"Spain in New York" seminar participants, plus Maximino Vázquez (far left), on the stoop of La Nacional, 239 West 14th Street. Photo courtesy of Arturo Conde.
We the participants in the undergraduate seminar “Spain in New York” (College of Arts and Science, New York University, Spring, 2011) have created this website, to showcase the research we have conducted on the presence of Spaniards and Spanish culture in New York, past and present. The seminar was led by Professor James D. Fernández (far right).
We have focused on the area between Broadway and the Hudson River, from Houston Street to 23rd Street, a district which, as you will see if you poke around these pages, is particularly rich in historic traces and current examples of Spanish culture in New York.
For a brief historical introduction, click here.
Seminar Participants: Ari Blau, Lucy Braid, Blake Brewer, Sarah Caplan, Natalia Castro, Alex Engel, Albert Fernández, James D. Fernández (leader), Grace Marie Fulmer, Nicole Harty, Sara Martínez, Rajkishen Narayanan, Connie Ng, Marielena Quintanilla, Ryan Rockmore, Maninder Singh, Marie Southard, Megan Wessler.
EspaNYU 
Hello,
My GGGrand father, Magin Janer, founded the Spanish Benevolent Society (La Nacional) en 1868 I visited La Nacional for the first time last week, all the way from San Diego. I heard about the movie “little Spain” about the old spanish section of NY.
I am trying to locate more info on Magin. (I know a lot about his son, Joseph, but would rather not go there!) Magin was born in Barcelona circa 1841 and died in NY in 1894.
He had a building on Maiden lane with the name Janer. Does anyone know anything about all of this and where can I begin to research?
Thanks
Dave Hamrah
dhamra@gmail.com
Hi Dave..My Grandmother’s family name was Garcia..and the family was part of the Garcia y Vega Cigar Company on Maiden Lane until around 1830 ish give or take.. My Great Grandfather Pedro J. Garcia worked for his family there..and there was another relation Alvaro Garcia who was I believe a bit higher up in the company who lived in Staten Island..I placed the copy of a newspaper article about him that I found on Ancestry.com on the AsturianUS.org forum.. Great Grandfather Pedro passed away in 1927. I can be reached at my email: lcjord@gmail.com
My Grandfather’s name was Joaquin Rodriguez and he came in through Ellis Island from Asturias in 1916..he was signed for by the Garcia’s to be a worker in their Cigar factory..and subsequently married Hortensia Garcia..these are my father’s parents..I can ask my father in the morning regarding the Janer building..Dad is 84..the youngest son..
Maybe we can help each other out as I am missing some names, if you have any acess to the company history. I do know that my Grandfather Joaquin was a member of the Benevolent Society.
Thanks to the class and to Prof. Fernandez for this wonderful website, full of interesting information.