Since his death, McCay's original artwork has been poorly preserved; much was destroyed in a late-1930s house fire, and more was sold off when the McCays needed money.
Sejak kematiannya, karya seni asli McCay kurang disajikan; kebanyakan hancur dalam kebakaran rumah produksi pada akhir 1930an, dan yang lainnya dijual saat keluarga McCay membutuhkan uang.