City and business directories are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another important set of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
This activity of presenting links is a collaborative effort between The Ancestor Hunt and Miriam Robbins, who for years has made available the Online Historical Directories website, which presents links to directories of all types that are available online, including free collections as well as those available only via subscription. I wish to thank Miriam for her help in launching this category of records at The Ancestor Hunt.
So, what kinds of directories are available to the researcher? Naturally city and business directories, but also telephone directories, and alumni, farm, lodge, rural, and social directories.
What can you find in these records? How about:
- Full names, including middle names
- Spouse name
- Occupation
- Widows, working women, and adult children at home.
- Maps
- Businesses (and index to advertisers).
- Addresses and maps of churches, schools, funeral homes, cemeteries, post offices, courts, hospitals, benevolent associations, newspapers.
- Whether a woman is a widow (including name of husband).
- List of marriages and deaths of previous year.
- Death date.
- etc.
Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching historical city and other directories:
- FamilySearch - United States Directories
- How to Use City Directories In Your Genealogy Research
- What's In A City Directory? (a 10 article series about City Directories)
And here are various places where you can find other city directories online:
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated August, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
Links to these free collections are presented initially with statewide collections, followed in alphabetical order by city or county. Generally, the publishing company is included in the reference to the collection, along with the collection title, and the date(s) of the directory:
Statewide
- McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory for 1883-4
- McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory, 1878, V1
- McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory, 1878, V2
- McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory, 1886-87
- Oregon and Washington Gazetteer and Business Directories, 1901-1904, 1901-1904
- Oregon and Washington Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1909-1910
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1903-1904
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1905-1906
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1907-1908
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1909-1910
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1911-1912
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1913-1914
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1915-1916
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1917-1918
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1919-1920
- Oregon and Washington, Pacific Northwest Directory, 1921-1922
- Oregon Business Directory and State Gazetteer, 1873
- Oregon State Business Directory, Murphy, 1873
- Oregon State Directory - 1881
- Oregon, Washington and Alaska Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1901-02
- Oregon, Washington and Idaho Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884-85
- Oregon, Washington and Idaho Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1886-87
- Oregon, Washington and Idaho Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1891-92
- Pacific Coast Business Directory, 1867
- Pacific Coast Business Directory, Langley, 1867
- Pacific Coast Directory, for 1880-81
- Pacific Coast Grange Directory, Bancroft, 1875
- San Francisco Blue Book and Pacific Coast Elite Directory, 1890-1891
- The Pacific Coast Directory - 1871-1873
- The Pacific Coast Directory - 1878
Albany
- Albany City Directory, 1878
- Albany City Directory, 1878
- Albany City Directory, 1892
- Albany City Directory, 1905
- Albany City Directory, 1909-1910
- Albany City Directory, 1911-1912
- Albany City Directory, 1913
- Albany City Directory, 1936
- Albany City Directory, 1939
- Albany City Directory, 1941-1942
- Albany City Directory, 1946
- Albany City Directory, 1948
- Albany City Directory, 1950
- Albany City Directory, 1952
- Albany City Directory, 1957
- Albany City Directory, 1958
- Albany City Directory, 1959-1960
- Albany City Directory, 1961
- Albany City Directory, 1962
- Albany City Directory, 1964-1965
- Albany City Directory, 1966-1967
- Albany City Directory, 1967-1968
- Albany City Directory, 1968-1969
- Albany City Directory, 1969-1970
- Albany City Directory, 1971
- Albany City Directory, 1972
- Albany City Directory, 1974
- Albany City Directory, 1975
- Albany City Directory, 1976
- Albany City Directory, 1977
- Albany City Directory, 1978
- Albany City Directory, 1979
- Albany City Directory, 1980
- Albany City Directory, 1982
- Albany City Directory, 1983
- Albany City Directory, 1985
- Albany City Directory, 1986
- Albany City Directory, 1987
- Albany City Directory, 1988
- Albany City Directory, 1989
- Albany, Oregon, City Directory - 1950
- Albany, Oregon, City Directory - 1962
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, December 1950
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, December 1951
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, December 1951
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, February 1950
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, January 1953
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, January 1954
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, January 1955
