How the Stories Are Researched
The archive starts with a name, a place, or a stray line in an old newspaper. The work is finding what can still be proved.
Peggy Gavan traces New York animal stories through digitized newspapers, photographs, city records, maps, and library collections. A newspaper item is a lead. Names, dates, addresses, and buildings are checked against other records before a story becomes part of a tour.
What readers can check
Archive stories link back to Peggy's original Hatching Cat research when that record is available. Newer Cats About Town stories include a Sources section with the articles or records used. If a detail is uncertain, the story should say so.
How the tours use the archive
The routes connect documented accounts to the streets and buildings where they happened. Guides may add neighborhood history for context, but the animals remain tied to the surviving record. FareHarbor holds the current schedule and booking details.