Learning Your Home’s History
Whether your house was built in 1772 or 1972, you may be curious about its value, the evolution of its structure, or the names of its former owners. Simple sleuthing can unearth the tale within your four walls.

To find out how old the house is: If your deed title doesn’t state when the house was built (or if you rent), a reference book, such as those listed in "Home Tomes," can tell you when certain materials were commonly used. That way, you can use the home’s various elements — the roof, chimney, doors, windows, and foundation — to find out when the structure was built. If you are remodeling, you may be able to take a peek inside the walls at layers of materials that can help “date” a house, much as tree rings do.

To find out who owned it: Visit your county recorder’s office. If you live in a smaller town, deeds may be kept at the town hall. They are not customarily filed by address, so start with a search of the person you bought the house from, and work backward to its original owner.

Other public records — such as wills, mortgages, and probates — can give descriptions of houses and fill in deed gaps when a property is inherited or repossessed. At your local library, check newspaper obituaries or city directories for more details about the owners’ lives and personalities. Also, don't forget to talk to neighbors who might remember former owners; they might tell you how scary Mr. O’Leary used to chase away the kids who tried to pick apples from his tree.

Marking Your Territory
Become your own house historian and create an archive for your children or your home’s next inhabitants. Here, some ways to organize the future relics:

Fill a lockbox or an acid-free container with photos — of you and your family, car, pets, and favorite possessions. Also include current newspapers and magazines, CDs, DVDs, toys, games, family recipes, and other time-sensitive items such as movie and concert ticket stubs, a grocery receipt showing the prices of basic goods, or a dollar bill.

Record the transformation of your home’s aesthetic by taking photos of each room as it is now decorated. Keep paint chips, fabric swatches from curtains, bedspreads and dinner napkins, and also close-up photos of fixtures, moldings, and rugs. Add new photos and memorabilia each time you redecorate.

Ask visitors sign an open blank notebook or ledger in your front hall or entryway. This does a great job of archiving for you — especially if there’s space for the name, date, address and phone number, reason for visit, and comments.

Home Tomes
Books that can help you explore the history of your house:

Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, 1600–1945 (W.W. Norton, $14 at www.barnesandnoble.com)

Houses and Homes: Exploring Their History, (AltaMira Press, $20 at www.barnesandnoble.com)

House Histories: A Guide to Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home (Golden Hill Press, $15 at www.barnesandnoble.com)

A Field Guide to American Houses (Knopf, $20 at www.barnesandnoble.com)

If These Walls Had Ears (Warner Books, $27 at www.barnesandnoble.com)