Where to Start Your Research
Step 1: If you are starting with the current property information, determine the city or town in which the property is located. This guide uses the City of Milwaukee as the default location.
Step 2: On the relevant assessor’s website, search the property to find general information on file, city classifications and
zoning and the legal description, which you will need later.
Assessor’s Offices:
Step 3: For historical data not included in the assessor’s website, you will want to consult the tax rolls and assessment lists held by the UWM Archives.
Step 4: Find building permits relating to occupancy, building and alterations. For the City of Milwaukee, this information is located at the Milwaukee Development Center. All properties are searchable under the current address; if the street address changed you will find permits for the old address filed under the current address.
Step 5: Trace the history of land ownership through deeds. The UWM Archives and the Milwaukee County Register of Deeds both hold deed collections. The UWM Archives holds Milwaukee County Register of Deeds records from 1835-1886. For post-1886 deeds, the County is the best place to go.
The County Register of Deeds is by appointment only and you will need the legal property description to make an appointment. When you make an appointment, explain you are looking for deeds dating back to the time of construction. Keep in mind that the date of construction is after the date of land purchase so it might be purchased up to several years before construction started.
Other avenues of research
Examine city directories and census records to see who lived at the address.
Use Sanborn Fire Insurance maps to find physical building information for houses built before 1910.
Find information about your house and/or district on the National Register of Historic Places.