How to Find the Genealogy of Your House
You'll spend a lot of time at the library and the county courthouse.
Ever wondered who lived in your house a few decades ago, or what the house looked like when it was built? You can research the genealogy of your home just like you can research your own family tree, using many of the same public records.
The determined researcher can have a lot of fun playing house detective, says Sally Light, author of "House Histories: A Guide to Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home."
"There often are some fascinating stories. Others are ordinary, typical stories," she says. Her best advice for someone beginning house genealogy research? "Don't believe everything everyone says about your house."
Libraries, county offices and historical societies and museums will be among your best resources.
Light suggests starting with a title search. You'll need a legal description of your property. It's on your deed, and on file at the county clerk's or county tax assessor's office. You might also need some kind of parcel identification number; check your annual property tax notice.
The title search tells you who owned the house and when it changed hands. County records also detail the sales price of each transaction. Light cautions that title information might not detail a home being passed from family member to family member.
The Jefferson County Historical Commission in Birmingham, AL. -- one of many local historical groups offering tips on researching the genealogy of a home - says that county appraisal files will often date a structure, identify previous occupants and even contain photographs of the home.
Old city directories can provide additional occupant information, the Birmingham group says. You also could check to see where a previous occupant lived before and after he or she lived in your home. Check your local library for city directories, also known as reverse directories.
The Jefferson County Historical Commission recommends supplementing what you learn from public documents with interviews with neighbors and others familiar with the oral history of your home.
Light says local fire departments often will have detailed property information going back decades, or even centuries. You could learn, for examples, the materials used to build your house, when additions were built on and the home's contents.
The Smithsonian Institution has published an easy-to-follow guide to researching your home's genealogy. Check it out on the Web at http://americanhistory.si.edu/house/pdfs/webhouseguide.pdf.
