To get the comprehensive information is the important basis of historical block research, planning and design through the survey and investigation, while facing the abundant social and historical humanities information, traditional survey method which attaches great importance to the space material properties is usually hard to catch the point comprehensively, therefore, it has the necessity to apply public history theory to the survey methodology research. Taking Chongqing Eighteen Stairs historical block as an example, to collect, analyze and evaluate the information of the block based on the public history theory, it got more comprehensive historical information, at the same time conveyed more public demands, then highlights the application value of public history, besides, some different results from the different survey methods make the significance of survey method based on public history theory more clear.