Learning your home's history is both
helpful and fascinating
by Roger Faris

The history of our old home was nearly lost in the rush of modern times. When we bought the place, the real estate listing stated that the home was of "legal age", and told us how many bedrooms were included. It was obvious that the house had undergone many changes over the decades. It was not clear that any of the stories from the past had been preserved. Over the last decade our detective work has produced interesting and useful materials. Our growing collection of evidence and artifacts is now a treasure to be guarded and passed along to future owners. It has become our Home History, and is kept alongside the ever expanding information about house parts and maintenance which we call our Homeowners Manual.

Compiling a history of your own home can produce a variety of benefits. You may be able to discover more about the intended purpose and character of the building. Original architectural features may have been covered up, altered, or destroyed by remodeling (or remuddling) projects. If you have an ambition to restore the character of your home, or add on in a way which maintains the integrity of the design, some research may be essential.

Another reason for exploring the past is to help to meet the present challenges of maintenance and operation of your old house. For example, if you know about the design and intended functions of the old wiring, you may be able to avoid dangerous electrical hazards. Or If you're aware of the past practice of adding lead or asbestos to paint and building materials, you will be less likely to expose your family and your neighbors to these toxic products during your home improvement escapades. A variety of mysteries may be solved with a bit of research. That sinkhole in your yard could be the legacy of an old tree whose roots are still decomposing. A more alarming finding would be evidence that you have an abandoned oil tank or septic tank which is beginning to collapse.

A Home History project can also be a lot of fun. The tasks are easy, especially when compared to re-roofing or scraping paint, and the final product has many rewards. Your appreciation for you old house may grow, and future buyers are likely to be impressed. You may also be able to make better decisions in your home projects. Here are some strategies for peering into the past, along with examples from our own efforts.

A great way to start is to call the Office of the Secretary of State, Archives Division. The Seattle area number is 764-4276. Be prepared to provide that office with the legal description of your property. This can be found with your mortgage papers or title document. We requested a file search and were soon provided with an impressive collection of materials. Among these were two high quality black and white photographs of our home. The scene from 1938 shows the original clapboard and shingle siding, double hung windows, and other detail which is now covered up or missing. We learned that there was once a big tree in the front yard. The second photo was taken in 1959, after the house had received a layer of grooved sidewall shakes, picture windows, glass block sidelights, a concrete and Astroturf porch, and so on. The information from these photos helped us to design a new front porch which fits the original 1907 bungalow style. The photographs also showed us several hidden elements of the house which we may someday eventually expose and restore. The cost for this service was $26. Larger copies of the photographs would have cost slightly more. The investment has certainly been worthwhile.

The Archive service also provided us with a copy of the assessment history of the property. It is interesting to see that in the 1930's the total assessed value was $550, and that by the 1960's that figure had only grown to about $2,000. These old records include names of past owners of our house. Neighbors and other informants have shared some fascinating stories about these people.

Other resources for your Home History include city and county records. The King County Assessors office has sales records, as well as property tax histories. We also found that the Seattle Department of Land Use and Construction maintains records of building permits. These were stored on microfilm, and the staff were very helpful in providing copies.

Research into the history and character of the neighborhood may also be important. The Museum of History and Industry has a great library of photographs and other information about many neighborhoods, and the Seattle Public Library system has additional materials. A look at local history may indicate that many houses were built at the same time to provide for workers at a new mill, or that a developer cleared out the stumps and orchards to take advantage of a new access road. Perhaps you'll discover that your house was built by a sea captain. I've heard that story many times. There must have been a lot of captains around here.

Some of the best clues in our detective work were found in hiding places throughout the house. A 1906 whiskey bottle which was built into a plaster and lath wall cavity helped to explain some of the peculiar carpentry we'd been wondering about. Artifacts found above the basement beam and in attic crawlspaces revealed more about the past residents than they would probably have wished. There were obvious reasons for stashing some of these relics, and finding them brought an awareness of the emotional power of secrets.

Many of the discoveries about our old home occurred during the demolition phase of several major improvement projects. Newspapers wrapped around pipes and stuffed in cracks helped to date some earlier work, and also provided glimpses of our regional and cultural history. We found a dusty electrical permit for the two original lighting circuits. It was filled out by an electrical inspector with handwriting which looks like calligraphy.

Our recent projects have exposed some unfortunate elements of old style construction, such as support posts which extended through the basement slab and rested on the dirt. These have now been replaced. We also found dramatic shortcuts in maintenance, such as a fourth layer of roof material, and rotted framing which was carefully covered by fiberboard. There remain some unsolved mysteries. We'd like to know why there is a French door which opens to a fifteen foot dive to the front yard?

One of the best parts of keeping a Home History is the joy of adding to it. We began to record our contributions to the history of our home when it was included in the first Phinney Neighborhood home tour. Many of the 450 people who visited that day were quite interested in our photos and written descriptions of the many changes that this old place has been through. We've kept the records up to date, and have created a built-in compartment for permanent record storage. Someday an observant owner may notice a slight flaw in the siding high up on our south wall. A look at the records will reveal that this marks the site of a home maintenance incident involving a long ladder, paint and a visit to the emergency room, plaster cast department. Or there may be a question about the mouse hole in our living room wall. Why, someone might ask, does it include little entry steps and craftsman style trim. A look at the Home History will tell the tale.

Last update 6 Feb 1996 eb
Info Plaza PNA Home Page