HISTORIC BUILDING RESEARCH HANDBOOK
by Indiana DNR, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology
Researching your historic building involves reviewing records as well
as analysizing the building itself. Before going too far in your record
search, be sure to check some obvious sources. Local historical
societies may have clipping files or web sites with information on your building. In cities,
many local governments have historic preservation commissions with files on buildings
under their jurisdiction. It is possible that someone, at some time, researched your
property and left the results in one of these local repositories.
THE BUILDING AS ARTIFACT
Every historic building is a record of its
time and place. Its form, materials, and
appearance are products of its culture,
the same as a piece of music or a
painting. Your first clue to dating your
house is its style or type. Using the
DHPAs style guide will help you narrow
down the time period of your house.
Alterations to a building might be
recorded in the building itself. For
Setback, style, and construction methods can tell
you a great deal, as these two houses in Lockerbie
Square (Indianapolis) show. The house on the left
is mid-19th century, its simple style and close
frontage reveal. To the right is late a 19th century
house, its rich ornamentation and deeper setback
are typical of that era. Photo by DHPA.
example, ghost outlines of previous porch
posts could give an idea of where a missing
porch was located, and what it looked like.
Changes in building technology might help
date your buidling.
Wood framing technology is an excellent
example of using your buildings materials in
your research. Most early Indiana frame Cast iron storefront, Linton, Indiana. The
houses were built using a heavy timber frame nameplate on the left pilaster gives the
name and city of the manufacturer. Some
system, what most would recognize as barn manufacturers catalogs of cast iron
framing. Consisting of massive four or six inch architectural elements are still available.
square timbers with elaborate mortise and Photo by DHPA
tenon joinery, heavy timber frames required the
work of a skilled carpenter. In the 1830s, Hoosier Solon Robinson published articles
about a revolutionary new framing system, called balloon framing by later builders.
Robinsons system called for standard 2x4 lumber, nailed together to form a sturdy, light
skeleton. Builders were reluctant to adopt the new technology, however, by the 1880s,
some form of 2x4 framing was standard. Lumber of the 19th century was dimensional
a 2x4 was a true 2x4 inches. By the 19-teens, lumber industry standards had changed.
The standard 2x4 was reduced in size. Nails changed too, from square headed, square
profiled spikes to round headed wire-cut nails. Similar improvements in brick making,
concrete technology, and other materials can also be traced. By following these
changes, you may be able to date alterations or additions to your house.
HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS
You will be fortunate if you find historic images of your building. Some common historic
structures were photographed by family members or owners; those images may have
been discarded or remain unidentified in private collections. Many were simply never
captured by an artist or photographer. In some cases, images that have survived at
public archives are due to conscientious family members who passed the images on for
later use. It is worth your time to attempt to locate old photos or drawings, especially if
you plan to restore your property. But realistically
such documents do not exist for the majority of
buildings in Indiana.
The Indiana State Library has a good collection of
historic photographs. Also, contact the Indiana
Historical Society to see if their collections include
your community. Local historical societies may also
have archives. Owners of rural properties should
Historic photo of the former Allison be sure to consult county atlases, especially 19th
Plant 1, in the Speedway Historic
century atlases. In the days before photography,
District, Marion County. Source
unknown. many publishers hired artists to draw farmsteads to
illustrate their atlases. Though subject to artistic
license, most are accurate.
ATLASES AND MAPS
All of Indianas 92 counties were mapped in the 19th century. These atlas maps often
are detailed enough to record parcels of land, owners, locations of schools, churches
and cemeteries. They are less useful in cities or towns. Here, other kinds of maps are
very useful. The Sanborn Map Company recorded most Indiana towns of at least 1,000
2,000 residents with a series of color-coded fire insurance maps. Many towns were
recorded several times during the late 19th and early to mid-20th centuries. These maps
are available at the Indiana Room, Indiana State Library, or, they may be available at
local historical societies, or public libraries. Most libraries will require you to use
microfilm. Web based versions of the Sanborn maps are available to university
students or, to paid on-line customers. In Indianpolis, the Baists Map Company
recorded the city in 1908, 1916, 1927 and 1941. These can be found at the Indiana
State Library and the Indiana Historical Society but are less detailed than the Sanborn
maps.
