Researching the history of your home can be a fun and rewarding experience whether your purpose is to share the information with family and friends, nominate your home for the Register of Historic Places, document local or family history or for your own personal satisfaction.

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, in partnership with the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service, presented a webinar on how to research a property and neighborhood on July 23, 2022. Funding support was provided by Mālama Mānoa Educational Endowment Fund.

Designed for people who want to do the research themselves, the virtual workshop shared pertinent information appropriate for homeowners and community groups, educators and students, and others interested in learning the history of their properties and neighborhoods.

The recording below features the panel discussion portion of the workshop with subject matter experts responding to questions you may have on your journey to uncover a home’s rich history:

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Resource Guide

The downloadable Resource Guide below provides a road map to start you on your way. You’ll find a multitude of helpful resources and tips organized from the easiest to access to the more complex and unconventional.

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Watch to learn:

  • Why would I care about the history of my home/why research the history of my property?
  • What types of information do I need to start my research?
  • Where do I start?
  • Where can I find information about my property and neighborhood, such as who designed, constructed my home?
  • How do I keep track of/organize my research?
  • Why consider nominating my property to the state or national register?
  • What are uncommon sources of information that might prove helpful?

In addition, you’ll want to find out:

  • Who built the house and when?
  • What did the house originally look like—inside and out?
  • Who owned and lived in it?
  • What were the cultural forces at work when the house was built?
  • What changes have been made and when?

Funding support provided by Mālama Mānoa Educational Endowment Fund