A photo caption with a Nov. 19 Real Estate article on researching old houses incorrectly said that the Marquis de Lafayette had once rented a house at 1629 16th St. NW. The renter was a descendant of the Revolutionary War general. Also, an accompanying article incorrectly said that the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., had put together a research guide with the Washingtoniana Division of the D.C. Public Library. The guide was created by Matthew Gilmore when he was at the division; the society was not involved.
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Tracing the Origin Of Spaces
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In the front bedroom on the second floor, a line on the wall showed that the ceiling used to be lower. In the basement there were indications of where a staircase used to descend.
With Williams's aid, Pomeroy and his fiancee, Lydia Charles, were preparing to start the search for their home's past life.
"We're looking forward to the mystery being unraveled," said Charles.
Williams agreed: "I love a good mystery," he said.
In addition to using maps, directories, and microfilmed records, Williams pointed out other sources of information that might be useful. For example, since the house is located down the street from the old Children's Hospital, it might show up in photographs of the hospital in old histories, newspapers or magazines. Similar possibilities would exist for a house near an old church, school or public building.
If a building had a prominent owner, photos of it may have run in newspapers or newsletters. The stature of a District resident listed in the census or city directory can be ascertained through books available at Washingtoniana, including archival copies of "Who's Who in the Nation's Capital" and "Prominent Personages of the Nation's Capital," also available at libraries.
Homeowners often hope to find facade drawings and floor plans in old records, Williams said, but in the District, at least, these are rarely available.
There are other holes in information available. The 1890 census records for the District were destroyed in a fire. People lied to census enumerators. Some buildings went up without permits. And records can get lost or not properly recorded.
Finally, Williams warned, be careful about clues or what you think you know about your house. In the 1920 and 1930s, for example, the popularity of Colonial Williamsburg inspired a trend to build houses to appear older than they were. In Georgetown, in particular, he said, some homes of that era were built in the style of 1840s with salvaged materials.
If the search seems daunting, a local historical society or library staff might be able to point to someone who does the research for a fee. Richard Guy Wilson, a professor of architectural history at the University of Virginia, suggests checking universities for an American studies or historical preservation programs; while students generally won't research your house for free, they might not charge as much as a professional.
