City and Other Directories in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Key Compiled by the Grosvenor Room Buffalo & Erie County Public Library * = Oversized book 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo = Shelved in Buffalo collection Buffalo, NY, 14203-1887 Bus. Dir. = Business Directory (716) 858-8900 GRO = In Grosvenor Room www.buffalolib.org RBR = May be seen by appointment in Rare Book Room Revised May 2014 1 Table of Contents City and Other Directories .......................................................................................................... 1 in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library ............................................................................. 1 U.S. Residential and Business Directories ................................................................................. 3 Society Directories and Social Registers ................................................................................. 31 Telephone Directories for Buffalo and Erie County .................................................................. 32 Canadian Directories ................................................................................................................ 33 Directories from Other Nations ................................................................................................. 33 Databases ................................................................................................................................ 34 Websites .................................................................................................................................. 34 Introduction This directory lists thousands of county, city, town, and village directories owned by the Central Library. Most date from 1850 to 1950, but there are older and newer ones. The Central Library continues to acquire city directories for Buffalo, Erie County, and Western New York. City directories, also known as Polk directories, are essential for genealogical and local history research, because they help establish where individuals lived at a point in time. This list focuses primarily on residential, social, and business directories, and omits specialized directories that focus on travel, education, associations, health care, etc. While every attempt has been made to be comprehensive, we cannot guarantee that this list identifies every single directory in our collection or that the directories listed here won’t turn up missing. Directories must be used in the Grosvenor Room and cannot be borrowed. Most of the directories from places beyond Western New York are in a nonpublic storage area (Closed Stacks) and must be retrieved by staff, a process that takes 10-15 minutes. We are happy to pull the directories you need—just ask! Because of heavy usage, Buffalo directories may not be photocopied. Instead, a set of microfilmed Buffalo directories is available for copying purposes. Many of the directories are also available online in Ancestry Library Edition (1861-1960) and on the New York Heritage website (1832-1868). The rest of the directories listed here are in hard copy only. Photocopying is permitted only when directories are in good condition. For digitized and online city directories, see Databases at the end of this guide. Use of all cameras must be approved in writing by the Grosvenor Room staff. 