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Home > Restoration Help >
Researching Your Building
 Most owners of historic buildings want to fully understand the history of their property. The more you know about your home the more accurate your rehabilitation/restoration can be. There are several avenues to explore in discovering the history of your house. First, many of Connecticut's towns have been surveyed for the State Historic Preservation Office. This Statewide Historic Resource Inventory is a comprehensive list of the state's buildings and structures built before 1950. Secondly, your building may be located in a Local Historic District or a National Register Historic District. The town or city hall will have information if you are located in a Local Historic District. The State Historic Preservation Office at the State Historic Preservation Office will know if you are located in a National Register District. If you discover your property has not been inventoried you could hire a professional researcher such as a Historic Preservation Consultant or undertake the project yourself. The National Trust for Historic Preservation lists the following tips to help you get started in researching your home (link to The National Trust is provided below). - Search for deeds, tax records, property abstracts, and maps to determine the history of the building, including its previous owners. Your city or county records office can help you begin.
- Look through city directories, census records, and insurance maps for information on the house's previous owners. Your public library and local historical society will have this information.
- Conduct a search of the house and its yard. An architect or archaeologist can offer advice as to what to look for, and don't forget to search the rafters for records the former owners may have left behind.
- Determine whether the building is a designated historic structure on the local, state or national level, or find out if it is within an historical district. The best places to start are your local historical organization or State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
- If your building is a designated historic structure, you may need local approval to make any changes to the exterior. Ask your local planning office.
- Find out if easements or other tax abatement programs may be available to you. Again, your local planning office and local historical commission are the best sources of information.
- Consultants are available to help with all your research and National Register nominations.
Other helpful information is found in the Association for American, State and Local History technical leaflet entitled "The History of a House, How to Trace It". See resources below to review. If you do decide to do the research yourself, remember much of the material is available at your local library and town/city office building. Your local historical society may also be a good source of information.
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