Items

• Karl Bitter, sculptor, in his studio on East 13th Street, NYC, circa 1892

  A sepia toned digital photo, where the persons in the photograph had been colorized. Karl Bitter, seen second from left (1867-1915) was a Viennese sculptor who came to the United States in 1889, working as an assistant in an architectural sculpture firm. At the young age of 21, he competed for the Astor memorial bronze gates of Trinity Church and won. The work allowed him to build and establish a small studio on 13th Street that he shared with Italian sculptor, Giuseppe Moretti. In 1897 he purchased the 'Rheinish Castle' from the defunct Eldorado Amusement Park in Weehawken. He purchased additional property just north of the castle, redesigned as his atelier. There he proceeded to build his modern home.
• A Studio for Karl Bitter, Sculptor, Weehawken, NJ

  A colored rendering of a studio for sculptor Karl Bitter by Frank E. Wallis, architect, showing the west elevation of the building facing what would become Boulevard East. The plan below it shows a formal garden and colonnade connecting the existing Eldorado castle to the new building.
• A Sculptor's Studio on the Palisades at Weehawken for Mr. Karl Bitter

  Black and white rendering of a studio for famed Viennese sculptor Karl Bitter. The drawing appeared in the October 7, 1899 issue of American Architect and Building News. When the Eldorado Amusement Park closed and lots were sold off, Bitter bought the area at the edge of the Palisades that included the Eldorado Rheinish Castle to use as part of his studio. He hired architect Frank E. Wallis to design a residence that would connect to his studio. The building was not constructed exactly as designed here, but the stone base of the tower with small window still exists as part of the lower level of Hamilton Park and can be seen from Pershing Road below, especially during the winter months.
• Note from Mrs Karl Bitter regarding a fireplace grate

  Undated handwritten note from Mrs. Karl Bitter to H.D. Morehouse of Utica, NY regarding the purchase of a grate for a wood burning stove. On stationery of The Studio of Karl Bitter.
• Karl Bitter's Studio, Eldorado Weehawken, NJ

  Unposted color postcard of sculptor Karl Bitter's home and studio atop the Palisades. Far left is the bandstand from Eldorado Amusement Park which was moved to the back of the Meister home (not seen) and cantilevered over the edge of the cliff. John C. Voigt Post Card Co., Jersey City, NJ. Printed in Germany. From the collection of Tony Bodtmann.
• Photo - Karl Bitter Home and Studio

  Undated black and white photo of Karl Bitters home and studio in silhouette on the cliffs above the Hudson. This item is in the collection of the Weehawken Historical Commission.
• Studio of Karl Bitter

  Undated newspaper clipping. Caption: This scene atop the Palisades greeted your eye more than 11 years ago if you looked up the Grauert Causeway. On the brink of the cliff you would have seen the unique studio of Karl Bitters, noted sculptor. He was killed and the property was bought by Henry Reuterdahl, famous marine artist. The studio was razed in 1926. The caption sounds as though Karl Bitter was murdered. He was accidentally killed in 1915, when hit by a carriage as he and his wife were leaving the Metropolitan Opera in New York, The caption would place this as a clipping from the late 1930s..
• Karl Bitter's home and studio in 1916

  Black and white photograph dated 1916 showing sculptor Karl Bitter's home and studio perched atop the Palisades at the site of today's Hamilton Plaza. The Grauert stairs (built in 1915) lead from Boulevard east down to the West Shore Ferry Terminal. From the collection of the Weehawken Historical Commission.
• Sculptor Karl Bitter's Studio - 1910

  Black and white photograph of sculptor Karl Bitter's home and studio as it looked in 1910 (present day Hamilton Park.) Far left is a gazebo (a bandstand from Eldorado) cantilevered over the Palisades. At bottom, a train passes. This photograph is from the collection of the Weehawken Historical Commission.
• Karl Bitter in his Studio

  This black and white photo, sent in by Lauren Sherman, shows famed sculptor Karl Bitter (on the stairs) surrounded by some of his works in his Weehawken studio, which was located in what was the Rheinish Castle at Eldorado. The building was on the site of today's Hamilton Park.
• Winter in Weehawken

  Winter in Weehawken, painted by Henry Reuterdahl, who bought Karl Bitter's home and studio after Bitter died. The painting was awarded the Silver Medal in the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915. From the collection of the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
• Photograph: Karl Bitter

  Prominent Viennese sculptor Karl Bitter had a studio here in Weehawken from 1895-1915. This photo, taken by an unknown photographer, appeared in The Criterion on May 19,1901. This image was found on the University of Buffalo web site by WHC member Willie Demontreux.
• Photograph: Karl Bitter

  Karl Bitter was a famous Viennese sculptor who resided and worked in Weehawken from about 1895 until his death in 1915. Bitter bought the Rheinish Castle at the demise of the Eldorado Amusement Park and transformed it into his atelier. He also built a home for his family on the current site of Hamilton Park. Caption: Karl Bitter with his oak relief panels for the organ gallery of Biltmore estate, 1895. This photograph is from the book: KARL BITTER ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTOR 1867-1915 by James M. Dennis, Copyright, University of Wisconsin Press, 1967. The book is in the collection of the Weehawken Historical Commission.
• No. 1 - Palisades, Town of Union

  This black and white undivided photo postcard shows Karl Bitter's home and studio. This card was published by E. Ufert, 502 Spring Street, West Hoboken, NJ. Postmarked November 8, 1905 from Weehawken.
• No. 17 - The Palisades. Jersey City, NJ

  Black and white undivided postcard of the Weehawken Palisades, with Bitter home, atelier and Meister mansion in view. Obviously this is not Jersey City! Postmarked September 25, 1906 from Jersey City.
• Studio and Residence of Karl Bitter - Highwood Park, Weehawken, N.J.

  Black and white photo postcard of the home and studio of sculptor Karl Bitter on the east side of Boulevard East, part of today's Hamilton Park.
• Karl Bitters Studio and Palisades, Weehawken, N. J

  Colored photo photcard of Bitter's atelier on top of cliffs, at center, built on the converted Eldorado castle. To the right was his, at the time, very modern home. At left is the home of the Meister family, and in the foreground, the Hudson. Postmarked October 28, 1908 from West Hoboken. Published by the John C. Voigt Postcard Co., Jersey City, NJ
• Weehawken Palisades, showing Karl Bitters Studio,

  Colored photo postcard of Bitter's home and studio, the Meister home, a train in the foreground at the bottom of the Palisades. Postmarked January 20, 1916 from Weehawken, NJ.
• Boulevard Loop and Bitters Atelier, and Castle Highwood Park, Weehawken, NJ

  Color postcard photograph of the Hudson Boulevard loop (today's Boulevard East) looking north. In the foreground on the east side are the Meister mansion, Karl Bitter's studio. On reverse, postmarked June 29, 1906. Peter Hoffmann Publisher, Jersey City, NJ