What Other Resources are Available?

In addition to the resources already listed, several other sources of information are available for historic homeowners.  Searching the Internet using the key words such as: historic homes, preservation, building technology, real estate, architecture, restoration, renovation, and Victorian will help you locate helpful information.  In addition, these sources will also be helpful:

Books, Magazines, and Brochures

Publications such as The New Old House Starter Kit, Buyer's Guide to Older and Historic Houses, Fabrics for Historic Buildings: A Guide to Selecting Reproduction Fabrics, Floor Coverings for Historic Buildings: A Guide to Selecting Reproductions, and Paint in America: The Colors of Historic Buildings are available from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Books. 

A Comprehensive Guide for Listing a Building in the National Register of Historic Places by Gail Greenberg takes readers through the process of successfully nominating an historic property to the National Register.  The book includes a discussion of eligibility criteria, suggestions for research procedures, an explanation of and information needed to complete each item on the application, and a sample completed application.  To order call 1-800-222-0737.  There is a discount for local historical organizations.

The National Housing Library, under the sponsorship of the National Association of Home Builders, publishes the quarterly Housing Abstracts.  Housing Abstracts offers access to a variety of housing industry information.  All of the materials cited in Housing Abstracts are part of the National Housing Library's collection.  For information, call 202-266-8200, the Resource Center can be reached at extension #8296.

To locate resources about protecting historic buildings from fires, repairing historic buildings after a fire, fire protection options, and many other issues surrounding historic buildings, fire damage, and fire prevention, contact the Historic Annapolis Foundation. Additionally, Fire Safe Building Rehabilitation, written by a fire protection engineer and a preservation architect, is the industry's first complete guide on how to bring older buildings up to code while respecting their original features. Order from the National Fire Protection Association.

Caring for Your Historic House, by Heritage Preservation and the National Park Service is a book providing information on preserving and maintaining a historic house.  Some of the topics covered are structural systems, roofs, paint, wallpaper, woodworking, and landscape.  To place an order, call 888-388-6789.

The American Association for State and Local History has technical reports and technical leaflets covering a number of restoration and preservation topics.  To obtain a catalog which lists the books, reports, leaflets, and video tapes available, contact AASLH.

APT Bulletin is published quarterly by the Association for Preservation Technology International.  It features articles on all aspects of building and preservation technology, including historical research, scientific papers and project case studies. 

Old-House Journal, edited by Gordon H. Block, is a bi-monthly magazine dedicated to rehabilitation, maintenance, and decoration of old houses; The Old-House Journal Restoration Directory is an annual buyer's guide to products for houses built prior to 1940 or new homes built in the traditional manner.  Old-House Bookshop offers a variety of publications that cover topics including how-to techniques, the Victorian era, historic styles, landscape and gardens, and period decorating. Restoration Directory is available online through the Old-House Journal website or at your local bookstore.  The website for The Old-House Journal provides information on the magazine, allows you to view their classified section, presents information on new preservation related products, as well as tips for historic building preservation.  You can also see historic house plans, and post preservation-related questions on a bulletin board.  The Old-House Journal's Find-A-Pro area of their website will help you locate a local architect, contractor, or lender for your restoration project.  

Old-House Interiors, once part of The Old-House Journal, is a journal, design center and sourcebook with period-inspired design and home products.   

Heritage Preservation Services

Heritage Preservation Services (a division of the National Park Service) provides services, advice, and publications on historic preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation technology. Their publications include Preservation Briefs covering such topics as masonry, mortar, conserving energy in historic buildings, cleaning and caring for historic buildings, and aluminum and vinyl siding. Their website includes information on researching a historic building, applying the Secretary of the Interiors' Standards for Rehabilitation, technical information, and other resources for restoration projects.  The Heritage Preservation Services has also created an online tutorial on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation called Electronic Rehab. The program is designed for historic building owners, new members of design review and historic preservation commissions, architects, contractors, developers, maintenance personnel, and students.  The site also has a test where you make critical decisions about the appropriateness of rehabilitation work on two buildings and get immediate feedback.

Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference

Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference includes seminars and workshops in preservation technology.  The conference website contains valuable information for historic homeowners, as well as a directory of preservation technology contractors.

Traditional Building is a bi-monthly magazine that serves as an "authoritative where-to-buy-it resource for historical products."  It includes an directory of product suppliers, a product database, articles, and product reports from current and previous issues of the magazine.

Online Resources

Heritage Preservation is a non-profit organization that helps citizens and communities identify, evaluate, protect, and preserve historic buildings, landscapes, landmarks, archeological sites, battlefields, and tribal communities.  Its diverse partners include state historic preservation officers, local governments, tribes, federal agencies, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations. 

American Bungalow magazine's website is a wonderful resource for people who own or are interested in historic bungalows.  The site offers tips on restoration and interior design, helps you determine what style a bungalow is, has information on publications, and keeps you up to date on the Arts and Crafts movement. 

Visit the American Institute of Architects to find an architect and contractor, help decide whether you should renovate, read tips on managing the construction process, and to find information on architect's fees or on your local AIA chapter. 

The Arts and Crafts Society's marketplace is a virtual home for the Arts and Crafts movement. The site contains information on architecture, design, antiques, restoration products and services, wallpaper, furniture, metalwork, lighting, and textiles. 

The Victorian Society in America is a national non-profit organization committed to the preservation and protection of nineteenth-century heritage and historic buildings.  The site offers information about publications, resources, summer schools, symposia, and architectural study tours devoted to fostering education and appreciation of Victorian heritage.

Ian Evan's World of Old Houses is a guide to caring for and restoring old homes. The website contains preservation product directories for the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. There are also sections for frequently asked restoration questions, essays about preservation technology, and technical tips.

The Interactive Old House Network offers historic homeowners a place to buy and sell historic properties, antiques, and historic hardware; find companies which specialize in historic preservation, building technology, or supply restoration materials; and ask other historic homeowners questions about their restoration projects.  

The Old House Web contains reviews of new restoration products, lists historic hardware suppliers, and offers tips on financial assistance, technical problems, and historic gardening.

Restoration Trades contains a wealth of information on preservation technology including a service directory, bulletin boards, classifieds, job and resume postings, bid invitations, and education resources. 

The website of the Marble Institute of America contains information on the care and cleaning of natural stone and ceramic tile as well as a list of publications on such topics as the history of ceramic tile in America and the names and quarry locations of the world's marbles. Please use this link to their website: 

The website for the Public Broadcasting System's "History Detectives" show includes a guide to investigating the history of a house.  This guide includes a checklist, leads to additional information and sources, and a case study of an investigation of one home's history. 

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet is a good source for resources that can help you in researching the history of your home.  The House and Building Histories section of this website provides links to websites for libraries, archives and museums; professional and volunteer researchers; publications, software and supplies; and locality specific resources. 

The Straw Bale Association of Nebraska has launched a website to promote their efforts to preserve these structures and general awareness of this building type. There is also a straw bale registry where you can register your building.

In addition to other resources, PreservationDirectory.com offers listings of preservation businesses, products, and services.  Please note that the National Trust for Historic Preservation accepts no responsibility for any ensuing work by any of the listed contractors.  No contractor should be hired without thoroughly checking their references, bonding, and rating with the Better Business Bureau or local Chamber of Commerce.  In addition, with the exception of any of our licensed products, the National Trust does not endorse the services of any contractor, business or service listed on this website.     

The Great American Home Awards

The Great American Home Awards® presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation was a national competition recognizing outstanding residential rehabilitation projects in the United States. Established in 1989, and last awarded in 2003, the contest honored homeowners and professionals for their dedication to the ideals of preservation, as well as for their commitment to excellence in rehabilitating old houses.