The New-York Historical Society may seem like just another prestigious institution, but a closer look reveals an intriguing detail—a hyphen in its name. This small punctuation mark has been the source of significant drama.
A Historical Quirk
When the society was founded in 1804, hyphenating “New-York” was standard practice. Even The New York Times used the hyphen in its name until the 1890s. Unlike the newspaper, however, the New-York Historical Society never dropped the hyphen, preserving a historical artifact in its very identity.
The Hyphen Controversy of 1945
For over a century, the hyphen quietly remained part of the society’s name without incident. That changed in 1945 when Chief Magistrate Henry H. Curran made headlines by calling it a nuisance. According to the New York World-Telegram, he described the hyphen as a “gremlin which sneaks around in the dark,” demanding immediate action by the City Council to remove it. He emphatically declared, “We won’t be hyphenated by anyone!”
A Fight to Keep the Hyphen
In response, the City Council attempted to pass a law abolishing the hyphen. The New-York Historical Society defended its punctuation with fervor, arguing that the name’s hyphen could not be changed because it was literally carved into the building’s stone facade. Despite the commotion, no anti-hyphen law ever passed, and the society retained its distinctive spelling.
A Symbol of Pride
Today, the hyphen remains a proud emblem of the New-York Historical Society’s legacy. They even embraced the punctuation playfully by naming their summer softball team “The Hyphens,” turning a once-contentious symbol into a badge of honor.