A History of a House

by Julian Locke 
 
I feel like I know the man who lived in my house decades ago. He worked as a clerk for Northern Pacific Railway. He and his wife often had renters living with him. I know what year they put in a telephone and what year they built their garage. Also, there is a mystery: the real estate documents indicate my house was built in 1903, whereas the original building permit issued for the house was 1917!  
 
These are the kinds of things that anyone can learn about their house. In Ramsey County, we are lucky to have plenty of great resources to do this kind of research. Anyone can go to the Minnesota Historical Society, Ramsey County Historical Society, and the St. Paul Central Library for history books and documents.  

Ramsey County Historical Society: (651) 222-0701
Minnesota Historical Society: (651) 296-6126
St. Paul Central Library: (651) 266-7000

House construction, 1905. Photo from MN Historical Society.

Here are some great first steps: 

• City Directories: These books are a little bit like phone books. The difference is, starting with current times back until 1928, it is possible to look up a street address in order to find out who lived there. When you look up a name or address in a City Directory, it will tell you who lived at the house, their profession, and sometimes their place of employment. Women's names are often linked to their husbands, but at some point in the late 1960s, they are sometimes listed separately with their own professions. I learned that one of the women that lived in my house worked for Pearson's Candies. 
  
  
• Abstracts: The abstract that many people get when they purchase their homes is a great resource for finding out who owned the land and other interesting information.  
  
  
• Neighbor Interviews: If you have a neighbor that has been in the area for a long time, it is a great way to get to know more about your house. One of my neighbors told me more about the previous owner of my house who had lived there for 50 years!  
  
  
• Insurance Maps: Historical societies often keep insurance maps which were created to assess risks in insuring homes. These maps have building layouts and indicate what materials your house was built with. This resource is interesting but can be limited if your house was isolated from others.  
  
  
• Building Permits: Starting over 100 years ago, when someone built a new home or addition onto their home, they were legally required to obtain a building permit. These building permits were kept track of on index cards. The Ramsey County Historical Society can help you to track down this information.

If you encounter a mystery, there are many people in town that may be able to help you find out the true history of your house. Also, if you are interested, the Minnesota Historical Society offers classes in researching your home. ​

• ​Ramsey County Historical Society: (651) 222-0701
• Minnesota Historical Society: (651) 296-6126
• St. Paul Central Library: (651) 266-7000