You need to go thorough available local records. Almost all places keep such records. Your property history would include architectural information like date of construction, and physical changes over time; as well as historical facts, which would imply information on who the original owner really was or residents over time.

In general it’s best to commence tracing from the current date and search back methodically through the records. This way changes (for instance, street names or numbering are easier to spot). Important changes to note include transfer from one particular owner to another, of course changes in the street names or even numbers, obviously house name changes. There will also be possible changes to allotment numbers whilst a re-subdivision takes place. There could be changes to actually building on the location.

Visit http://genealogy.about.com/library/weekly/aa062202a.htm for details.

  If you want the Abstract Of Title, the recorded information, you can do a title search at the County Recorders office, in the County the property is situated in. If you want the assessed information, current and past, see the County Assessors office. The have a pretty good list at Land-fsbo.com http://land-fsbo.com/assessors.cfm help page under Assessors offices. Hope this helps.