By comparing one year of map to another, you can narrow down the date of your
building. You can also detect additions or other large scale changes to your building.
These maps also record changed street names and addresses.
PUBLIC RECORDS SEARCH TECHNIQUES
A. Use of Auditor's Records for Authentication of Structures
Every County Auditor in Indiana since 1840 has been required to maintain a set of plat
books showing the ownership of all real property in that specific county, and a set of
index books called transfer books showing the names of owners of each parcel of real
estate and the assessed valuation of land and improvement for each parcel owned. This
is a primary source for authenticating the age of any structure built since 1840. If you
can locate an abstract of title for your house, it will save you a great deal of time and
effort. Abstracts are condensed versions of transfer, deed, and mortgage information
on your property. In the 1970s, changes in property laws rendered abstracts obsolete.
Past owners may have retained abstracts or passed them down to other owners.
Some of the ways a property can be transferred to another
owner or encumbered include:
Administrators Deed is issued by an estate administrator
when an estate is being divided due to death.
Sheriffs Deed is issued when a property is sold to cover
unpaid taxes.
Warranty Deed is issued by the grantor (seller), insuring
that they have clear title to the property.
Quit Claim Deed is issued by the grantor (seller), stating
that they relinquish any rights to a property, but cannot
guarantee that others might have legal interest in the
property.
An original abstract looks like
this. Very often they are rolled Mortgage recorded as a claim on a property, a way of
up, and have a heavy paper securing a loan to purchase a property.
cover
Mechanics Lien a lien is a claim against a
property, a mechanics lien is a claim filed by a
contractor or worker for work performed on a
property. A lien is filed when payment has not
been made, it allows the claimant to collect
proceeds when the land is sold or transferred.
Tax assessments note improvements made to
the property and their value.
unroll the abstract and it looks like this..
1. Plat Books
The Auditor's Plat Books in most Indiana
counties are kept reasonably current.
Every twenty or thirty years the books
are usually revised. In the interim, the
books are corrected by the Auditor or his
transfer clerk, showing the changes in
ownership of each tract. The plat is a
physical drawing of a section of the
county, usually arbitrarily set at some
convenient scale, like 1:400 scale. The
tracts in a given one square mile or two
square mile map plat are given numbers,
This page of the abstract records a warranty deed and adjacent to each plat map is a list of
and mechanics lien. References to the full text in owners by number.
county records are given in the margins.
The first step in inventory work is to
locate each structure, site or underwater site on a county surveyor's map or similar map
showing quarter sections for the County. The Plat Book for the county is usually
organized by civil townships outside urban areas, and by towns and cities. For any
urban area, locate and mark sites and structures in an atlas or map showing
subdivisions, since the plat book for urban areas is kept alphabetically by
subdivision names. Run the index for your township, city or town for the section or
subdivision you are interested in. Turn to the appropriate page in the plat book and
locate your historic property on the Auditor's parcel map. Find the number of the tract in
which your historic property is located and look up in the list of owners the owner of your
tract. You have established current ownership.
The Auditors Office may have older plat maps stored away. Ask if they do. A one
hundred year old plat map of your historic district or county may be very useful in
authenticating early improvements.
2. Transfer books
The Transfer Book system tells you when real estate was first improved for tax
purposes. It also tells you the current assessed valuation and ownership of the real
estate upon which your historic property is located. After you have located an owner in
the Plat Books, then go to the Transfer Book for the township, city, or town which shows
current owners and valuation. This is kept alphabetically by last name. Many counties
have also computerized current records such as this. If using a book, turn to the name
of your owner. Do not be surprised if a marginal notation to the right of his or her name
shows that someone else now owns the property. Many plat books are 5 to 20 years out
of date. If your owner cannot be found in a current book, go back through the earlier
books until you find your owner. Check the right entries under "To Whom Transferred"
and see if the real estate has been transferred to another party. Then look that party up
to see if he/she still owns the property. Follow up this claim until you arrive at the current
owner in the current transfer books.
