Tracing Your Home's History
The process of tracing the history of your home may involve the use of a variety of different resources in a variety of different locations.
These resources may include such things as guides to architectural periods and styles, city directories, property records, utility records, maps, building permits, and much more. They may be housed in the local library, historical society, municipal or county government offices, or even in private collections.
This guide is an introduction to the primary locations for house history information in Clark County.
Tracing a house history is historical detective work that may lead you down unexpected alleys. Keep in mind that family records and papers, old photographs, personal journals, letters, scrapbooks, etc. may provide clues to a homes past as well.
Resources at the Clark County Public Library
How-to Guides
The Clark County Public Library has books and pamphlets that tell you how to go about tracing your home's history. The title and call number locations of these materials are listed below.
House Histories: A Guide to Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home (REF 728.08 LIGHT)
Tracing the History of Your House: A Guide to Sources (REF 728.09 BARRATT)
Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You (973.072 KYVIG)
If These Walls Had Ears: The Biography of a House (976.773 MORGAN)
Architectural Guides
You may find clues to the history of your house by looking at architectural features. These guides identify historic house styles and the timeframes in which they were built. Keep in mind that architectural periods overlap and houses frequently have characteristics of more than one style.
The American Family Home, 1800-1960 (728.37 CLARK)
A Field Guide to American Houses (917.3049 MCALESTER)
A Field Guide to American Architecture (720.973 RIFKIND)
Ohio - An Architectural Portrait (720.9771 CAMPEN)
Log Construction in the Ohio Country, 1750-1850 (720.9771 HUTSLAR)
The Log Architecture of Ohio (728.7 HUTSLAR)
A Field Guide to American Houses (917.3049 MCALESTER)
City Directories
City Directories can be used to research the people who once lived in your house. The Clark County Public Library, Main Library has Springfield City Directories dating back to the year 1852.
Early editions provide an alphabetical list of residents and businesses in the city, as well as a guide to city streets. Beginning in 1915, the Directories also include an address guide, which lets you look up an address and see who resided there. Springfield City Directories are located in the Springfield reference area under the call number SP REF 917.7149 SPRINGFIELD.
Deed and Mortgage Records
The Library owns microfilm copies of deed and mortgage books for Clark County as listed below. The original records are held at the County Recorder's Office. See the next section for further information.
Index of Deeds, 1818 - 1968 ; by grantor (21 rolls) and by grantee (17 rolls)
Deeds, 1818 - 1901 (70 rolls)
Index to Mortgages, 1818 - 1968 ; by mortgagor (19 rolls) and by mortgagee (9 rolls)
Mortgages, 1835 - 1851 (3 rolls)
Resources in County Offices
The Clark County Recorder's Office houses various types of property records dating back to the County's formation. Here you can trace back property ownership using deed indexes and books, mortgage indexes and books, and plat maps in bound form or on microfiche. Records can be searched by computer from 1988 to the present in the Office or at the following website:
www.landaccess.com
It is important to remember that these records pertain to the sale or transfer of land. Buildings and structures on the land are assumed to be included and may or may not be mentioned in the records. These records are accessed by name. If you are interested in a particular piece of property, but have no information on a current or past owner, you will need to visit the Auditor's Office first. Information about that office is below. The records room is open during the hours listed and, while staff members are there to assist, you are responsible for your own searching.
All materials in the Recorder's Office are in the public record and can be photocopied.
The Clark County Recorder's Office
31 North Limestone St.
Springfield, OH 45502
Office # (937) 521-1705
Hours 8 - 4:30, M-F
http://www.ohiorecorders.com/clark.html
The Clark County Auditor's Office houses records related to the appraisal of property within the county for tax purposes. This is the place to start if all you are interested in is the date on which your house was built. Property records can now be searched online through the Auditor's website:
www.clarkcountyauditor.org
Look for the "Property Search" link. Property can be searched by parcel number, owner's name, or address. Click on the parcel number in your results list to view additional data. Click on the "Improvements" tab to see the year built. With this information, you can go to the Recorder's Office and trace ownership of the property backwards through time. Also available in the Auditor's Office are full-size plat maps and aerial photographs. Plat maps are created when a section of land is subdivided into building lots. These maps show lot boundaries and dimensions.
The Clark County Auditor's Office
31 North Limestone St.
P.O. Box 1325
Springfield, OH 45501
Office # (937) 521-1860
Hours 8 - 4:30, M-F
