Research Your Home

To discover all there is to know about your house involves the skills, knowledge and doggedness of a history detective. To aid you in this journey the Shorewood Historical Society has prepared a road map to help you discover:

  1. Who owned your land – original sale from U. S government and subsequent owners
  2. Who built the house – owner, architect, builder
  3. Who lived in the house – owners, renters, occupations, families, their lives
  4. The appearance of the house over time – architectural style, changes inside and outside
  5. The value of the property through the decades

Now that you have decided what it is you want to find, here is key information that you may wish to examine in each category.

  1. Who owned the land – Abstracts of title show the original purchase of land from the U.S. government and the change of ownership before and after it was bought for development. Usually a series of land brokers owned it before a farmer. They would buy large tracts of land on speculation then sell portions to new buyers. Then, later, developers bought the farmland to build homes. Plat maps show lots as the development took place. Then each sale of the property has been recorded providing the chain of ownership.
    Sources: Abstract of Title, Plat Maps, Probate Records
  2. Who built the house – owner, architect, builder – Many houses in Shorewood were designed by architects as one of a kind. Many of these architects also lived in Shorewood. Blueprints often are passed down with home ownership so you may have them. Other houses were built by developers on a model with variations for each house. Note the variations of the brick bungalows located in several parts of the Village. Subdivisions in Shorewood often have the name of the developer as the identifying name. Look at your tax bill or check with the Village offices of
    Planning and Development. Sources of architectural history can give information about architects and possible home designs. Original building permits may be on file in the Village.
    Sources: Abstract of title, Plat maps, Building Permits, Blueprints, Tax bills, Tax Records, Architectural Research Centers, Mail-order Kit House Catalogues
  3. Who lived in the house – Some houses in Shorewood have had only one or two owners which makes research very easy. Others, especially duplexes, were purchased as rental properties and have had a long series of occupants. City/county/village directories offer a good source of information of occupants and even occupations. Birth, marriage, and death records, tax records, probate and court records offer vital information. Noted people could be found in newspaper articles. Obituaries are often a good record of someone’s life. Oral histories from those living at the time are a good source, especially family, friends and neighbors. This could be the most time consuming part of your search.
    Sources: Village, City, and Country Directories, Birth, Marriage, Death Records, Probate and Court Records, Oral Histories, Newspaper Articles, Shorewood High Yearbooks
  4.  The appearance of the home over time – Photographs of homes offer a good record of a home and any changes it has had. Village building permits give information on improvements and even action for neglect to be rectified. If siding has been added, what did the original look like? Have porches been added, removed, altered, or enclosed? If windows have been replaced what did the originals look like? Have windows been added or covered over? Have additions been made? Have interior walls been changed? Fire insurance maps can show additions, porches, and any other buildings on the property. Paint analysis can reveal original colors.
    Sources: Building Permits, Assessor Records, Tax records, Old Photographs, Paint Analysis, Insurance Records (Sanborn Maps), House Historians
  5. The value of the property over time – What was the original cost? How has it changed over time? How does it compare with property elsewhere?
    Sources: Building Permits, Tax Records, Probate Records

Where can you find the information you need?

  1. Village of Shorewood – The Village offices of Planning and Development and the Assessor offer key information. A file is kept on each property with building permits, assessments, owners, action taken by the village and, if you are lucky, blueprints. However, building records are missing for properties built between 1925 and 1928. The assessor’s office offers some information on a database accessed through the Village web site. Tax records can also be key items for research.
  2. Shorewood Historical Society – The collection of the Shorewood Historical Society includes a photography collection, Shorewood Herald collection from 1923, Shorewood High School yearbooks, Village directories, oral histories, records and publications of local organizations, government and school records and some Sanborn maps.
  3. Shorewood Public Library – While limited in scope, the library has some Village directories from the 30s and 40s along with more recent years.
  4. City of Milwaukee Public Library – The 2nd floor Humanities room includes city directories, Sanborn maps, obituaries, and the Daily Reporter that lists permits for property construction. The Wisconsin Architectural Archive houses Eschweiler and Eschweiler architectural records as well as work by other Milwaukee and Wisconsin architects.
  5. Milwaukee County Courthouse Register of Deeds Office – Plat maps, tract books, deed registration
  6. Milwaukee County Courthouse Register in Probate Office – Probate records
  7. UW-Milwaukee Golda Meir Library – City directories, census data, Sanborn fire Insurance maps
  8. Milwaukee County Historical Society – Early probate records, early tax records, Sanborn maps, naturalization records, 1836-1941; coroner records 1873-1935; and court records, 1837-1931, census data, plus much additional record information, some photographs.

Glossary of terms:

  1. Abstract of title – legal description of the property from sale by the U.S. government to the present – land in the Shorewood area became available in the 1830s. Each transaction of the property has been recorded from the first sale by the U.S. government. Thus it provides a legal record of owners and the means by which ownership occurred, for example through sale or inheritance.
  2. Building permits – government permits to originally build on a property and then all subsequent improvements.
  3. Census records – lists members of households, sex, ages, places of birth, occupations and other important information added with each new census. Currently the latest census available for
    detailed individual information use is 1930 due to privacy laws. With the 2010 census the 1940 will be available for such research.
  4. City directories – list names, address and occupation of individuals to trace occupancy of a property. Renumbering of all county properties in 1929-30 means that most Shorewood properties had old and new addresses.
  5. Kit houses– a term used for houses purchased as kits from Sears, Roebuck and Co., delivered by rail and then put together on site.
  6. Plat maps – map of your property when it was divided into subdivision, blocks and lots.
  7. Probate records – records of property as part of an estate, establishes value of the property at the time of a death. Lists heirs that can give information of family relationships. Other property listed can give insight into family financial circumstances.
  8. Sanborn maps– Fire insurance company maps drawn block by block showing construction materials, changes in neighborhoods as construction proceeds, and individual lot and house changes.
  9. Tax records – can indicate date of original construction and any other major improvements on the property.
  10. Tract books – list all deed transactions and mortgages
  11. Wisconsin Architectural Archive – a repository of architectural drawings of Milwaukee and Wisconsin architects with a complete record of Eschweiler and Eschweiler architectural work.

Sources

  1. Village of Shorewood – Access home information through assessor’s page, Department Planning and Development 414-847-2640; Assessor 414-847- 2720.
  2. Shorewood Historical Society – Sheldon Room in lower level of Library open Wednesday 10-2 and by appointment for research 414-847-2726.
  3. Milwaukee Public Library – Humanities Dept. 414-286-3061; Wisconsin Architectural Archive 414-286-3897.
  4. Milwaukee County Records – View Property info – Register of Deeds 414-278-4021; Register of Probate 414-278-4452.
  5. Milwaukee County Historical Society – Research local history.
  6. UWM Libraries – Research Sanborn maps.