From 1915 to 1932, most Indiana counties maintained overlapping four year books,
effectively covering three years in each book. From 1932 until 1950, transfer books
were erratically kept. Currently, transfer books tend to be rewritten at each
reassessment of property (last in 1968) or ten year intervals. By running the names of
any owner back through the various transfers to 1840, the provenance of most Indiana
structures can be determined with precision.
Look at your surroundings, often a neighboring building reveals clues to your buildings
character. These two houses in the Drover Town Historic District, Huntington, Indiana, were
likely very similar at one point. The house at left would assess at a higher value due to the
wing. Photos by John Warner.
3. Examples of Search Techniques
For example, the modern owner of your historic property is John Smith. John Smith
appears as owner by the current transfer book (1968-to date transfer books). The
marginal notations in the book do not show he acquired it since 1968. Go on to the next
oldest set of transfer books. John Smith's name appears written in ink and in the margin
next to his name appears in the "From Whom Transferred" heirs of Sally Rand
2-12-1966. Turning to Sally Rand, you find that Sally Rand appears as owner from 1962
to 1966. Sally Rand's heirs are shown by marginal notation to have sold the property to
Mr. Smith by warranty deed. The To Whom Transferred side shows John Smith.
So far the transactions read as follows:
1969-1974 Transfer Book
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
- Smith, John Lot 32 AP 350 / 800 / 1150 - -
1962-1968 Transfer Book
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
- Smith, John Lot 32 AP 280 / 800 / 1080 heirs, Sally Rand -
2-12-66
yes Rand, Sally Lot 32 AP 280 / 800 / 1080 John Smith WD
2-12-66 from J.
Rand et. al
1950-1962 Transfer Book
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
- Rand, Sally Lot 32 AP 200 / 750 / 950 - -
No further changes are found in going backwards until 1915-1919. The entry reads as
follow:
1915-1919 Transfer Book
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
- Rand, Sally Lot 32 AP 200 / 1100 / 1300 Joshua -
Bloomer
4-21-17
yes Joshua Bloomer Lot 32 AP 200 / 1100 Sally Rand
1340 rem. Imp. 1917
Assm. 4-1-15
Two things are shown here. First, Sally Rand acquired the property from Joshua
Bloomer by deed; second, Bloomer also had a reduction in his assesment for
improvements on the premises in 1915 by the County Board of Tax Commissioners.
This could indicate a destroyed wing or secondary building. Watch for these little
notations. Again, Bloomer is the record owner from 1915 back to 1881-85. In that old
handwritten transfer book, the following notation is found.
1881-1885 Transfer Book
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
yes Bloomer, Joshua Lot 32 AP 100 / 1200 / 1300 James Bowie -
per Sheriff
yes Bowie, James Lot 32 A..P. 100 / 1200 / 1300 - Per Sheriff deed
J. Bloomer
9-1-1883
This transaction shows the James Bowie owned the property from 1881-1883 until a
forced sale of the real estate was made by the Sheriff of the County to Bloomer. Make a
note of this proceeding for future reference in searching Clerks Civil Records for
information on the historic property. Your historic property dates to at least 1883, based
this information. Searching back under Bowies name, you find that following
transactions in the 1859-1864 transfer books.
Transferred Name Description Valuation From whom To whom
transfered transfered
Land/imp./ total
- Bowie, James Lot 32 AP 100 / 1500 / 100 A. Pyle -
Add. Imp. Add. Imp. 2-21-1860
4-1-63 4-1-1860
yes Pyle, Andrew Lot 32 AP 100 / 0 / 100 - To J. Bowie per
WD
This shows that James Bowie built your historic property in 1863 before the additional
improvement assessment was laid on the real estate by the County Assessor. The
transfer to Bowie was by warranty deed.
The example set out above is a simplified review of transactions in County transfer
indices. In each county, individual problems will be encountered for specific structures
and sites. The system is, however, the same throughout the state. In inventory work, the
only thing you absolutely must find is the name of the present owner. Transfer book
search from the present back to 1840 is a satisfactory method, in most instances, of
authenticating the building date of post-1840 structures. Early transfer books from the
1840-1859 period may not show separate listinqs for land and improvement valuation.
This should not defeat you, for a combined value of land and improvements of more
than $100 for a town lot, and more than $300 for a farm usually mean that the property
was improved.