2 U.S. Residential and Business Directories State City Call Number Years We Own AK Alaska F902.5 .A5 1932-1935 Gazetteer & Bus. Dir. AK Alaska F909 .T47 1948 Bus. Dir. AL Birmingham F334 .B6A18 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937-1941, 1947/48 CA Glenn County F868 .G5E9 1947/48 CA Long Beach, Signal Hill *F869 .L6P6 1945, 1955, 1957-1960, 1962 CA Los Angeles F869 .L8 1872 L79493 CA Los Angeles *F869 .L8A18 1929, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1939 CA Oakland *F869 .O2A18 1940 CA San Diego F869 .S22A18 1931, 1935 CA San Francisco F869 .S3A18 1867, 1880 CA San Francisco *F869 .S3A182 1933-1935, 1937-1940, 1945/46, 1955/56, 1957, 1959, 1960 CA California RBR U.S. 1863 Bus. Dir. 1863.H2 CO Colorado Springs, F784 .C7A18 1902 Colorado City, Manitou CO Denver RBR U.S. Reprint of 1859 ed. 1942.M9 CO Denver F784 .D4A18 1930, 1933, 1934 CT Ansonia, Derby F104 .A6A18 1897/98 Shelton, Seymour CT Bridgeport, Stratford, F104 .B7A18 1896, 1898, 1901-1903, 1905, 1907, 1908 Fairfield, Southport CT Greenwich, Port F104 .G8A18 1902/03, 1904/05 Chester, Rye, Harrison, Mamaroneck CT Hartford F104 .H3G3 1858/59, 1988, 1889, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1897, 1899, 1901-1905, 1907, 1908, 1929 CT Meriden F104 .M5A18 1895, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1929 CT Middletown, Portland F104 .M6A18 1901, 1905, 1918/19 CT New Britain F104 .N5A18 1896/97, 1903 CT New Haven F104 .N6A18 1850/51, 1851/52, 1852/53, 1867/68, 1870/71, 1886/87 CT New Haven F104 .A6A18 1871/72, 1889, 1896, 1898, 1900-1902, 1904- 1909, 1930 CT New London, Niantic, F104 .N7A18 1896, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908 Waterford CT Norwich F104 .N93A18 1896, 1898, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908 CT Portchester F104 .G8A18 1902/03, 1904/05 3 U.S. Residential and Business Directories State City Call Number Years We Own CT Putnam F104 .P9A18 1915 CT Stamford F104 .S8A18 1897 CT Waterbury, Naugatuck F104 .W3A18 1880, 1896, 1901-1903, 1905, 1907 CT Windham County F102 .W7W7 1861 Bus. Dir. DC Washington, *F192.5 .B7 1896, 1897, 1898, 1901, 1906, 1907 Georgetown DC Washington F192.5 .A18 1850 DC Washington F189 .B1A15 See Baltimore 1913, “The first colored business and professional directory…” DE Wilmington F174 .W7P6 1944 FL Jacksonville F319 .J1A18 1927 FL Miami, Miami Beach F319 .M82A18 1927 FL Tampa City F319 .T2A18 1927 GA Atlanta F294 .A8A18 1897, 1901 GA Savannah F294 .S2A18 1928, 1934, 1938-1940, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1960 GA Savannah F294 .S2A19 1898 IA Council Bluffs F629 .C8A18 1909 IA Des Moines F629 .D4A18 1930 IA Sioux City F629 .S8A18 1892/23, 1899/1900, 1902/03, 1906-1909 ID Idaho F852 .O7 1889/90 Gazetteer & Bus. Dir. IL Chicago F548.2 .A1 1844 IL Chicago F548.24 .C48 1910 Bus. Dir. IL Chicago, Lakeside *F548.21 .A5 1911, 1914-1916 IN Fort Wayne, Allen F534 .F7A18 1919 County IN Indianapolis F534 .I3A18 1897, 1933-1940, 1945, 1955 IN Logansport F534 .L7T2 1959/60 IN Indiana RBR E154.9 1846 Bus. Dir. .K5 KY Louisville F459 .L8A18 1897, 1901, 1916 KY Maysville F459 .M47A18 1922/23 KY Kentucky RBR E154.9 1846 Bus. Dir. .K5 LA New Orleans F379 .N5A18 1897, 1899-1901, 1904, 1932 MA Beverly F74 .S1A17 1884/85, 1886/87, 1888/89, 1893/94 MA Boston RBR U.S. 1820 1820.B65 MA Boston F73.2 .B7 1834-1908, 1936, 1940 MA Boston to Portland F2 .G8 1870 Bus. Dir. 4 U.S. Residential and Business Directories State City Call Number Years We Own MA Bristol County F72 .B8A18 1867/68, 1878 MA Cambridge F74 .C1A18 1848, 1850-1854, 1859 