What is a City Directory? It’s the phone book; pre-phones, of
course. City directories were printed lists of people in a city
and its surrounds, with business advertisements, home addresses,
family names and occupations, and information about the city. It
is a valuable source for finding families according to their
location, occupation, race, and community that can seriously
supplement the years between censuses. The following is not a
complete description of all city directories everywhere, but it
will get you started… Short History of the Directory The first
city directory was published in Baltimore in 1752 and next in
Charleston in 1782. These were compiled by private companies,
and had no government regulations guiding their creation or
publication. You may find a city with more than one directory in
a year, or missing a few years, depending on the success of the
company at the time. Large cities and their suburbs are more
likely than a small town to have a directory. What Can I Find in
A Directory? Direc