People do find amazing things as a result of research.  I had a client once who tracked down the descendants of their home’s original owner who still had the original drawings.  With these drawings they were able to save the cost of documenting their home before we began our design work.  Of course not everyone will be so luck to uncover original drawings.  However sometimes even newspaper articles can provide a clue to a missing feature that can influence present day changes.

I think there is value in research even if you don’t turn up anything substantial of practical value.  Research is a mystery or puzzle to be solved that strengthens my awareness and appreciation of the home.  Research also requires that you slow down instead of rushing off making quick changes to a home that may destroy character.  It is the start of a thoughtful approach that is likely to provide the best result.  I live history and I love doing research.

A Sanborn fire insurance map can provide valuable information about changes to your home.

Get started with what you know, which may only consist of the address.  With the address it’s possible to access information that will provide information on your home, as well as the individuals associated with it.  By also researching individuals associated with your home such as previous owners as well as the architect and contractor, you might also turn up valuable information about the home.  Certainly finding an architect’s or builder’s records could lead to drawings or photographs but researching previous owners can lead to information that is just as valuable.  It’s very common to find family photos with useful background information as well as newspaper articles or other records with information.

Starting first with your home’s address you can find useful information using the following sources:

• building permits
• property abstract
• plat maps
• fire insurance maps
• atlases and city directories
• tax records
• newspapers

Sometimes these sources will provide specific information about the structure or property.  These sources can also help you identify the names of the various individuals associated with your home.  Research these individuals further by using the following sources:

• newspapers
• court records
• city directories
• vital records

Consider every piece of information that you turn up as a clue that’s an important part of the overall puzzle.  Even information that might seem unimportant at first may lead you down a new path that could provide critical information.

In future posts I’ll look at these research sources in more detail.  I’ll cover where you find these sources, what to look for, and what to do with the information you find.