Geauga County Archives and Records Center

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History & Research

History of Geauga County  |  Century Home Plaque  |  Records Available at the Archives  |  Websites of Interest

Obtaining a Century Home Plaque

Geauga County records are invaluable in tracing the history of a building.  They may be used as follows.

PLEASE NOTE:  It is the individual researcher’s responsibility to do this research.

A qualifying ‘CENTURY HOME’ or ‘CENTURY BUILDING’ must

1. PRINT A COPY OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND APPLICATION FOR A CENTURY PLAQUE.  These documents detail the qualifications for a century building and exactly what paperwork is needed for submission with the application.
   
   
   
   
2. CREATE A DEED CHAIN.  A "Deed Chain" is a list of the owners, date of transfer, acres, deed volume and page numbers tracing the land back at least 100 years. Click here for a Deed Chain Form.
   • Beginning with the your land information and from whom you puchased the land.
   • Continue to trace your land via purchases backwards through the 20th and 19th century until you reach the owner the land at least 100 years ago.
   • If a deed cannot be found, it may have been unrecorded or it may have gone through probate court with a will.
   • Deed indices and records are available at the following office:
   
   
   

   Deed Records in Geauga County
   Record	Years	Primary Formats Used	Location
   Index, vol. 1-4	1796-1873	Books	Archives and Records Center 470 Center Street, Bldg. 8-D Chardon, Ohio 44024 Phone:  440-279-1770
   Record, vols. 1-299	1796-1956	Books
   Index	1796-present	Digital (Searchable Scans)	Recorder's Office Courthouse Annex 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C Chardon, Ohio 44024 Phone:  440-279-2020
   Record, vols. 300-current	1798-1956 (Microfilm) 1956-2004 (Books)	Books and Microfilm
   Recorded Documents	2004-Present	Digital

   
   
   

   Probate Records in Geauga County
   Records	Years	Primary Formats Used	Location
   Indexes	1806-1990	Paper	Archives and Record Center 470 Center St., Building 8D Chardon, Ohio 44024 Phone:  440-279-1770
   Records	1806-1955	Books/Paper
   Index	1990- present	Digital	Probate Court 231 Main St., Ste. 200 Chardon, Ohio 44024 Phone:  440-279-1830
   Record	1955- present	Paper	Contact Probate Court for permission to view these records at their office

   
   
   
   
   
3. CONDUCT A TAX RECORD SEARCH.  Using the names found in the deed search, trace the tax record of the property in the auditor and treasurer's tax duplicates/lists.  Record each year, page number, owner, tract, section, lot, buildings, acres, value and tax for the property. Click here for a Tax Record Worksheet.
   • Prior to 1973, tax duplicates/lists are arranged by year, then taxing district, then alphabetically by owner.  From 1973 to the present, 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 locations:
   
   
   

   Tax Records in Geauga County
   Record	Years	Primary Formats	Location
   Auditor's Tax Duplicates	1810-1818	Books	Archives and Records Center 470 Center Street, Bldg. 8-D Chardon, Ohio 44024 Phone:  440-279-1770 NOTE:  The books are mostly used for research only.  They are too fragile and too large to handle.  Photocopies are made from microfilmed images. NOTE:  The Auditor and Treasure have overlapping volumes because each department kept different versions.  The auditor recorded what taxes were owed and the treasure recorded payment received.
   Treasurer's Tax Duplicates	1826-1922	Books
   Auditor's Tax Duplicates	1810-1971	Microfilm
   Treasurer's Tax Duplicates	1972-2006	Microfim

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

   Record	Years	Information Available
   Tax maps	1820-1870	Owner name and acreage only
   Decennial appraisals with maps	1870-1910
   Landowners map	1857	Includes some buildings
   Atlas maps	1874 and 1900
   Mechanics liens	1848-1930

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