Why research your house?

• Curiosity of new owner
• Artifacts found during remodeling
• Desire to renovate to original style
• Assessor's Office information
• Ghosts???

Many people become interested in the history of their homes as they see other buildings torn down or renovated. If you want to restore your house, careful research is a must. The Library is not a total "one-stop shopping" source for house research, but we have a good deal of information to help you.

This web site has been designed to help you learn the steps involved in researching your house. To begin, there are three distinct sources for research which this site will cover:

• The building itself, its Architectural Style and structural clues
• The abstract, deeds or other record of Land Ownership
• The Public Records of the community: directories, newspapers, etc.

Suggested Reading:

• Discovering the History of Your House and Your Neighborhood
• House Histories : A Guide to Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home
• Houses and Homes : Exploring their History
• Houses By Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company