B. Use of Deed and Mortgage Records
Deed and mortgage records are kept by the County Recorder. The records consist of
general indices of deed in the last name of the sellers (Grantors) and also in the last
names of the buyers (Grantees). In many counties, the indices are divided into urban
and rural indices, such that deeds to town lots are indexed separately from deeds to
farm ground measured by quarter section. These records show all deeds recorded in
the County from its establishment to date. Transfer by deed is the most common way of
selling real estate. Indiana law requires that every buyer (grantee) record his deed to
real estate in order to protect his title against other people. Modern real estate
transactions are handled by lawyers and bankers. These items are accounted for. In the
old days, people were responsible for doing their own recording, and many deed went
unrecorded for many years.
The mortgage records of most counties show by the real property mortgages and
chattel mortgages or mortgages on personal property up to 1964. These records begin
around 1840. Prior to 1840, mortgages were treated as deeds and recorded in deed
records. These records are indexed in the name of the mortgagor and the mortgagee. A
mortgage, of course, is a lien given by the owner of land to secure a debt, usually
shown by a note for money. Other liens, such as mechanic's lien notices were also
recorded in mortgage records up to about 1900. A mechanic's lien is a special lien
which a skilled tradesman has when he works on a house or building. If he is not paid
within 60 days of completing his work, he may record a notice of lien in the Court House
with the Recorder, and have the right to foreclose and sell the house and land to pay his
bill.
1. Deed Record Search Techniques
In survey work, it is usually wise to prove ownership from deed records. This requires
determination whether or not the person shown in the Auditor's transfer book owned the
real estate you are interested in. The easiest way to prove this is to look up the name of
your original or early owner in the Grantee Index. To use our hypothetical illustration, let
us go back to James Bowie. Bowie is listed as the owner in the transfer books, but only
a deed into his name (or some transfer by will or otherwise) will prove it. Let us go to the
City of Hamberg General Index of Deeds for the period 1860-1872 and look up under
"Grantee" (Buyer) Bowie, James. The following is a typical listing:
Grantee Grantor Lot Date Date Consideration Book Page
Deeded Recorded
Bowie, A. Pyle Lot 32 2-8- 2-21- $800 5 188
James AP 1854 1860
Our transaction in the deed records index shows that the ground was conveyed in 1854,
but Bowie did not record his deed until much later, It also shows that Bowie paid $800
gold dollars for the lot, a great deal more than his assessment value would indicate it
was worth. The book and page numbers shows us in what deed book and page this
instrument can be found and read. Going to the deed records themselves, take down
Deed Book 5, blow off the dust, and turn to page 183. You will find a handwritten (in
some early books a filled in printed form) copy of a warranty deed showing the actual
conveyance. For a moment ignore the antique legal phrases. This confirms that Bowie
bought the land in question. Note the transaction for your survey form, and include it in
sources as "Deed Andrew Pyle to James Bowie 2-8-1854, Deed Record 5, page 188".
By searching forward under the name of Bowie, James, in the Sellers "Grantor" Index,
YOU could determine if Bowie ever sold the land in question. No Indiana deed is
supposed to be recorded unless the Auditor has first had his hands on it and made a
transfer entry in his books. This law was not always followed in the old days. The
Sheriff's deed by which Bowie lost his land can be found by checking under "Grantee"
for Bloomer, Joshua, or under "Grantor" for "Sheriff, Clod County" as a grantor.
For properties bought and sold prior to 1855, no seller's indexes are maintained in most
Indiana counties. The proper way to prove the age of a structure more than 134 years
old is to consult the ''Buyers'' (Grantee) indexes for the name of the then-owner, which
should show from whom he acquired the property. Work back this chain until you find a
cash sale of $50-$100 for a town lot. In most cases, that sale represented a sale of
unimproved real estate. Estimating any farm home is more difficult, since land values
varied wildly between 1815 (end of War of 1812) and 1840 (last year of great
depression of 1837-40). Average land values for the community for the period vary in
each region of Indiana.
Government land was initially sold for $1.00 gold per acre, later at $1.25 per acre (by
1833 almost all Indian land had been entered). Average prices for unimproved real
estate from 1820 to 1830 in those parts of Indiana then settled would range near $5.00
per acre. In any case, the authentication of the construction of farmsteads prior to 1840
depends upon a close reading of actual instruments, and interpreting the consideration
in light of a local tradition of land sales for the period in question. Ask a veteran title
abstractor to help you with this portion of your research.
