How to Find Out the History of the Land Your House Is On

Historic house

Living in a historical town, having a general interest in history or simply learning more about one's surroundings can inspire a desire to investigate the land one's house is built upon. Researching this can lead to interesting information about the people and society that influenced your real estate and your physical home. Knowing how and where to start investigating can lead to just the beginning of many answers.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Library
• Transportation
• Phone

Instructions

1. 

   Visit the courthouse.

   Visit the local county courthouse to find out where deeds are kept for homes in the area. Speak with the Recorder of Deeds or Assessor who can specify where deeds are located and how to retrieve them. Find out who the deed owners were throughout the property's history. According to Do History, "Deeds are records of land ownership and transactions. They can date back to before the American Revolution." Deeds are useful to those who want to trace the history of their home and the land it is on. When a person investigates deed owners, they are tracing the history of possession. This is called a title search.

   Researching the church and parish records, as well as the census records may also reveal additional information about the people who lived and worked on the land.

2. 

   Read old newspapers.

   Go to the local library. Ask the librarian to see the newspaper archives relating to the land on which the home is built. Read articles about the town and the land. Newspaper articles from the past may provide information about significant historical events, including the history of the land the house is built upon. Newspaper articles may go into specifics about changes to the land, agriculture, battles or other facts.

3. 

   Visit the library.

   Ask the local librarian to see public records, indexes and other materials regarding the land on which the home is built.
   According to Old House Web, libraries contain "indexes to town and county histories, manuscripts and other materials about local history." The local library may also house city directories that expound upon the local people's occupations and household information. This can provide important information about the kinds of people who lived on the land, if there were events, battles or any other important events.

4. 

   Talk to people In town.

   Talk to people who live or lived on the land. Visit an individual who has lived on the land for many years. Record what they have said and compare this to the information found in public records and newspaper articles. People have stories and information that may not be known to the general public. Folklore and myths are often passed on by people but not shared officially.

5. Log onto the computer and visit Land Surveyor. Read about land surveying and determine if this is necessary. This site helps people connect with others who research the physical land of a home. This could lead to scientific information about the actual land. According to Land Surveyor, "Many informed land owners (and soon-to-be landowners) find that their investment in Real Estate is best defined, described, mapped, located and developed with the assistance of a Professional Land Surveyor."

Tips & Warnings

• Keep copies of and make notes about the information that you find. You can begin to put the pieces together simply by looking at all of the information collected over time.

• Investigating land can be time-intensive and sometimes costly if you pay others to help you.

References

• American Association For State and Land History
• Do History: How to Search Deeds
• Land Surveyor