ACRIS or Automated City Register Information System allows you to search property records and view document images for Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, and Brooklyn all the way back to 1966. While this may seem like a little more than 40 years, for many researchers who are stymied by census data ending at 1930, ACRIS can be very useful. Very often, a property that was purchased in the 1930s, 40s or 50s may have had a transaction after 1966 and it can give an insight to the owners' information.
I was first made aware of ACRIS while participating on a case with the Unclaimed Persons group on facebook®. Members of Unclaimed Persons have been assisting medical examiners' offices around the country in identifying next-of-kin for deceased. Usually the cases handed over to Unclaimed Persons are very difficult to crack and the coroners rely upon the expert research skills of a variety of genealogists, librarians and sleuths.
ACRIS is fairly straight-forward in its use but there is an excellent help and tutorial section included.
So, if you are in need of some New York City information which may help you with a persistent brick wall, don't forget about this valuable resource.
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