City Directories

What is a city directory?

• A city directory is not a telephone directory, and indeed, they predate telephones.
• Early city directories may only include the names of the heads of household, but later directories often include everyone in the household over a certain age.
• Often the entry for an individual consists of the name, the address, and the occupation of that individual.
• In many areas, city directories were divided into three distinct sections: Businesses, residents, and “Colored”. If people of color are not in a separate section, you may see a (c) following their name.
• By 1860 there were more than 70 regularly published city directories in the U.S.
• In some cases, working class families are excluded, as are entire ethnic neighborhoods.
• City directories are relatively easy to locate.
• Many other types of directories are also available (society, occupation, religious, etc.).
• “Researchers can learn much about day-to-day life through analysis of information on churches, public and private schools, benevolent, literary and other associations, and banks. Finally, most directories include advertising, often illustrating the products being sold. This information lends valuable insight into the city's lifestyles and illustrates popular trends.” <Primary Source Microfilm, Gale Research>

What city directories are available at UNT?

• HeritageQuest Online UNT Electronic Resources Database. 
• Denton City Directories located in the general stacks, Willis Library [Actual name varies from year to year].

1913, 1916, 1936 F394 .D4 P6
1939 F394.D4 M84
1959-60 F394 .D4 D46
1961 F394.D4 G64
1966, 1969, 1971, 1973 F394 .D4 P61
1975. 1977 through 1983 F394 .D4 P611
1985 through 1992, 1994 through 1996 F394 .D4 P612
1998 F394 .D4 P613
1999 F394 .D4 P614
2000 through 2002 F394 .D4 P6141

• Denton City Directory located in the Lower Level, Willis Library:
  1929 F394 .D4 P6

Where else can you find city directories?

• Most public libraries, historical societies and state archives have rather extensive collections of their own in-state directories.
   
• City Directories of the United States http://www.uscitydirectories.com/
  This is a register of known city directories, their years, and repositories for the United States.
   
• City Directories of the United States [Primary Source Microfilm] http://www.gale.com/psm/
  This is a listing of over 12,000 city directories on microfilm in the Primary Source Microfilm collection “City Directories of America.”
   
• U.S. City Directories on Microfilm in the Microform Reading Room [at the Library of Congress] http://www.loc.gov/rr/microform/uscity/
   
• Searching hints for finding city directories in HeritageQuest
  http://irservices.library.unt.edu/resource.cfm?ai_id=96
  From Library home page go to Electronic Resources then go to HeritageQuest Online.
  Search Books – Publications – Search Publications [in upper-left corner]
  Keyword search – directory and [name of town, county, etc.]
  Publisher browse – R. L. Polk
  Look at table of contents to see where directory listings begin.
  Look for abbreviation guide; often found at the beginning of the directory listings.