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House History

House history refers to tracing the genealogy of your home: when was it built?,  who was the architect?, what style is it?, who was the original owner?, etc.

Library Materials

Illustrated Historical Atlas of Johnson County, Indiana Edited by John V. Bergen        Altas Stand Ref 912 ATL The atlas includes a variety of maps for cities and townships within Johnson County that include information on original landowners.  The maps and accompanying information are from 1820-1900.

Online Databases         

INSPIRE - www.inspire.in.gov
This online database provides access to hundreds of magazines, scholarly journals, newspapers, and encyclopedias.  After accessing Inspire, type “history of your home” in the search bar.  The results include several articles on where to begin searching for information on the genealogy of your home.  The database is free to all Indiana residents and can be accessed in the library or from home.

HeritageQuest - 
If inside the library, click: 
    www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index 
If outside the library, click:
    http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/login/barcode?aid=13331
This genealogy database includes access to the U.S. Federal Census collection, over 20,000 family and local history books, an index to nearly 2 million magazine articles with genealogical information, and a database of Revolutionary War era records.  The database can be accessed from the library and home computers.

Websites

Cyndi’s List - www.cyndislist.com/houses.htm

How to Research the History of Your House - www.wikihow.com/Research-the-History-of-Your-House

About.com’s  Architecture: Research Your Home - http://architecture.about.com/od/researchyourhome/

About.com’s Genealogy: House Histories, Who Lived - http://genealogy.about.com/library/weekly/aa070802c.htm

House History Checklist - www.kshs.org/genealogists/househistorychecklist.pdf
    This website was created by the Kansas State Historical Society, but the information provides a thorough road map to begin searching for information on your home in Indiana.

Organizations

Johnson County Recorder - www.co.johnson.in.us/recorder.htm 
The Recorders office has a number of legal documents available for public viewing including deeds, mortgage records, tax liens, and more concerning the history of your house.  Information dates back to the 1800s.  No appointment is necessary to view the documents.
86 W. Court St.
Franklin, IN 46131
(317) 346-4385

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology - www.in.gov/dnr/historic/
402 W. Washington St.  W274
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-1646

Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana - www.historiclandmarks.org/Pages/default.aspx
340 W. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
(317) 639-4534
(800) 450-4534

Indiana State Library - www.in.gov/library/
140 N. Senate Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-3689 (Genealogy Division)
(317) 232-3670 (Indiana Division)

Johnson County Museum of History, Genealogy Library - www.johnsoncountymuseum.org 
The Genealogy Library includes a House and Business File alphabetically listing street names for each
town in the county.  The file contains various information, photos, newspaper articles, etc.  Along with
the House and Business File, the library has a variety of City Directories in their collection, listing who
lived at a particular address, listed by the address and not the name of the resident.
135 N. Main Street        Museum Hours:
Franklin, IN  46131       Monday-Friday 9am-4pm
(317) 736-4655            2nd Saturday of each month from 10am-3pm

FAQs

Where should I begin looking for information to compile a house history?
The first step is to get to know your home.  Begin by looking at your home to find clues about its age, type of construction, the materials used, the shape of the roofline, and other features that would provide information on the architecture and a general construction date.

Where can I find real estate information on my home?
The county Recorder’s Office holds information on deeds, mortgages, tax liens, and other legal documents concerning your home.