How do I find out the history on my 108 year old house?

Question

I've been to two local libraries, and they are no help. They both said that everything from old newspapers, and documents are now on microfiche, and those machines are apperantly broken at both libraries- yeah... umm I'm sure they are. They also discouragingly added that finding out anything there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack anyway.

The town of Vale, OR (part of the Oregon Trail) where this house is located was established in the late 1800's, and this house was one of the first, and most prominant built here in that timeframe (my house-1900).

Upon moving in, the neighborhood kids asked if we'd seen the ghost yet. I am not so sure that there isn't one here either. Seems that there is plenty of small town gossip, but no real info to find anywhere I've been looking. I know this house has also had a at least minor (or larger) fire at one point in it's distant past that no-one knows anything about. How do I find out?

Answer 1

Is Oregon a state which has abstracts?  If so, the history ought to be all there.  If you have a mortgage, you would not have the abstract (if there is one).  

Good luck!  And congratulations on your old home!

Answer 2

Actually, I'd say listen to the gossip, but take it with a grain of salt. It sounds as if your house has a reputation, or at least is one people know about. If yours is a community where neighbors talk to each other and people tend to live in the same place for a long time, some of your neighbors might have known the people who lived there before you, or at least perhaps give you some suggestions on names to look for.

Answer 3

There seem to be several ghosts wandering around Vale, Oregon.

Go to the following website:

http://www.ghostsofamerica.com/9/Oregon_...

Answer 4

By law all houses, in the US, should come with a full report on any signicant events tht have taken place in the house, e.g: deaths-of any sort, break ins, etc.

The kids? Well, maybe it because of an odd person living in the house previous to you or just rumours that kids believe and spread, and as kids do add there own little, spooky, details to it.....contact whoever sold you the house, and or a realtor, if you have/had one....

Answer 5

All you can really do is look at the deed.  It tells you everyone who has ever owned the house.  Unless you know the date of when 'something' might have happened it would take forever to look at 108 years of newspapers.  But the deed can give you names and from there you can find out where or how those people died and see if any died in the house.