Gathering, Sifting and

Putting Together the

Pieces: Researching A
Historic Property
Paula A. Mohr
State Historical Society of Iowa
October 2010
Gathering and Sifting
Putting the puzzle together
Getting organized

 Set up a filing system

 Keep good records of where you’ve
been
 Note sources (that will save time
later!)
 Develop a list of repositories,
sources
Getting the word out

 Word of mouth
 Newspaper article announcing your
research
 Listservs
 Contact the State
Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO)
 Secondary
vs.
Primary research

How are they different???

Secondary research

 Style guides

 Architectural histories

 Community histories
Architecture of the Recent Past
 RecentPast Preservation Network
http://recentpast.org/index.html
Lustron kitchen
 Thomas Jester’s
Twentieth Century
Building Materials
Architectural Dictionaries
Community histories and other
sources
 Historical Society of Iowa library at
www.iowahistory.org
 Local historical society

 Local library

 University library

 Interlibrary loan
Research materials available at the
State Historic Preservation Office
 Archaeological Survey and Cultural Resource
Management Reports (over 14,000 with limited access)
 Architectural and Historical Survey Reports (more
than 1,700)
 Historic Plat Maps, Insurance Maps, and Atlases
 Iowa Site Inventory (files with historical and
contemporary information on over 120,000 properties
across the state, including the National Register
listings)
 Vertical files with significant non-indexed information
on Iowa architects, topics of historical interest, and
Iowa’s historic resources
 Various reference books on architecture, archaeology,
and historic preservation
Primary Research
The Property Itself
The building is your most important
primary source document
Document your property with
photography
1 2

4
Site plans and floor plans

Show arrangement of space, circulation,

significant features
Document the evolution of a building
Document processes
 How was the property
constructed?
 What is it
structural
system?

 Handcrafted or
mass produced?

 Can you discern

different periods
of construction?
Norris Miller Stove Wood
House (1855), Decorah
Understand what materials were used to construct your property
Archival Research
Original
drawings are
invaluable!
Site plans show
relationship
between
buildings,
landscaping and
circulation
Local government and legal
records
 Abstracts
 Deeds
 Court documents
 Estate records
 Tax records
 Building permits
 Cemetery records
Other records
 Water records

 Financial
instruments
City directories
Newspaper research
Look at newspapers around the
time of important events
Newspaper advertisements
Architectural journals and
pattern books
 Right: Carnegie Library, Davenport

Methodist Church,
Newton Post Office, Boone
The Western Architect, published
1902-1931

C.M Rich Residence, Keokuk, 1925

 George Barber, Modern Banta House (1902),
Dwellings and Their Proper Osceola
Construction
Joy House (1897), Keokuk
Online at http://clarke.cmich.edu/aladdin/Aladdin.htm
Maps
Andreas Atlas of 1875
www.davidrumsey.com
Andreas’ Atlas is a great
source for images too
 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

Coon Rapids, 1901 Coon Rapids, 1930

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

 http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/

 360 Iowa towns

 1870s-1930s

 Free access with a free library card

Historic images
 Image research
 Library of Congress
 Iowa Heritage Collection

 Local historical society

Grundy Center, from the collection of Farm Security Administration photographs
at the Library of Congress
Panoramas
S.P.E.A.R.

 Social

 Political

 Economic

 Aesthetic

 Religious

Murphy Calendar Co., Red Oak

Summary

 Get organized
 Let people know of your research

 Work the internet

 Secondary sources

 Primary sources

 Larger historical context

Paula A. Mohr, Ph.D.
State Historic Preservation Office
600 East Locust
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
515.281.6826
Paula.mohr@iowa.gov
www.iowahistory.gov