For $75, a member of the Dorchester Historical Society’s House History Team will use primary sources, available online, to determine the identity of the original owner and the year of completion—the information required should the homeowner wish to apply for a house marker. An ownership history (deed search) is also provided. 
 
The application also provides the homeowner with choices for research into other aspects of the history. These include: details about the original owner; who else has owned or lived in the house; did an architect design the house and if so, what is known about them; who was the builder; was the house was part of a larger real estate development; what alterations or changes have been made over time.  
 
While deeds, permits, genealogical websites, newspaper archives, and other sources generally provide the information sought, we can’t guarantee that all questions will be answered, as the records are not always complete or accessible. However, every house has a story, and we will do our best to discover as much of it as possible.  
 
The homeowner will receive a written report documenting the researcher’s findings—either printed and snail-mailed or emailed in pdf format.