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Are you doing research on local architectural history? Would you like to find information about local buildings, homes, or architects? In this
tutorial we will explore the top six resources for researching architecture in the Pacific Northwest. Let’s begin by going to the Libraries’ homepage at
www.lib.washington.edu. Now select Subject Guides, and then Architecture. From here, go to the tab that says Research Topics, and then
select Seattle Information/ History. You should see a list of different websites and databases on local information. A great resource for finding
information and photographs of local buildings is the City of Seattle Landmarks Database. From here you can search for buildings by address,
year built, style, neighborhood, or architect. When you click on a search result, it will list the history of the home or building, its characteristics,
current pictures, and bibliographic references for more information. The City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Landmarks and Designation
Page is another great resource for finding information and photographs of historic buildings. The Landmarks A-Z tab allows you to select
landmarks by region. This will give you a list of landmarks with pictures, addresses and ordinance numbers. You can also see current
nominations for historic landmarks by clicking on the current nominations tab. The National Register of Historic Places Database lists
information about historically significant buildings across the country, including in the Pacific Northwest. You can search for buildings by
name, or state and county, or state and city. Once you have found the building you are looking for, you can click on the link next to URL to look at
a full report on the building, which includes information on: location, classification, descriptions of the present and historic physical
appearance, a statement of significance, a list of major bibliographic references, and more. However for some buildings this information has
not yet been digitized. Another great resource is the Pacific Coast Architecture Database which covers buildings from California, Oregon, and
Washington. You can find this database by clicking on the Pacific Coast Architecture Database tab at the top of the Architecture Guide.
You can search by ‘Architects,’ which includes landscape architects, interior designers, urban planners, and other professionals in related fields.
Or you can search by ‘Structure’ for historical and biographical information. There is also an option to look for images, and to search exhibits and
publications. The Libraries’ Special Collections also has digital resources that can help you with local architectural research. To find the collection
start at the Libraries’ homepage and then click on UW Digital Collections, from here click on All Collections at the top of the page. Scroll down to
Architecture of the Pacific Northwest. You can search the collection by building style, which covers a variety of styles from Academic Eclectic
to Tudor Revival, or you can search by architect. This database provides images of historic architectural drawings, along with short notes
about the buildings. And finally the Libraries’ edition of Ancestry.com is another great resource for finding biographical information about
architects. To find it, go the Libraries’ homepage and then click on Articles & Research Databases, type in Ancestry and it should be the only result
that shows up. You can look through a variety of documents including birth, marriage, and death certificates. Census information can tell you the
architect’s address, their house’s value, names of family members, and more. You can also look through passport and customs documents to see
where they may have traveled. For more information about researching local architecture click on the ‘Ask Us!’ link on the UW Libraries’
homepage to email, text, or chat with a librarian.