About
The Settlement Project
A living archive of the people who shaped the land — and the land that shaped them.
Every home has a history. Behind every address lies a chain of human stories — families who built, farmed, loved, and left. The Settlement Project exists to capture these stories before they are lost.
We are a community-driven archive, organized around Settlements (historical areas) and Residency Records (individual people tied to specific properties). Unlike traditional genealogy tools, we focus on the property and the place — not just the family tree.
How It Works
Browse Settlements
Start with a geographic area — a parish, township, or ward. Each Settlement contains all known residency records within its bounds.
Read Residency Records
Each record links a person to a property and a time period. Records may include census citations, deed photos, and family correspondence.
Explore Neighbors
The Neighbor feature shows you other residents of the same Settlement within a 10-year window — revealing community networks.
Become a Steward
When you create a record, you become its Steward. You review suggested edits and evidence submissions from the community.
Start Preserving History
Find a settlement near you, or create a new record for a property whose history deserves to be remembered.