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, January 1955
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, July 1945
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, July 1946
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, March 1949
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, May 1947
- Astoria and Vicinity Telephone Directory, May 1948
- Astoria Telephone Directory Including Section for Cannon Beach, Jewell, Seaside, Warrenton, and Westport; January 1957
- Astoria Telephone Directory Including Sections for Cannon Beach, Seaside, Warrenton, and Westport; April 1956
- Astoria, Clatsop County Telephone Directory July 1942
- Astoria, Clatsop County Telephone Directory July 1943
- Astoria, Clatsop County Telephone Directory, June 1941
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., April 1925 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., April 1926 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., March 1923 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., March 1923 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., March 1924 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., October 1924 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., September 1923 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory April 1929
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory April 1930
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory April, 1927
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory November 1930
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory October 1929
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory October, 1927
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Ore. and Southern Half of Pacific County, Wash., Telephone Directory, October 1926
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon and Southern Half of Pacific County Washington, March 1922 Telephone Directory
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon, Telephone Directory March 1933
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon, Telephone Directory, March 1932
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; Telephone Directory June 1934
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; Telephone Directory June 1935
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; Telephone Directory June 1936
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; Telephone Directory June 1937
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; Telephone Directory, July 1931
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Telephone Directory June 1938
- Astoria, Clatsop County, Telephone Directory, July 1940
- Astoria, Clatsop County; Telephone Directory June 1939
- September 1957, Astoria Telephone Directory Including section for Cannon Beach, Jewell, Seaside, Warrenton, and Westport
- Benton County Directory, 1867
- Benton County Directory, 1878
- Benton County Directory, 1880 - 1881
- Benton County Directory, 1886 - 1887
- Benton County Directory, 1888
- Benton County Directory, 1889 - 1890
- Benton County Directory, 1891 - 1892
- Benton County Directory, 1903 - 1904
- Benton County Directory, 1905 - 1906
- Benton County Directory, 1907 - 1908
- Benton County Directory, 1909 - 1910
- Benton County Directory, 1911 - 1912
- Benton County Directory, 1913 - 1914
- Maxsons Corvallis Directory Volume 1, 1934
- Maxsons Corvallis Directory Volume 3, 1937
- Maxsons Corvallis Directory Volume 5, 1940
- Maxsons Corvallis Directory Volume Five, 1947
- Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Directory - 1952
- Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Directory - 1959
- Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Directory - 1960
- Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Directory - v. 1 (1962)
- Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Directory - v. 2 (1962)
- Forest Grove City Directory - December 1935
- Forest Grove City Directory - December 1943
- Forest Grove City Directory - March 1928
- Forest Grove City Directory - May 1926
- Forest Grove City Directory - November 1934
- Forest Grove City Directory - October 1956
- Forest Grove City Directory - September 1928
- Forest Grove Supplemental Telephone Directory - January 1928
- Forest Grove, Oregon, City Directory - 1960
- Grants Pass, Oregon, City Directory - 1961
- Grants Pass, Oregon, City Directory - 1962
- Grants Pass, Oregon, City Directory - 1967-1968
- 1905 Klamath Falls Business Directory
- 1925 Klamath Falls Telephone Directory
- Klamath Falls City Directory, 1905
- Klamath Falls City Directory, 1909
- Klamath Falls City Directory, 1920
- Polk's Portland (Oregon) City Directory, 1885-86
- Polk's Portland (Oregon) City Directory, 1889
- Polk's Portland (Oregon) City Directory, 1892
- Polk's Portland (Oregon) City Directory, 1893
- Polk's Portland (Oregon) City Directory, 1897
- Polk's Portland City Directory, 1920 Vol I
- Polk's Portland City Directory, 1920 Vol I
- Polk's Portland City Directory, 1920 Vol II
- Polk's Portland City Directory, 1920 Vol II
- Portland City Directory 1900-1901
- Portland City Directory, Polk, 1956
- Portland City Directory, Polk, 1959
- Portland City Directory, Polk, 1962
- The Portland Directory, 1863
- Seaside and Vicinity Telephone Directory; February 1950
- Seaside and Vicinity Telephone Directory, January 1955
- Seaside and Vicinity Telephone Directory; January 1953
- Seaside Telephone Directory Including Cannon Beach, Jewell, Warrenton, Westport, and section for Astoria; January 1957
- Seaside Telephone Directory Including Cannon Beach, Jewell, Warrenton, Westport, and section for Astoria; September 1957
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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