Tips for Using City Directories for Genealogy Research
The R.L. Polk company, though not the earliest company to do so, published their first city directory in the 1870s, as a way to centralize community information. They employed sales associates and census enumerators to go door to door to collect information, sell advertising and make sales for their new directories. These handy guides were the quitessential Google search of their day--the go-to resource for finding information. These same directories can be an important resource for genealogy research today, providing details such as name (and spouse), address, occupation and more.Where Can I Find City Directories?Libraries have long been loyal customers who have yearly subscriptions for the city directories in their town and surrounding area. These directories, often dating back decades, can be found in their reference or genealogy departments. If the local public library does not have them, the local college and university libraries likely will. Local historical societies or …
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