Pforzheimer, Carl H., Jr., 1907-1996

Because the appropriation for the Westchester County Commission on Government did not include funds to study the libraries in the county, Carl H. Pforzheimer, the Commission's chair, sought and received a grant from the Carnegie Foundation to conduct such a study. Mr. Pforzheimer directed the study which proposed an umbrella organization, the Westchester County Library System (today, the Westchester Library Association). These are Mr. Pforzheimer's files.

The Westchester County Association was formed in 1950 by leaders from government, commerce, industry, labor, the press, and the general public to study the impact of changes in Westchester County brought about by the influx of major corporations. Carl H. Pforzheimer was a director of the Association. These are his files.

Originally known as the "Purchase Association," the Purchase Property Owners Association of Harrison Township (N.Y.) was a citizen's group which campaigned for or against various changes in the community.

Member of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.

In 1934 the Westchester County Board of Supervisors appointed a bi-partisan Commission on Government to propose a new form of government for the County. In 1936 the Commission proposed the first County Charter which (substantially) outlined Westchester's form of government as we know it today. So controversial was the proposal that it was not enacted by the voters until 1938. The records in this collection were the files of the Commission's Chairman, Carl H. Pforzheimer. Mr. Pforzheimer placed his files in locked file cabinets in his New York City office where they remained until they were discovered and transferred to the County Archives in 1988. These records are particularly important because they record the deliberations of the Commission which were conducted in secret.

Carl H. Pforzheimer served as treasurer and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Purchase Free Library. These are his files.

Carl H. Pforzheimer was the first Chairman of the Westchester County Planning Commission. These are his files.

Carl H. Pforzheimer served his hometown of Harrison in a variety of ways. He was the first chairman of the Harrison Planning Board and chaired the Citizens Advisory Committee and Finance Committee. He was actively involved in numerous issues relating to the Town. These are his files.

Organized in 1921 by V. Everit Macy, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and others, the Westchester County Council of Social Agencies was a voluntary organization of public and private health and welfare agencies which planned and coordinated their services to inrease efficiency. The Council, a forerunner of the Westchester County United Way, held its first fundraising campaign in 1955. Carl H. Pforzheimer served as treasurer and as a director of the W.C.C.S.A. These are his files.

Carl Howard Pforzheimer, Jr. was a businessman (a leading authority on oil and the oil industry) and expert on municipal administration. He was a long-time resident of Harrison/Purchase, NY and was active in the civic life of his town. At various times he served as Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of the Purchase Free Library, Chairman of the Harrison Planning Board, Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee and the Finance Committee, and was active in the Purchase Property Owners Association. Mr. Pforzheimer's county-wide activities included service as a Director of the Westchester County Council of Social Agencies, Chairman of the Westchester County Planning Commission, and Chairman of the Westchester County Commission on Government.