Research a property

Research the history of your property and its previous owners without ever leaving the comfort of your home. Below are a few links to get you started.


Tarrant Appraisal District

www.TAD.org
The property data search allows you to perform searches on your property for previous owners as well as current tax information. The online information dates back to 1984 but earlier information is available through a deed card search.


Deed Card Search

http://taxoffice.tarrantcounty.com/TaxDeed.htm
Use this site to research ownership and property history prior to 1984 including original building materials, any additional structures on the property and the original construction date of the home. You will need to know some information before performing this search. You can get the subdivision name and georeference number you will need off the current Tarrant Appraisal District site. Place the georeference number in the box requesting the legal description for the property. You do not need to fill in every field to perform a search and actually that may keep you from finding the result you are looking for. Each property record has two pages.


Tarrant County Web site

www.tarrantcounty.com/egov
Click on link for real property records under County Clerk. Here you can find information on sales and deeds on your property. The records date back to 1970 and many records have scanned copies available for download. Be sure to perform searches on both grantor and grantee based on the information you have gathered previously. It takes some time but you can find a lot of information this way. Marriage records from 1984 to present are also available here.


Fort Worth Public Library

www.fortworthgov.org/Library
Click on the Genealogy, History and Archives link. You will need a current library card to access online databases. Available information includes U.S. Federal Census records from 1790-1930, an obituary index from 1966-1976, Texas Digital Sanborn Maps and Fort Worth History Fugitive Facts. There are additional resources available if you actually visit the library.

  • Sanborn Fire Maps (1867-1970) -- These maps are useful in depicting the original footprint of your home, possible address changes that have occurred and a general layout of your neighborhood. The only map available of Fairmount is “1919 - Mar 1951”.  This map is the original 1910 map with overlays throughout the years to 1951 which reflect changes.  Therefore if a house that was there in 1910 was demolished and a new one built before 1951, the map will show only the new house.

  • HeritageQuest Online -- Provides information on family lineage and American culture. Includes the complete U.S. Federal Census from 1790-1930, the Periodical Source Index (PERSI), the Revolutionary War Pension Applications and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, and the Freedman’s Bank Records.

  • U.S. Federal Census records (1790-1930) -- Useful to determine owner’s names, additional family members living in the home and possibly boarders or employees residing with the family. Review more than one year to see possible births and deaths that have occurred. When looking at census records it’s important to remember that if the property owner is a female she may be using her husband’s initials rather than her own. Once you have names and dates it is usually easy to find birth and death dates and then search for obituaries at the library. An obituary can possibly tell a life history and even include a photo so it is worth the time to do the research.

  • America's Newspapers (Newsbank) -- A collection of newspapers available for online access. Includes news articles, editorials and advertisements. A great resources for finding ads that list your address or information on previous owners of your home.

    Includes the Fort Worth Star-Telegram 07/02/1902-05/12/1926, Fort Worth Morning Register 07/01/1900-06/30/1902 and Fort Worth Gazette 03/31/1891-06/30/1891

    How to find it: From the Fort Worth Library website, click on Reference Databases in the left column. Scroll down to Magazines and Newspapers – General, America's Newspapers (Newsbank). If accessing from home you will need a Fort Worth library card number. Next you will click on Dallas Morning News Historical Archive. You can customize your search by date, article type and newspaper title. Full images of the newspaper pages are available for download in .PDF format.

 

University of Texas, Austin

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/f.html

Sanborn Fire Maps (Fort Worth 1885-1911) -- These maps are useful in depicting the original footprint of your home, possible address changes that have occurred and a general layout of your neighborhood.  The only maps available of Fairmount are under “Fort Worth 1910.”  This map is the non-overlaid, original 1910 Sanborn map. These are only helpful only if a structure was built prior to 1910, or in discovering that a structure was built prior to 1910.  Fairmount maps include: 55-58, 61-64, 67-70, 73, 74, 76, and 82.

The southern edge of what is now the Fairmount neighborhood, including most addresses greater than 2019 on the west side, and greater than 2234 on the east side, are missing from the maps because the area was not incorporated into the city yet.  Most of the west side of the 1600 and 1700 blocks of Hurley are also missing.

 

Historic Fort Worth

http://www.historicfortworth.org/
Check out the online database containing historical and architectural photographs for approximately 500 historic resources in Fort Worth’s south side. The database can be searched by property address, name and neighborhood. Historic Fort Worth also maintains a resource center in the basement of the historic Ball-Edelman-McFarland House at 1110 Penn St. The Preservation Resource Center is available for use by the public. Call 817-336-2344, ext. 113 to make a research appointment.

 

Street Names

Over the years, some street names in Fairmount were changed as sub-divisions merged and schools were built.  If you are looking for any of the following streets, be aware that the names were changed.

 

Current name = Former name

Adams (from Baltimore to Magnolia) = Lynch

Allen (from 8th to 5th) = Wetherbee

Allen (from Henderson to Hemphill) = Laurel

Arlington = Carson

Baltimore (from 5th Avenueto College) = Mimosa Place

Carlock = Garlock

Fairmount (from Magnolia to Myrtle) = King

Feliz Gwodtz = Myrtle (continued through from College to Hemphill)

Hawthorne (from 5th Avenue to College) = Short

Henderson (from Lilac to Arlington , possibly to Baltimore ) = Fort

Hurley (from Magnolia to Myrtle) = Welch

Jefferson (from Henderson to Hemphill) = Cactus

Lilac (from 5th to College) = Hawthorn (no e)

Maddox (between Lake and Henderson ) = shows as "Not named" on map

Maddox (between Adams and College) = Dezavala

Maddox (between College and Hemphill) = Bellevue

Morphy = Martin

Park Place (8th to Henderson ) = Morgan

Powell = Maiden Lane

Richmond (8th to Henderson ) = Farwell

Richmond (from Henderson to Hemphill) = Bois D'arc

Travis (from Richmond to Hawthorne ) = Bates Place

Washington (from Lilac to Arlington ) = Worth

 

Former name – Currently abandoned street

Cleveland (between Lipscomb and Hemphill) = is now Southside Preservation Hall north parking lot.

Peckham = street abandoned for school between Lilac and Carlock east of 5th Avenue.