Choose a Menu
-
preservationPreservation Home
-
legacy-grantsLegacy Grants
-
aboutProgram Overview
-
applyApply for a Grant
-
manageManage Your Grant
-
funded-projectsWhat Can Be Funded
- Grants Portal
-
eventsGrants Events
-
deadlinesGrants Deadlines and Timelines
-
grants-manualGrants Manual
-
-
sea50Commemorate 50 Years of Southeast Asians in Minnesota
-
partnershipHeritage Partnership Program
-
state-capitalState Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid
-
localhistoryLocal History Services
-
directoryPreservation Specialists Directory
-
buildingsBuilding and Site Preservation
-
buildings/historyFind Information About a Property's History
-
nominationPrepare a National Register Nomination
-
rehabRehab My Historic Building
-
threatenedHelp a Threatened Property
-
archFind Out More About Archaeology in Minnesota
-
-
state-archivesMinnesota State Archives
-
state-archives/collectionState Archives Collection
-
governmentGovernment Records Services
-
helpHelp with Government Records
-
records-panelRecords Disposition Panel
-
state-archives/historyHistory of Minnesota State Archives
-
-
shrabState Historical Record Advisory Board
-
activitiesWhat We Do
-
boardBoard Members
-
fundingFunding Opportunities
-
trainingEducation and Training
-
resourcesResources for Historical Records
-
Find Information About a Property's History
Start by learning whether the property in question has already been identified as historically significant. The answer will determine where you should look for more information. A property may have been:
- Identified during a history/architecture survey of a community, conducted to uncover properties of potential historical interest.
- Designated as significant by a city with a heritage preservation commission.
- Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Who maintains inventories of surveyed properties?
The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) maintains statewide inventories of properties surveyed in its ongoing survey program. These files can be accessed by the public. Cities with a heritage preservation commission (HPC) maintain inventories of local properties, including those that have been designated locally.
Who has information on National Register properties?
The State Historic Preservation Office maintains the National Register files for Minnesota. The National Register searchable database lists National Register properties in Minnesota.
Where can I do research on properties?
The Minnesota Historical Society Library has extensive collections of primary and secondary sources, including such materials as insurance maps, city directories and photographs.
- MNHS Library online catalog
- Library classes on conducting historical research
- Research tips for building and house history
Public libraries and county historical societies are good sources of information on historic properties.
Drafting a house history offers guidance in documenting the history of a house.
National Register Bulletins are available online. Bulletin #39, Researching a Historic Property is especially useful.