Whether it is a residence or a commercial structure, become familiar with the architectural style of the building and the others nearby. Search online resources or find books to decipher the architectural details that can provide clues to the building’s age.
Go to your local history library and look for historic house inventories or neighborhood surveys for your house or area. Sometimes a person or preservation group has previously researched buildings in your neighborhood. Make use of this information as a guide and tailor the information to your own specific research. Your library might also have a “how to” guide about house research in your community. It never hurts to ask a librarian for help.
Look for books about the general history of your community. There might be information about how your town physically developed, clues to why and how certain structures were built, a biography on one of your house’s early owners, or a description of your neighborhood when it was built.
It takes much more time and effort, but try to investigate earlier owners of your property. You might discover details about how the use and structure of the property or building changed over the years. For example, knowing that a son and his young bride lived with his parents at the New England family farm, explains why there were two separate kitchens in one large farmhouse.
Next Look for Details
Land records and deeds are the best sources for researching a building. By “chaining the titles” (matching the deeds from grantee to grantor) you can follow the ownership of the property back as far as you wish. If you know who owned a property during a certain time period you might uncover details about how that owner used the property or changed it. When researching be aware that a deed does not necessarily mean a building stood on the property. Do not assume that an early building was built in conjunction with the earliest known deed. To verify building dates you will need additional evidence.
Building permits can give you detailed information about when a building was planned, built, altered, added to, or parts torn down. These sources might also provide items such as the original height or placement of the building on a lot, original construction materials, the architect, or original owner. Search the town or county building, inspection, or land use office for building permits.
Assessors records will provide you with the legal description of a property which can make researching land records easier. You might also find the names of previous owners, the value of the house over time, or if several lots were acquired to created one larger property.
Photographs can be excellent for showing you how the building changed (or did not change) over time. You might discover different exterior building and landscape details, images of previous owners, different neighboring buildings, how the neighborhood changed over time, or even find visual evidence of socio-economic fluctuations in the area. Try searching for photos by address first, and if that does not work search for a neighboring house or street block. Sometimes long distance or panoramic shots will include your building of interest. Also make note of any nearby landmarks. Photographs of another well-known structure might include your building in the background.
City directories that list occupants by address are great resources when you want to find a pattern of occupancy over time. If you are researching a commercial building or a former rental property, yearly directories can follow business comings and goings, and provide information about long- or short-term renters.
Fire insurance maps are amazing resources in locating where a building stood on a property, an additional details about the structure itself. The Sanborn Fire Insurance Company was the largest company to produce maps, but not the only one. Other company names include: Baist, Rascher, Richards, and Robinson. If you cannot find Sanborn maps, ask a librarian if they have maps under other names.
Census records began recording household street addresses in 1900. By using the census you can get an idea of how many people lived in a given house or institution; find out more about who lived in the same neighborhood; or even discover the ethnic, social, or economic make up of the area over time.
Oral histories are not available in every community. If they are available, investigate any interviews for possible references to previous owners, the house, the property, or the neighborhood.
Taking the Next Step
After researching the building from the outside, if possible bring your investigation inside to discover how the building was lived in and used. As you learn more about the age of the structure and the people who occupied it, examine how the interior reflected the company or family's lifestyle. Styles change and people often alter their living space to suite the social norm, so keep in mind what you find will probably represent a series of styles and aesthetic tastes. It is not always possible to investigate a building’s interior, but the following are some suggestions if you can spend time searching inside.
Become familiar with houses built during the same era as yours. Search through period-publications such as women’s magazines and home catalogs to understand the house design, typical room layouts, decorating styles, and modern conveniences.
Investigate older photographs or illustrations of building interiors. What are the decorating trends during certain periods?
Search closets, false ceilings, and floorboards to uncover any old paint, wallpaper, early wood floors or evidence of room alterations.
Look at the walls. Cracked plaster could be evidence of room alterations, such as a walled-up doorway or window. Holes or obvious patches might indicate the locations of old light fixtures, decorations, or early appliances.
Wear marks on wood floors might reveal the placement of floor coverings, the locations of heavy furniture, heavy traffic areas in the house, or repairs.
Read through social history books about your particular time period. The connections between architectural trends, social statuses and interactions, social and familial expectations of women, household decor and appearances, all contribute to the general history of your house. You might not uncover the specific details of your building, but the more you know about the social and economic background of a building, the better you understand the building itself.
For more information check out:
Hometown Handbook : Architecture
by W. Dean Eastman at PrimaryReseach.org
Building Histories Tutorial
by the Denver Public Library Western History / Genealogy Department
Researching a Historic Property
by the National Register of Historic Places |
