In this How-To session, local historian and artist, Angela Richardson, will lead participants in a hands-on workshop about doing historical research on houses and properties. An enthusiastic chronicler of history on Madison's East Side, she's also a passionate advocate for the preservation of its buildings, spaces, and memories.

Listen & learn or go hands-on to give it a try! In this workshop, participants will find out how to get started researching the history of their homes.

Follow a step-by-step process to become a house history detective! Using houses in nearby neighborhoods as examples, Angela will introduce online tools and demonstrate techniques for discovering facts about your own house. She’ll also discuss methods for sleuthing out stories about who lived there.

Hoping to find old photos of your house and its prior inhabitants? Angela will also present search methods you can try when seeking visual records of your house and former residents.

It is recommended that you bring a laptop or other digital device. A limited number of library laptops will be available for use - bring a thumb drive to save your work. Participants will receive a worksheet and resource list to guide their search during and after the workshop, as they continue their house history efforts.

Registration is recommended but not required. Follow the link for more details.

Presenting partners: Make History Madison - a Whose Land? project, Madison Public Library, and the East Side History Club.

The program was made possible by generous contributions from Alliant Energy, the Dane County Arts Commission, Madison Gas and Electric, the Willy Street Coop Community Reinvestment Fund, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and Wisconsin Humanities.