2. Mortgage Record Research Techniques
County mortgage records are indexed in general indices under the name of the
mortgagor and the mortgagee. The mortgagor index will be most helpful to you since it
may be possible to tell when a structure was built by finding a mortgage covering the
land on which it stood. Mortgages were not nearly so common before the turn of the
century as they have become today. Still, quite a number of building projects were
financed by mortgage loans. If you cannot authenticate the improvement of any real
estate during a given period of years from the Auditor's Transfer Books, run the name of
the property owner through the general index of mortgagors for the period. You may find
a real estate mortgage during that period from which it is a fair inference (though not
conclusive) that the structure located upon the land was built with funds from the
mortgage.
Mechanic's liens were also indexed in mortgage records from 1840 to approximately
1900. If you are lucky enough to find a mechanic's lien upon the land upon which your
improvement is located, you can usually establish the builder of the improvement,
something about its construction and its exact date, since a notice of mechanic's lien
must be recorded within sixty days after completion of work in order to be valid. Search
under the name of your early owner or owners in the mortgagor index.
Chattel mortgages (liens on personal property) may also be found in mortgage record
indexes. If the owner of the real estate you are interested in gave a lien on his
furnishings to obtain a loan, that will appear of record in chattel mortgage records.
Chattel mortgages prior to 1890 or so are usually found in mortgage records along with
real estate mortgages. Information derived from chattel mortgages on contents should
be noted, and put in source materials for eventual restoration of any structure on the
register. It is better not to run a complete check on all owners of any historic property,
but only to check the dates and persons owning the property during important periods in
the history of the structure. Chattel mortgages are invaluable in authenticating early grist
and saw mills. Most such commercial operations were sold by bill of sale secured by
chattel mortgage.
C. Use of Court Records
The Clerk of Court in each Indiana county keeps several records which are valuable
source material for researchers in historic preservation. First, all decedents' estates are
indexed in fee books and in general indices to estates. All wills are filed in will records,
which are usually indexed separately from probate estates, though in the fee books for
estates, wills are listed in each estate in which a will is found. Second, all judgments
taken against any person are listed in the judgment docket. Third, all actions taken by
the court are recorded in civil and probate complete records and order books. This set
of records is more complicated to use than recorder's records. Unless a particular estate
or will is necessary to authenticate the age of a structure or the use of a site, specialized
probate research is best left to researchers engaged in restoring properties.
Until 1953, real estate which was not willed specifically to anyone, passed according to
certain rules of law called the canons of descent. In many families, no probate estate
was opened since a family settlement of real estate would be effectuated by an
exchange of deeds after the death of a common ancestor. Most early estates are very
brief affairs consisting of appointment of an administrator or executor, and a settlement
of accounts. In estates in which the deceased had a will, a researcher can find details
on property ownership and family tree material. In many cases, a wife's dower was set
off to her by will, as well as her personal property in a family home. In some areas,
notably Fayette County, a complete itemized inventory of dower property was taken.
This is highly informative, but does not authenticate construction.
Judgment records have to do with civil lawsuits. A judgment is a decree of court stating
that a party owes money to another. The usual remedy for satisfying a judgment was
levy and sale of property. In the l9th century, Such levy often resulted in the sale of
realty. When your historic property was sold by the Sheriff, a levy of execution was
taken against it. Sometimes the levy will describe the property levied upon. The fact that
the property was improved or vacant cannot normally be proved from a return on
execution.
Probate research requires going through very dusty estate files and reading handwritten
inventories, receipts, and old sale notices. This is productive research for one very
important structure or site and is not useful in inventory or Survey work of the type
required by this program.
D. Use of County Commissioners Records
The County Commissioners have been, since 1803, required to keep a record of
proceedings in writing before the Court of County Commissioners. These records, which
contain the letting of public contracts and the payment of all claims for services sold to
the County for construction projects, are particularly useful in authenticating the
construction of public buildings such as court houses, jails, insane asylums, poor
houses, etc. After 1840, all contracts for the construction of buildings for the county
were required to be copied in full into the Commissioners' Records. All claims for
services arising from building projects also appeared. This system of accounting means
that a given county court house can be exactly dated by reference to the letting of the
construction contract and payment of claim vouchers for the architect and builder.
