Researching Oysters (and the People Who Ate Them)

My research, focusing on the history of the oyster industry and its relation to labor, ecology, and culture in 19th century American cities, has brought me to some interesting places over the past several weeks. I never expected to get so dedicated to this subject, and I feel excited at how the project has deepened my connection not just to the food itself, but also the history of New York and the waters of the Atlantic. I still have so much to figure out, but this post will describe a bit of what I've come across in my research so far.
I visited libraries and archives for this project in order to get a sense of how people in the 19th century engaged in the culture around oysters, as well as the commerce. I have visited several libraries and archives to view materials related to the seafood trade and restaurant scene in New York in this period. Below, I will share photos from some of my library visits.
These were the first materials I viewed: copies of the Oysterman and Fisherman journal from 1906-1913, the one pictured from July 19ll, in the collection of the New York Public Library. These magazines convey the changing state of the oyster industry in the early 20th century, when mechanization and commercialization were increasingly pervasive, the demand for oysters high. Other articles in the magazines discuss conservation practices for dealing with declining oyster beds across the United States, demonstrating how oystermen were conscious of ecological change in this period.
At the New-York Historical Society, I viewed some beautiful prints of works by C.F.W. Mielatz, a German-American illustrator who depicted scenes of New York in the final years of the 19th century and early 20th century. This is Oyster Market, West Street, produced in 1908 by Mielatz and held in the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library at N-YHS. This illustration of an oyster stand was one of several pieces by Mielatz in the archive which featured oysters and restaurants, providing visual reference for the cultural role of oysters in 19th century New York.
I've learned that research takes many forms, and in the spirit of research (and summer fun) myself and a few other Barnard Laidlaw colleagues visited the Red Hook Lobster Pound on Sunday to have some oysters and walk around the lovely Red Hook waterfront. Despite dedicating the past six weeks to researching them and devouring them since childhood on the West Coast, I had never had an oyster in New York, or an oyster from the Eastern seaboard. The oysters we had at the Lobster Pound were from Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and so good! A bit brinier than the oysters I know from home, rich and crisp. Two of our party had never had an oyster before, and it was wonderful to share this seafood with my friends and fellow scholars!
Taking the ferry back to Manhattan provided an opportunity to reflect on the past and future of the New York Harbor. These waters have held so much life and history, and thanks to conservation efforts today, will continue to support more in the future.
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Excellent photos, Lucia! Wish I could've been at Red Hook!
Such a fun trip! Thank you for teaching us so much about oysters!