Discovering the secret
history of your old house may take no more
than a matter of hours (if you are very
lucky!) & reveal a wealth of
information about the building & the
people who once lived in it. You may find
the original name of the house, discover
when it was built or renovated &
reveal the lives of the strangers who once
lived within your four walls. The
following notes may help guide you on this
journey.
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Archives
& Other Sources
Seek information in research libraries and
archives which have old maps and plans, surveys,
valuation rolls, local government building files,
plans and rate or tax books, electoral rolls,
telephone books and directories which list residents
in cities, suburbs and towns. Check water and sewerage
records, and records of gas or electricity authorities
and lands administration. Old photographs, paintings
and sketches may provide a view of your house or a
mere glimpse.
In many areas of the US Sanborn Fire Insurance maps
indicate when new buildings appeared and when
modifications such as porch additions or new wings
were made. Look for them at the local fire department,
tax or assessor's office, real estate offices, title
insurance firms, city planning offices, the National
Archives or the Sanborn Map Co., 629 Fifth Ave,
Pelham, New York 10803. Environmental Data Resources
of Southport, CT, has them available in digitized
form. Visit their Website
for further information. In Canada, fire insurance
plans can be found at university, private and
provincial archives as well as City planning
offices.
In the UK, contact the Historic Buildings Group via
the Country Records Office or local museum service.
Other possible sources of information include the
County Archives Office, regional offices of English
Heritage and the County Council or district Council.
English Heritage may be able to provide a list of
architectural historians who can conduct research on
your behalf. Jean Manco's website, Guide
to Researching Historic Buildings in the British
Isles, is an invaluable resource. House
Histories, operated by Mark & Gill Walters,
will research the history of houses and buildings
throughout the UK. Period
Profile provides a similar service. Useful sources
of information include ordnance survey maps, Post
Office maps and, in Scotland, fencing plans which can
be seen at Register House, Edinburgh.
Land
Title
If the land title system in your area permits
searches through a chain of titles from owner to owner
back through history there may be useful information
to be obtained. This sort of search is often carried
out by lawyers at the time a property is purchased. It
can reveal everyone who has owned the property, when
they bought it and how much it cost them. The pattern
of land development usually begins with a large area
which is subdivided into smaller and smaller pieces. A
significant rise in price after subdivision often
indicates the construction or renovation of a building
on the land.
Materials
The best source of information about your old
house is the building itself. Learn how to read the
information contained in its structure and the
materials from which it was built. Materials gathered
on or near the site such as rough-hewn or sawn timber,
rough and unformed stone, earth, bark and hand-made
bricks are generally indicators of early buildings.
Milled timber, chiselled stone and materials which are
clearly the products of industry suggest work which
has been carried out at a later date. Examine hardware
and any original wallpaper for design registration
numbers from which dates can be determined. But
remember that these are approximations: not the date
of construction.
People
The history of your house may be recored in
the memories of people who once lived there or in
nearby houses, or in stories they handed down through
their families. Old photograph albums may contain
shots in which the house is a backdrop to a variety of
family activities. Locating these people may provide
the best information you will ever find.
Structure
The appearance of a house may be deceptive. A
major renovation can confuse the history of a house. A
building in a particular style may have begun life in
quite different form. Check floor and ceiling joists
and within the roof cavity for consistency of
materials, appearance and construction techniques.
This generally indicates a single construction date.
The use of different materials or techniques will
suggest a structure that was created at two or more
different periods.
Style
Style is a guide to the date of construction.
But builders may continue working in a style long
after fashion has moved on. A later renovation in a
newly-fashionable style may create confusion. Use
style in association with other dating techniques. To
identify books which provide guidance on style for
your area as well as information on construction
dating and building history please go to the Books
area of this site.
As research progresses, record information as soon
as you find it. When you have completed your research
document it with text and photographs. Three copies
are a good idea: one to keep, one for the next owner
of the building and one for the local historical group
or library history file.
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