Many people are interested in knowing the history of their houses, especially its age. It’s hard to pin down an exact date just by looking at a house, and many homes have been renovated multiple times over the years, which makes it even harder. But there are clues you can look for.

One of the best places to look is in the cellar. What kind of foundation do you have? Houses built in the 1700s or 1800s will have a stone foundation. More expensive houses had cut stone foundations, while cheaper houses and farmhouses often had plain old rocks. If your house was built between 1890 and 1930, it may have a brick foundation. After this, concrete blocks were used. Finally, poured concrete became popular around the 1960s and 1970s, though they had been around since World War II.

Next, look up at the floor beams. Hand-hewn beams are a sign that the house is very old. If the beam is straight, look at the saw marks. Straight saw marks are a sign of an old-fashioned “up-and-down” sawmill, rather than a later circular saw, which would leave curved saw marks. Early houses often had very wide floorboards, because larger trees were available in the old days. The floorboards in my own home are 18 inches wide or more, which means it is indeed old.

Other signs of age can include original features such as doors, door hardware, original tubs and sinks, wiring and more. The house next door to mine illustrates the difficulty in dating a structure this way. It’s an apartment house, and one of the apartments had never been renovated when my dad bought the place in 1986. The toilet and tub were both marked 1917, and down in the basement, the old coal furnace was still there with a 1917 installation tag still attached; the foundation was right for the period. However, as the seller told us—and as research has shown—the house started life as a barn in another location and was moved and renovated in 1917. So, the structure is older than the signs would indicate.

The style of your house is usually a clue. Original Federal- or Georgian-style houses can date from the 1700s through 1840. Greek Revival houses, often with columns in front, date between 1830 and 1850. Victorian-style houses were popular from 1855 until 1900 or so. Any of these styles can be replicated today, of course, but most of these houses in Maine are originals.

The best way to date your house is to go down to the courthouse and research the deed. Your local historical society can also be very helpful when looking for the history of your home and the people who once lived there.

Source: newengland.com

Zac McDorr is a Coastal Journal contributor. He can be reached at zacmcdorr@gmail.com.