Unfortunately, most county commissioners' records are not generally indexed, and one
needs to know the approximate years of construction to be able to go to
Commissioners' Records for that year for research on the contract. Since most public
buildings have datestones, that task is probably not as difficult as it sounds.
County Commissioners' Records also contain early road petition records which may
refer to existing or proposed site and structures. These petitions are indexed in each
record book under the name of the person petitioning for the road. In survey work, you
might take some time to check County Commissioners' records for the early owners of
your historic property for road petitions, and for licenses to vend and sell merchandise.
This helps authenticate the use of an early structure. Until 1875 or so, Indiana counties
sold licenses to vend dry goods, general merchandise and liquor. These licenses were
applied for by a petition of at least five freeholders on behalf of the prospective licensee.
All petitions and orders granting licenses are indexed under the last name of the
licensee in county commissioners' record books. This may be a worthwhile search for
you in survey work.
CITY DIRECTORIES
Many Indiana communities were canvassed by directory companies in the late 19th
centuries on to the present day. Since the directories are usually for urban areas, they
not useful to researching farm properties. Rural directories may have been published for
your area, however. These volumes are often on hand at your local Indiana Room,
located in your main county library. The Indiana State Librarys Indiana Room also has
an excellent collection of directories from around the state. The directories are similar
to current telephone books. Like a telephone book, city directories list residents (not
necessarily owners). Here is a fictional city directory listing in the 1909 Pleasantville,
Indiana City Directory:
Smith, Josiah b 1423 Cherry lab Jones Malleable Casting
This listing tells us that Josiah Smith boards at 1423 Cherry Avenue, further, it tells us
that Smith is a laborer at Jones Malleable Casting Company. Directories do not list
other household members, unless they are of adult age. Information on the Smith
household is available in Census form, if needed.
1. Cross Indexes
The example listing is useful if you already had a name to research. But what if you
have an address, but have no idea who lived there? By the early 20th century, most
directory publishers realized that people needed a better way to find information. At the
back of many directories from about 1920 - , a cross index was printed. This listed
residents by address, not by name. Looking in the back of the 1920 Pleasantville City
Directory, we can find addresses for Cherry Avenue:
Cherry Avenue (2300 north)
1402 Corner Market
1405 Toms Drug Store
1405 Ewing, C
1423 Smith, J
1424 Michaels, A
Our example shows that you will also find information about the Smith familys
surroundings. Note also that the cross index listing does not include information about
Smiths occupation. You will need to look under the alphabetical name listings in the
front of the directory (the previous example) to find that information. Also, the directory
lists both sides of the street. Remember the old rule of thumb, odd number addresses
are typically on the south side of the street (for an east-west street) or the east side of a
street (north-south street). This could help you count buildings to find your building, if
the address is slightly different than listed.
Using these tools, you can work forward, or backward until the city directory for that
year does not have a cross index. Beware! Cities changed street names and
renumbered addresses. Historic maps, such as Sanborn Maps, might help you find the
street name and address that coordinates with the year of the directory.
BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH
County Indiana Rooms and the Indiana State Library, Indiana Division, have indexes to
newspaper obituaries. Now that you have a name, based on directory or deed research,
you can bring your past property owner back to life with information from obituaries or
county histories. The Genealogical Division of the Indiana State Library maintains an
excellent collection of otherwise unpublished family histories. Especially if you hope to
nominate a property to the National Register for its association with a significant person,
this step in your research will be very useful.
General view and detail of the Seybold House,
Fountain City, Indiana. Built in the 1830s, this
house had been remodeled several times. In this
case, a full restoration was essential since the property is part of the Levi Coffin State Historical Site. A
team of experts from the Indiana State Museum, DHPA, and local historical groups removed portions of
fiberboard siding and discovered original openings. The detail shows framing for a front door and
sidelights, not visible here are the remnants of the round arch once over the doorway. Note the newer
lumber forming a sill under the added window. Photos by DHPA.
