One of the great joys of owning an old home is the sense of history that accompanies it. This history can help guide sensitive renovation projects, establish a connection with the past, and construct a greater understanding of the building's unique character.

At the January 2008 Des Moines Rehabbers Club meeting, Jennifer Irsfeld James, MAHP, presented a wonderful and informative "how-to" session on researching a building's history using publicly available resources. James has a Masters of Arts in Historic Preservation from Goucher College in Baltimore. A journalist and editor by trade, she has been involved in the restoration 10 houses and a commercial building in Des Moines’ Drake Neighborhood, in addition to National Register of Historic Places research and nominations.

Click on the links below to view notes from her presentation.

If you find interesting information about your home, please let use know by e-mailing steve@RenovateDSM.com - we would love to expand this section with stories of individual homes in Des Moines.