Quite often, people want to learn more about the homes that they live in. Other than talking with people in the neighborhood who have lived there for years, this kind of information is sometimes hard to come by. The East Side Journal index can be a useful tool in finding out more background about a piece of property. This information is not only useful to homeowners, but to anyone wanting to know more about a specific site in Kirkland.

Very few addresses are listed in the database. You should first search the headlines for the address, even though you will most likely find nothing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If the building or property has a name (e.g.. The Williams Building, Marsh Mansion, Forbes Beach) you stand a better chance of discovering a headline which mentions it.

If these queries produce little or no results, the next step is to search the headlines for the names of previous owners/residents. Of course, most people do not know the names of past owners or residents of a building. Fortunately Kirkland is in King County, and there is an excellent resource for this type of information.

In the 1930's records were made of every piece of property in the County. Photos were taken and rough floor plans were made of every building. This information was collected along with the owner's name and other pertinent data. Over the years, updates were made to these documents, and as the property changed hands, it was duly noted.

This information still exists, and can be found at the King County Regional Archives (link TBD). For a small fee a living history can be found for any place in King County. Even if a building has been torn down and replaced, a search at the archives can still be made using a current address.

Once you have obtained this information, the East Side Journal database can be of use. By searching for the name of a person or family connected with the property, much information can be discovered. Articles about fires, burglaries, parties, weddings, and many other events pertaining to people may also contain background information about the property involved.

Of course, the index will only give you the headlines (not the full text of the article), but your research will be eased considerably.

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© 1998 - Alan J Stein