1. PRINT A COPY OF THE APPLICATION FOR CENTURY HOME MARKER.
This form details the requirements for a century building and exactly what paperwork is needed for submission with the application.

2. CONDUCT A DEED SEARCH.
Begin with the most current deed and work backwards through the County Recorder's Deed Records.

• Maintain a "Deed Chain" list of the owners, date of transfer, acres, volume and page numbers.



• Deed indices and records are available at the following:
  
  

  Years	Formats	Location
  1798-present	Books and Microfilm	Recorder’s Office, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main Street, Chardon
  1798-1956	Books and Microfilm	Archives and Records Center Bldg. 8-D, 470 Center Street, Chardon

• If a deed cannot be found . . .
  
  
  • It may have been unrecorded
  
  
  
  • It may have gone through Probate Court because of a will.
  
  
  

  Year	Format	Location
  1806-2000	Microfilm/Books	Archives
  Pre-1917 wills are filed alphabetically
  Post 1917 wills are filed by case number.
  Consult indices in Probate Court for case number.

3. CONDUCT A TAX RECORD SEARCH
Using the names found in the deed search, trace the tax record of the property from the County Auditor and Treasurer's Tax Duplicates/Lists. Record the year, page number, owner, tract, section, lot, buildings, acres, value and tax for each record.

• Tax duplicates/lists are arranged by year, then taxing district, then alphabetically by owner prior to 1973. Beginning in 1973, they are aranged by year, then taxing district, then parcel numbers.



• On early tax records, notations may include “H” for House, “B” for Barn, and “G” for Granary. If a structure is not listed, record any substantial increase (approximately 50%) in property taxes. This usually indicates construction or major improvements on the property.



• Tax duplicates/lists are available at the following:
  
  

  Year	Format	Location
  1810-1922	Microfilm	Anderson Allyn Genealogy Room Chardon Library, 112 East Main Street
  1810-1995 (annual records begin 1867)	Books/Microfilm	Archives and Records Center Bldg. 8-D, 470 Center Street, Chardon

4. CHECK ADDITIONAL RECORDS AVAILABLE FOR BUILDING RESEARCH IN THE ARCHIVES.

Record	Years	Information Available
Tax maps	1820-1870 and 1935-1980	Owner name and acreage only
Decennial appraisals with maps	1870-1910	Owner name and acreage only
Landowners map	1857	Includes some buildings
Atlas maps	1874 and 1900	Includes some buildings
Mechanics liens	1848-1930	Includes Contractor’s name, cost, supplies, construction details

5. RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATION WITH COPIES OF THE DEED AND TAX SEARCHES TO THE GEAUGA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.