Last reviewed: September 14, 2026
Good historic-house writing begins with good records. This page explains the source hierarchy used by The Historical Homes, how we handle conflicts, and how readers can request a correction.
Sources we prioritize
No single source is perfect. We select sources according to the claim being checked and generally prefer material closest to the original event or official record:
- Primary and official records: deeds, assessor records, building permits, census material, maps, city directories, National Register nominations, government databases, and preservation commission records.
- Institutional collections: libraries, archives, universities, museums, historical societies, and established preservation organizations.
- Credible secondary research: books, scholarly work, carefully reported newspapers, architectural surveys, and documented local histories.
- Current property information: owner or agent statements and real-estate listings for present-day price, status, room counts, dimensions, and photographed features. These details are time-sensitive and should be independently verified.
How source conflicts are handled
A construction date can vary among an assessor card, a nomination form, a family history, and a sales listing. We compare the evidence, favor a contemporaneous or well-documented record, and use language such as “circa,” “reported as,” or “likely” when the answer remains uncertain. We do not silently turn an estimate into an exact date.
Architectural labels also require care. A house may have a Federal-era core, an Italianate porch, and a Colonial Revival renovation. In that situation, describing the building’s layers is more accurate than assigning one absolute label.
Links and citations
Articles link to important online sources when a stable public page is available. Some evidence—archival scans, print books, paid databases, temporary listings, or local records—may not have a durable public URL. A link can also change or disappear after publication; that does not by itself mean the cited evidence never existed.
Requesting a correction
If you find an error, please send it through our contact page. Include:
- the URL and article title;
- the exact statement you believe is incorrect;
- the corrected information;
- a reliable source, record, or image that supports the change; and
- your relationship to the property, if relevant.
We review the evidence rather than changing a claim solely on request. This protects both readers and property histories from accidental or unsupported edits. Copyright and image-credit concerns should include enough information to identify the material and the rights holder.
What happens after review
Clear factual errors are corrected as soon as reasonably possible. Minor grammar, formatting, or broken-link fixes normally do not receive a public note. When a correction substantially changes a date, attribution, identity, ownership history, or central conclusion, we may add an update note to the article.
Our continuing standard
Historical research is cumulative. New records can refine an old story, and a careful correction makes the archive stronger. Our Editorial Policy describes the wider standards behind publication, advertising independence, images, and updates.