rearthma Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Does anyone have any tips if I wanted to find out the history of my home in Houston? By history I mean: date built, architect, architect style, builder, previous owners, original photos or photos throughout the years, any historical significance to the home, the area, etc. As a person who thinks more people should have a fondness for rehabbing/renovating older homes vs. demolishing them and building 'mc mansions', I think it would be kinda cool to compile some info on my house (or my parents, or friends as a gift idea) and display it in a frame on a wall or in a book in my/their house. Anyway, didn't know if any of you have done this before. I assume this would require searching previous title records/abstracts, checking city directories (which ones?), calling previous owners, etc. but I think it would be a fun project. Any direction would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Just a quick starter - -city directories (the ones with the street look-up)-Sanborn fire insurance maps-Block Books (http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/blockbooks/default.asp)-HCAD (just to find recent information)For pictures, I would imagine getting in touch with previous tenants of the home would be the best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) I think others will have additional tips for you, but here are a few getting-started suggestions:(1) Check HCAD for an appoximate date that the house was built (note that HCAD often has wrong info, though). The HCAD maps may also show the most specific neighborhood name applicable for neighborhood research.(2) Check the city directories in the Houston Metropolitan Research Center for information such as the first year in which the address appears, and the names of prior owners. (The directories will be to your right, in a corner near the entrance, as you go in the entrance - look for a bunch of books on the shelves with dates on the spine, or just ask one of the helpful staff members.)(3) Post a question here on HAIF regarding your specific neighborhood's history.[Looks like I duplicated some of sevfiv's suggestions - I don't know how to access the Sanborn maps, but I think sev has posted on this elsewhere.] Edited March 12, 2008 by tmariar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelguy_73 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) What timing! We are trying to kickstart the same process for our Eastwood home so that we can add details to our renovation photo album. I haven't been to the library yet, but did have an email chat with Annie Golden at Harris County Archives, whose name I got from the Old 6th Ward website. She used our tax id number (from HCAD) to search the earliest tax records for our home. She was able to find out who owned the property when the house was built ('36), and then the next people who owned it (through '54). All by email! My dad is going to do some research on these people in the geneology forums to find out who they are, so perhaps we can track down relatives to see if they have old pictures.The Harris County Archive email is Archives@fpm.hctx.net] Edited March 12, 2008 by travelguy_73 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Digital Sanborn maps are available through Rice and UH (but in house only) and Houston Public Library (remotely for those with a library card). Rice and UH also have some on microfilm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 We were very fortunate that our next door neighbor was able to provide us with great details of not just our house on Munger street but the whole block. She was a retired senior citizen and told us her dad had her house built (early 1920's) and it was maybe the 3rd house built on that block. Told us there were only houses on each corner and in between it just fields! Also remember, your neighbors probably have good photos they took of their home and has yours in the background! We have numerous ones like that. So let's not forget to be good chums with our elderly neighbors. They are a wealth of information (living history really). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) Actually there is a pretty good way to do it online.You can go to the County clerk's website and plug in your name on property search. You will find all transactions you've made in Harris county. Then plug in the people whom you bought the house from to find who they bought it from. And so on and so on. I traced back 8 owners on my house to find the original person who bought and who they contracted with to build it.Now, there may be a limit to how far back you can go, but its a start. I haven't seen many records pre-dating 1955.Edit for link http://www.cclerk.hctx.net/pfiling.htm Edited March 12, 2008 by KatieDidIt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird65 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I think others will have additional tips for you, but here are a few getting-started suggestions:(1) Check HCAD for an appoximate date that the house was built (note that HCAD often has wrong info, though). The HCAD maps may also show the most specific neighborhood name applicable for neighborhood research.(2) Check the city directories in the Houston Metropolitan Research Center for information such as the first year in which the address appears, and the names of prior owners. (The directories will be to your right, in a corner near the entrance, as you go in the entrance - look for a bunch of books on the shelves with dates on the spine, or just ask one of the helpful staff members.)(3) Post a question here on HAIF regarding your specific neighborhood's history.[Looks like I duplicated some of sevfiv's suggestions - I don't know how to access the Sanborn maps, but I think sev has posted on this elsewhere.]At the Texas Room (aka the Houston Metropolitan Research Center) there are also what's called Zingery maps that provide a map of who owned what for specific years, going back to 1956.There are also aerial photos of Harris County, as well.Using those and the other things mentioned here, I've been able to trace who owned the house (and the land it was on before it was built and what that property looked like) back to the 1940s. And others have filed in the gaps back to the 1830s.You've definitely come to the right place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isuredid Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 (edited) At the Texas Room (aka the Houston Metropolitan Research Center) there are also what's called Zingery maps that provide a map of who owned what for specific years, going back to 1956..Bracey's Block Books are also a good place to find names on the property, but it would have to be from before the 1950s to use those. You can also request those books at the front desk of the Texas Room. Once you have a name from the block books, you can trace back through the deed records either forward to now or back to the beginning. Tracing deed records can be a bit complicated if you've never done it, but the folks at Harris County are very helpful.What is the neighborhood? Edited March 14, 2008 by isuredid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto250us Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 If your home is old enough you can find past owners in the US census records. Census records for 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 have homes listed with street addresses. The records are available online at Houston Public Library website with a valid library card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxmulder Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 If your home is old enough you can find past owners in the US census records. Census records for 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 have homes listed with street addresses. The records are available online at Houston Public Library website with a valid library card.What's the address?? URL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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