researching your historic property paula ila 2010

8/8/2019 Researching Your Historic Property Paula ILA 2010

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Gathering, Sifting andPutting Together the

Pieces: Researching A

Historic PropertyPaula A. MohrState Historical Society of IowaOctober 2010
http://www.fromoldbooks.org/pictures-of-old-books/pages/cimg0491-oldbooks-02/cimg0491-oldbooks-02-q85-500x282.jpg


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Gathering and Sifting


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Putting the puzzle together


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Getting organized

Set up a filing systemKeep good records of where youve

beenNote sources (that will save time

later!)Develop a list of repositories,

sources


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Getting the word out

Word of mouth

Newspaper article announcing yourresearch

Listservs

Contact the State

Historic PreservationOffice (SHPO)


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Secondaryvs.

Primary research

How are they different???


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Secondary research

Style guides

Architectural histories

Community histories


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Architecture of the Recent PastRecent Past Preservation Network

http://recentpast.org/index.html

Thomas JestersTwentieth Century

Building Materials

Lustron kitchen
http://recentpast.org/index.htmlhttp://www.piranhagraphix.com/Lustron/FactsandLinks/factsandlinks.htmhttp://www.piranhagraphix.com/Lustron/FactsandLinks/factsandlinks.htmhttp://recentpast.org/index.html


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Architectural Dictionaries


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Community histories and other

sources

Historical Society of Iowa library at

www.iowahistory.org

Local historical society

Local library

University library

Interlibrary loan
http://www.iowahistory.org/http://www.iowahistory.org/http://www.iowahistory.org/


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Research materials available at the

State Historic Preservation Office

Archaeological Survey and Cultural ResourceManagement Reports (over 14,000 with limited access)

Architectural and Historical Survey Reports (morethan 1,700)

Historic Plat Maps, Insurance Maps, and Atlases

Iowa Site Inventory (files with historical andcontemporary information on over

120,000 properties

across the state, including the National Registerlistings)

Vertical files with

significant non-indexed information

on Iowa architects, topics of historical interest, andIowas historic resources

Various reference books on architecture, archaeology,and historic preservation


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Primary Research


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The Property Itself


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The building is your most important

primary source document


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Document your property with

photography


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1 2

3

4


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Site plans and floor plans

Show arrangement of space, circulation,

significant features


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Document the evolution of a building


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Document processes


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How was the property

constructed?

What is it

structuralsystem?

Handcrafted ormass produced?

Can you discern

different periods

of construction?Norris Miller Stove WoodHouse (1855), Decorah


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Understand what materials were used to construct your property


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Archival Research


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Original

drawings areinvaluable!


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Site plans show

relationshipbetween

buildings,

landscaping and circulation


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Local government and legal

records

Abstracts

Deeds

Court documents

Estate records

Tax records

Building permits

Cemetery records


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Other records Water records

Financialinstruments


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City directories


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Newspaper research


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L k d h


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Look at newspapers around the

time of important events


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Newspaper advertisements


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Right: Carnegie Library, Davenport

Methodist Church,

Newton Post Office, Boone


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The Western Architect, published

1902-1931

C.M Rich Residence, Keokuk, 1925


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Banta House (1902),

Osceola

George Barber, Modern

Dwellings and Their Proper

Construction


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Joy House (1897), Keokuk


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Online at http://clarke.cmich.edu/aladdin/Aladdin.htm


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Maps

Andreas Atlas of 1875


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Andreas Atlas of 1875 www.davidrumsey.com

Andreas Atlas is a great
http://www.davidrumsey.com/http://www.davidrumsey.com/


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gsource for images too


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S b Fi I M


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Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

Coon Rapids, 1901 Coon Rapids, 1930


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Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/

360 Iowa towns

1870s-1930s

Free access with a free library card
http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/


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Historic images


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Image research

Library of Congress

Iowa Heritage Collection

Local historical society


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Grundy Center, from the collection of Farm Security Administration photographsat the Library of Congress


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S.P.E.A.R.

Social

Political

EconomicAesthetic

Religious

Murphy Calendar Co., Red Oak


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Summary

Get organized

Let people know of your research

Work the internet

Secondary sources

Primary sources

Larger historical context


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Paula A. Mohr, Ph.D.State Historic Preservation Office

600 East LocustDes Moines, Iowa 50319

515.281.6826

[email protected]

www.iowahistory.gov
mailto:[email protected]://www.iowahistory.gov/http://www.iowahistory.gov/mailto:[email protected]

researching your historic property paula ila 2010

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