Academy of Music, Jersey City N.J., Building Elevation Drawing

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Elevation drawings show a building's front wall flat and head-on, so this sheet captures how the Academy of Music presented itself to the street, with its doors, windows, and ornament drawn to proportion. Jersey City grew quickly in the late 19th century as a rail and ferry hub across the Hudson from Manhattan, and theaters like this one brought touring plays, concerts, and vaudeville to a busy working-city audience. Drawings of this kind were used to win approval, guide builders, and record construction, which makes them useful for checking a facade against later photographs. Pay attention to the lettering and dimension notes along the edges, which show how the draftsman planned the building.

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