History of a House

Where to Look First

• Old City Directories may give you the names of people who owned or lived in your old house and the occupations of adults living there. These directories can be found in the Sacramento Room and at the Central Library on the 2nd Floor.

• Sacramento City Directory, 1851-1996
• Sacramento Suburban Directory, 1957-1982
• Sacramento City & Suburban Criss-Cross Directory, 1983-1998
• City Directories on microfilm, 1853-1881
  Available at the Central Library Periodicals Desk on the 3rd Floor.

• Block Book of Sacramento
  A four-volume set published in the 1930s by Thomas Bros.; gives dimensions and owners for all property lots in Sacramento.
  SPE f912.79454 T454 SAC

• Sanborn Fire Insurance maps on microfilm, 1895-1970
  These maps show in detail lots, houses, and businesses in Sacramento. Here you may find a clue to the house's age, as well as its original architectural outline and location of any outbuildings. Available at the Central Library Periodicals Desk on the 3rd Floor.

Once You Have a Name

• United States Census, Sacramento County, 1850-1910
  Microfilm is available at the 3rd Floor Periodicals Desk at Central Library. Gives names and ages of spouses and children, as well as occupations of adults.
• Great register of voters of Sacramento County, 1900-1944
  Microfilm is available on the 3rd Floor at Central Library. Earlier years--1870s, 1880s, and 1890s-- are available in print versions in the Sacramento Room. Lists those registered to vote. Information includes name, age, country or state or birth, occupation, local residence, date of registration, and if not native born, place and date of naturalization.
  R MIC 324.64 G786
• Other clues to the history of your house might be found on old street maps for Sacramento City and Sacramento County.
• Metropolitan Sacramento and vicinity
  Here you will find aerial maps of streets and neighborhoods.
  SPE f979.453 M594 1990 SAC
• Title Companies usually have the history of a property on file.
• The Sacramento County Recorder's Office at 600 8th Street, will have deeds for properties on file.

The following sources might be helpful in identifying the architectural type of the house you are researching.

Articles

• Brooks, Andre, "Your Home: Historic Houses; National Register Status."
  New York Times, May 23, 1993 Sec. 10, p. 7 [microfilm]
• Brown, Norman, "Your Houses Roots."
  Early American Life, April 1986, p. 14-16 [microfilm]
• Folsom, Michael B., "Searching for Ghosts, How to Track Down the History of an Old House."
  Blair & Ketchum's Country Journal, January 1980, p. 92-100 [microfilm]
• Gray, Christopher, "A Guide to Researching the History of a Building."
  New York Times, July 2, 1995, Sec. 9, p. 5 [microfilm]
• Gray, Christopher, "Rattling the Bones of an Old House."
  New York Times, July 2, 1995, Sec. 9, p. 5 [microfilm]
• Maxwell, Shirley and James Massey, "Making the Honor Roll."
  Old House Journal, January 1993, p. 44-
• Schell, Ernest H., "Tracing the History of an Old House."
  Early American Life, April 1981, p. 32- [microfilm]
• Whitcomb, Claire, "The Stories Houses Tell."
  House Beautiful, June 1996, p. 64-

Books

• American Association of University Women. Sacramento Branch; Vanishing Victorians : a guide to the historic homes of Sacramento
  SPE 979.454 A512 1973 SAC; SPE q979.454 A512 1973 CAL
  SPE 979.454 A512 1981 SAC
• Blumenson, John J. G.; Identifying American architecture : a pictorial guide to styles and terms, 1600-1945
  R720.973 B658 1981
• The Book of "Cosi-Homes"
  SPE 728.373 B724 1916 CAL VAU
• Craftsman collection
  SPE 728.373 C885 1999 CAL
• Downing, A. J.; Victorian cottage residences
  728.37 D751 1981
• Duchscherer, Paul; The bungalow : America's arts and crafts home
  728.373 D832 1995
• Historic houses of the Sacramento River Delta
  SPE 979.45 H673 1984 SAC
• Houses & homes : exploring their history
  [The Nearby History series ; 2]
  SPE 907.2 H842 1987 SAC
• Kerr, K. Austin; Local businesses : exploring their history
  [The Nearby History series ; 5]
  SPE 907.2 K41 1990 SAC
• Kyving, David E.; Nearby history : exploring the past around you
  SPE 907.2 K99 1982 SAC

• Lancaster, Clay; The American bungalow, 1880-1930
  728.373 L244 1985
• Light, Sally; House histories : a guide to tracing the genealogy of your home
  728.370722 L723 1989
• McAlester, Virginia; A field guide to American houses
  728 M114 1984
• 100 turn-of-the-century brick bungalows with floor plans
  728.373 O58 1994
• Portfolio of beautiful California homes
  SPE 728.373 P849 1920 CAL VAU
• Poultry farms, orchard homes : Rio Linda, Sacramento Valley, California
  SPE 979.453 P876 1923 SAC; SPE 979.453 P876 1997 SAC
• Saylor, Henry H.; Bungalows : their design, construction and furnishing, with suggestions also for camps, summer homes and cottages of similar character
  SPE 728.373 S275 1913 CAL VAU
• Sexton, Richard; The cottage book
  SPE 728.37 S518 1989 CAL
• Wilson, Henry L.; The bungalow book : a short sketch of the evolution of the bungalow from its primitive crudeness to its present state of artistic beauty and cozy convenience
  SPE 728.373 W748b 1910 CAL VAU
• Wilson, Henry L.; California bungalows of the twenties
  SPE 728.373 W748 1993 CAL
• Winter, Robert; The California bungalow
  SPE 728.373 W786 1980 CAL

Periodicals

• American bungalow
  PERIODICAL
• Sacramento bungalow heritage association
  SPE PERIODICALS SAC v.1 issue 1, 1998+

Card Indexes

• Look in the Sacramento Room Card Index under the following subject headings: "Architecture," "Biographies," "Bungalows," "Historic Houses," "Historical Landmarks," "Neighborhoods."
• The Sacramento Bee Card Index and Sacramento Union Card Index are located on the 3rd Floor of Central Library. Look for an owner's last name in the Subject Index and the Obituary File.

Pamphlet File

• In the Sacramento Room Pamphlet File, look in the following subject headings: "Architecture," "Biographies," "Bungalows," "Historic Houses," "Historical Landmarks," "Neighborhoods."