How to Research the History of Your House

Thứ bảy - 27/04/2024 01:11
If you own an older home, you've probably at some point wondered who slept in your bedroom long before you, when your plumbing was last updated, or why that ghost keeps hiding your car keys. Researching the history of your house is not...
Table of contents

If you own an older home, you've probably at some point wondered who slept in your bedroom long before you, when your plumbing was last updated, or why that ghost keeps hiding your car keys. Researching the history of your house is not only an exciting trip into the past, but it can tell you how the house is built and give you clues as to how it should be maintained. You can research the history of your house by examining the house itself, looking at government records, and reading through historical archives maintained for your city or town. [1]

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Examining the House's Construction

  1. Step 1 Evaluate the materials used.
    Over the years, many different types of materials and styles of craftsmanship are used to build houses. The types of materials used can give you some ideas about when the house was built and how long it has been since any changes were made.[2]
    • For example, one place you can look is under the water tank lid of the toilet. If there is a toilet in your house that is original to the house, the date stamp on the water tank lid will give you a good idea of when the house was built. If the toilet isn't original, that date will at least give you an idea when the bathroom was last remodeled.
    • If your house has a mansard roof, for example, it was likely built in the late 19th century. However, keep in mind that certain styles and housing designs were still being built in more provincial areas long after they had fallen out of favor in urban centers, so the location of your house will be important in identifying the era in which it was built.
    • Look closely both inside and outside your house, and try to identify building materials used. Bring in an expert if you're unsure what type of wood or stone was used.
  2. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Pulling Official Records

  1. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Digging through Archives

  1. Advertisement

Total notes of this article: 0 in 0 rating

Click on stars to rate this article