17. The Irish American Historical Society, 991 5th Ave

Irish American Historical Society
Courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

991 Fifth Avenue was originally commissioned by Mary Augusta King, daughter of former New York Governor John A. King. King hired architects James R. Turner and William. G. Killian to design the bowed front brick and limestone structure. It was completed in 1901. Upon Mary’s death, just four short years after the mansion was complete, it was purchased by banker David Crawford Clark, according to the Daytonian in Manhattan.

Clark hired Ogden Codman, Jr. to renovate the interior spaces. The American Irish Historical Society purchased the building for just  $145,000 in 1939 and has remained there ever since. In 2021, the building was put up for sale for $52 million. When news of the sale broke, there was an outcry in the Irish American community. Even the Irish government opposed the sale. Now, the mansion has been taken off the market as a new interim board has control of the Society and the Irish government is putting up funds to help save the mansion.