greater New York", and is considered fundamental to the architectural preservation movement in New York where he was one-time commissioner of the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. In Greenwich, he was a member of both the Connecticut Historical Commission's review board and the historic District Commission of Greenwich. He also aided in the Great Estates survey of the town, and worked hard to ensure the preservation of several buildings in Greenwich, including the YMCA and the original Greenwich High School building that became the Town Hall Annex.