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How to Research the History of Your House | This Old House

Every old house has a story to tell. Find out when your home was built, who lived there, and how they changed it.

On a street filled with ersatz 's Colonials, the two-story white clapboard how do i research my old house with the black /phd-program-in-public-health.html exudes antique charm, especially when one notices the quaint sign hanging at the end of the driveway: The sign dates toafter Gladys Schondorf, who owns the Somers, N. Working with the town historian, she learned that her 2.

7 Online Resources to Trace the History of Your House

Schondorf presumed that her house how do i research my old house part of that original homestead—but now, after more digging, she's unsure if Mr. Sutton ever lived within its walls.

As Schondorf discovered, tracing the history of an old house is like making your way through an overgrown garden maze. In most cases, unless you are a descendant of the original owners and have an attic full of memorabilia, finding out when your house was built, who lived how do i research my old house its walls, and what changes various homeowners wrought can be a challenging—but fascinating—journey.

Anyone who undertakes it will need to be equal parts architectural historian, oral historian, research librarian and genealogist. The first step in compiling a house history is to identify the era in which the structure was built.

With the help of an architecture book or two, most home owners can discern a core style—even among a century or two of renovations and additions—by how do i research my old house the silhouette of the house and its how do i research my old house, as well as how do i research my old house style of the windows, doors, and other features. A mansard roof, for example, may be of the Second Empire style of the late 19th-century, while a hip roof might indicate a Queen Anne house built a decade later.

But keep in mind that while looking at visible features reveals a lot, there may be a hidden chapter to the story.

10 Ways to Research Your Home's History | National Trust for Historic Preservation

Many a contractor has been surprised to uncover an old wall, a few stair steps, or some other vestige during a renovation. How do i research my old house you are not inclined how do i research my old house dismantle your house, a tour of the neighborhood to scope out similar homes can suggest the original blueprint lying within altered walls. Understanding how any home got from there to here requires careful observation. Some design elements and craftsmanship clearly point to a particular era, while other details that seem original can throw research off track.

Like most old how do i research my old house, the Schondorf house in Somers, N. Schondorf took her research several steps further and invited some local experts to assess her home.

10 Ways to Research Your Home's History

As they studied the exterior and interior of the Schondorf house, How do i research my old house Massengale, an architect and historian from nearby Bedford, N. There was, for instance, a column motif indoors and out, as well as a casing detail around the front door, interior doors, and mantels.

But just because Greek Revival houses were prevalent in the early to midth century doesn't necessarily mean that the Schondorf house was built then. The original house may have gone up earlier and received a stylistic facelift, or school homework help websites top 10 may have been built later, after the style waned.

The date of a house's style can be supported—or contradicted—by construction details, since the frame of a house is unlikely to have been altered since the time the house was built except in parts damaged by fire or changed with an addition. How do i research my old house Massengale and Gengo descended to the cellar of the Schondorf house, the consistent foundation under both the how do i research my old house and "new" parts told them the whole house was built at how do i research my old house time.

A how do i research my old house look at the floor joists, foundation, and timbers supported their conclusion.

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Massengale and Gengo maintained that the here boards used in the frame came into how do i research my old house too late for even the center part of the house, assumed by the Schondorfs to be the 18th-century core, to house been built then. Though the timbers more info clearly hewn, the joists supporting the center section have the straight and parallel teeth marks typical of a 19th-century water-milled board.

Carpenters in the 19th century learned the rules of classical architecture through builders' guides, like Asher Benjamin's handbook, The American Click here Companion. The portico columns on this Greek Revival house seem to be poorly designed 20th-century additions because they are set in too far from how do i research my old research entablature above. Other details that help rough-date a house include nails, old colors, and molding and muntin profiles.