Copyright 2003 Dan Murphy
Finding information on your house in Sacramento's Curtis Park neighborhood
2249 3d Ave 2003 Have you ever wondered how old your house is, who lived in it first, or what it looked like when originally constructed? Well, with a little research, you may be able to find out. E.A. Pierce's Residence circa 1911
You can begin by looking at your deed, or deed of trust. It has something called a legal description of the property. For example, mine says:

"Lot 25, and the West one-half of Lot 26, as shown on the flat of "West Curtis Oaks", recorded in the office of the County Recorder of Sacramento County on June 9, 1910, in Book 10 of Maps, Map, No. 48."

This description tells you what lot or lots of the original subdivision became your home. It also tells you when the subdivision was made, and where to find the subdivision map.
R.A. Pickett's Bungalow circa 1911 This is a clue to how old your house is, but only a clue. A few houses were built on the land before it was subdivided; some lots were not built out until many years after the original subdivision.
 2338 3d Ave 2003
West Curtis Oaks is the area directly west of the Sierra 2 Center. At 93 years old, West Cutis Oaks is getting up there. However, it is certainly not the oldest housing stock in our neighborhood.
2228 3d Ave 2003



Click here for a History
of Curtis Park.

Residence of H.C. Keyes circa 1911
These webpages will show you how, using your legal description and your address, you can trace your house back in time.
T.E. Ambrose bungalow circa 1911 You may find a lot of information, or not much. You will certainly be able to trace the ownership of your house and determine the year when it was built. 2301 3d Ave 2003
The Sacramento County Office of the Assessor, can tell you on the telephone ( (916) 875-0700, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ) what the assessment records imply about first construction.

However, often property does not appear on the rolls until the year after construction. Moreover, the answer you receive depends upon the accuracy of the assessment records and the competence of the person who answers the phone. If you want certainty or more details you will have to hit the books. If you do, perhaps you will be lucky and find an old newspaper picture or the plans for construction.


Well, where do you go from here to find out details about the history of your house?

Click here to continue at the library, logically enough.