Historic brick homes often have fascinating stories to tell, and the houses in the older neighborhoods of the Washington D.C. area are certainly among them. Exploring your home’s past can be a great way to spend the long winter months indoors, and can enable you to gain significant knowledge about your house’s previous owners, its importance to the city, and its overall architecture. The best part is that you can do much of the research right from the comfort of your home.
Where to Begin? Start with Public Records
Public records are an excellent place to begin your journey into the history of your home, especially if you are looking for information about ownership, construction, and renovations.
The D.C. Recorder of Deeds maintains documents about the ownership history of your home. You may uncover the names of previous owners, including the original homeowners, which can lead to further fascinating discoveries about their lives and significance. The D.C. Office of Planning can offer additional information and has interactive GIS maps that will let you know about your home’s designation, as well as potential details about the architect who designed it.
If your home was built after 1877, the D.C. Department of Buildings might have your home’s original building permits, electrical and plumbing records, renovation plans, and/or certificates of occupancy. Property tax records can help verify these changes, and the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue can provide insights into your home’s valuation over time. Valuation often goes up as renovations and additions are completed.
Check with Local Libraries and Archives
If you’re looking for digitized information beyond building and renovations, Washington D.C. 's libraries offer access to records that can reveal much about your home’s past. Many resources are now digitized, making them easily accessible, moreso than they ever were years ago.
With its extensive database focusing on local history, the Washingtoniana Collection at the D.C. Public Library has maps, directories and photographs of D.C. neighborhoods and houses, including historic brick homes. You can also find photographs, architectural drawings and other documents related to D.C. history on the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. website.
Homeowners in historic districts can also explore the interactive map on the D.C. Historic Preservation Office’s website. It will point out historic landmarks and districts within the city, which indicate each neighborhood's significance and relevant history.
Read Historic Newspapers
Once you know some of the history of your home’s ownership and the neighborhood’s importance, old newspapers can add a personal touch. You’ll discover stories about local events, property sales, social announcements and other ties to the homeowners and their neighbors.
Local newspapers like The Washington Post and smaller publications may be available in your local library, but you can also access digitized newspaper archives through services like the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America.
Preserving Your Home’s Legacy
As you complete your research, it’s worth the time it takes to organize and document your findings for future generations, and to make it easier to share what you’ve discovered with your family, friends and neighbors. Photographs, written histories and restoration work all contribute to the rich tapestry of D.C.’s storied past, and your work will benefit future homeowners who wish to keep the region’s rich history alive.
Renaissance Development, experts in tuckpointing historic brick homes in D.C., offers a number of services that will ensure the functionality and enhance the beauty of your property, such as retaining walls, patios, front steps, urban gardens, iron work, and wooden fencing. We use traditional tuckpointing methods to maintain historic integrity, which is the essence of historic preservation. Contact us to arrange a consultation.
