Save Our Heritage Organisation
How to Research Your House
A Step by Step GuideIs your house historic? How do you know?
If your research work is for historic designation, pay special attention to the DPR form requirements in bold.
1. A good reference is Virginia & Lee McAlester's, A Field Guide to American Houses
2. Do a title search at the San Diego County Recorder’s Office or hire a mortgage company or architectural historian to do this search for you. When you know the original owner, check for Notice of Completion to determine builder and/or architect. A list of owners and Notice of Completion should be included in your report.
3. To further document or to establish the date of construction of your house, call the San Diego City Water Department records archives at (619)527-7482 and request information regarding the water and sewer hook-up at your address. You may need to provide them with the assessor’s parcel number, and the subdivision, block and lot. If they find documents relating to your property, you can get a free copy at 2797 Caminito Chollas, San Diego, CA 92105. Include this data in your report.
4. Check San Diego City & County Directories, 1872-1980, at the San Diego Public Library California Room and at the San Diego Historical Society to learn about the people associated with your house: the owners and/or occupants (make note of their professions), and the architect, and the builder. A chronological list starting with earliest owners/occupants associated with your house and their professions should be included in your report.
5. When you know the names of owners, occupants, architect, builder, check the San Diego Historical Society biographical files and computerized index for further information; search for information in local biographical histories compiled by Smythe, Black, McGrew, Heilbron, and Who’s Who In San Diego (1936); also check the San Diego Union index at the San Diego Public Library California Room for references. Mount important biographies and obituaries, etc. on separate pages with sources identified for inclusion in your report.
6. If you know approximately when your house was built but don’t know the architect or builder, search through the San Diego Union on microfilm during that time period, which can be obtained at the San Diego Public Library Newspaper Room. Development sections are included in the Sunday editions of the San Diego Union commencing in the 1920s. If your house was built after 1927 you can search through the Southwest Builder & Contractor, which can be obtained in the periodical section on the first floor of the downtown library. Also The San Diego Daily Transcript lists building permits and notices of completion. Include all articles you find relating to your house in your report.
7. Check the historical photograph collection at the San Diego Historical Society to locate any photo documentation of your house. You may order pertinent photographs for about $20 or obtain a Xerox copy for $1. Check under owners’ names, neighborhoods, architectural files, family scrapbooks, or aerial photographs. All historic photographs should be included in your report with credit given to the San Diego Historical Society.
8. If your house was designed by a prominent local architect, check the architectural drawing files at the San Diego Historical Society; you may purchase copies of the drawings. Also obtain biographical information about the architect in San Diego Architects, 1868-1930, compiled by U.S.D. and available at the San Diego Historical Society. You may include a copy of the biographical information in your report with credit given to U.S.D., as well as architectural drawings of your house with credit given to the San Diego Historical Society.
9. Check the Sanborn Fire Maps for your community/city. These date back to the late 1800s and show your house with additions, etc. over time. The Sanborn Fire Maps on microfilm are available in the Newspaper Room at the San Diego Public Library (the librarian has an index) and at the San Diego Historical Society. Include fire map copies in your report.
10. Conduct oral interviews of previous owners and architect/builder, if possible, to obtain further information about your house. The San Diego Historical Society also has collected numerous oral interviews of prominent San Diegans.
11. Obtain a copy of the Residential Building Record for your home from the San Diego County Assessor’s Office, 5473 Kearny Villa Road, 3rd Floor. The cost is $2 per page (back to back) and this shows a configuration of your house with changes over time, as well as assessor notations. You may want to include this in your historic report.
12. Obtain the DPR forms (Primary Record and Building, Structure and Object forms) from the secretary to the San Diego Historical Resources Board, (619)533-6307.
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