MA Charlestown F74 .C4A18 1854, 1860 MA Danvers F74 .S1A17 1884/85, 1886/87, 1888/89, 1893/94 MA Easthampton F74 .N86A18 1896/97, 1905, 1908 MA Essex County F72 .E7A18 1866, 1869/70, 1870, 1871, 1873, 1878, 1879, 1880/81 MA Fitchburg F74 .F5F3 1891, 1897, 1898, 1904-1909, 1916 MA Gloucester F74 .G5A18 1892/93 MA Hampshire County F72 .H3G2 1886/87 Gazetteer & Bus. Dir. MA Holyoke F74 .H745A18 1891, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1909 MA Lawrence F74 .L4A18 1892, 1893, 1895 MA Lawrence F74 .L4D63 1860/61 MA Lowell F74 .L9A18 1836, 1849, 1851, 1853, 1855, 1894, 1896 MA Maine F69 .H42 1835 MA Medford F74 .M5M3 1895/96, 1907 MA Milbury F74 .M66 M6 1871 MA Milton F74 .M68R3 1910 MA New Bedford F74 .N5A18 1865, 1873/74, 1887, 1889, 1895, 1903, 1916, 1927 MA Newburyport F74 .N55A18 1852 MA Newburyport F74 .N55N3 1856/57, 1858, 1860, 1864/65 MA Northampton F74 .N86H6 1875/76 MA Northampton F74 .N86A18 1896/97, 1905, 1908 MA Pittsfield F74 .P6P75 1896 MA Plymouth County F72 .P7P76 1867 MA Salem RBR U.S. 1837 1837.S2 MA Salem F74 .S1S2 1842, 1846, 1850, 1851, 1855, 1857, 1859, 1861, 1864, 1866, 1869, 1872, 1874, 1876, 1878, 1879, 1881, 1884, 1886 MA Salem, Beverly, F74 .S1A17 1884/85, 1886/87, 1888/89, 1893/94 Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Essex, Manchester MA Somerville F74 .S7G7 1878 MA Springfield F74 .S8A18 1866/67, 1870/71, 1875/76, 1880/81, 1885/86, 1893, 1896, 1898, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1918, 1919, 1924, 1933, 1935 5 U.S. Residential and Business Directories State City Call Number Years We Own MA Springfield *F74 .S8A18 1851/52, 1853/54, 1865/66, 1868/69, 1934- 1936, 1938, 1940, 1947, 1953-1957, 1959 MA Taunton F74 .T2T3 1864, 1868, 1876, 1892, 1896 MA Worcester F74 .W9W7 1844-1846, 1847-1850, 1852-1856, 1858- 1866, 1869, 1870, 1875, 1878, 1882, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1897, 1898, 1900-1905, 1913, 1917, 1919 MA Worcester *F74 .W9A18 1956, 1957, 1959 MA Worcester F74 .W9W71 1898, 1916 MD Baltimore F189 .B1A16 1847, 1849/50, 1851, 1853/54, 1855/56 MD Baltimore F189 .B1A18 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1929 MD Baltimore F189 .B1A17 1856/67 Bus. Dir. MD Baltimore F189 .B1A15 1913, “The first colored business and professional directory of Baltimore, MD” ME Boston to Portland F2 .G8 1870 Bus. Dir. ME Brunswick, Topsham F74 .M68R3 1910 ME Portland F29 .P9A18 1850/51, 1858/59, 1863/64, 1866/67, 1869, 1871, 1882, 1897, 1902-1905, 1907, 1909, 1922 MI Ann Arbor, Ypsilante F574 .A5A18 1899, 1932 MI Detroit *F574 .D4A18 1876/77, 1877-1881, 1884, 1889, 1891-1896, 1898-1907, 1931/32-1935, 1937-1939 MI Flint City F574 .F7A18 1897/98, 1929, 1934 MI Genesee County F574.F7 A19 1929, 1934 MI Grand Rapids F574 .G7A18 1890, 1897, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1907, 1932-1935, 1937, 1939 MI Kalamazoo F572 .K2A18 1869, 1935 MI Owosso F574 .D9A18 1896/97 MI Saginaw F574 .S15A18 1902 MI Saranac F574 .S28 H4 1941 MN Duluth F614 .D8A18 1891/92 MN Minneapolis F614 .M5A18 1929 MN MN State F604.7 .M66 1878/79 MN Saint Paul F614 .S4A18 1932-1939, 1946, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960 MN Winona F614 .W7A18 1908 MN Billings, Red Lodge, F739 .B5A18 1907 Yellowstone, Carbon County MN Bozeman, Gallatin F739 .B7A18 1908/09 County MN Great Falls F739 .G75A18 1908/09 6 U.S. Residential and Business Directories State City Call Number Years We Own MN Missoula F739 .M7A18 1922, 1932 MO Kansas City F474 .K2A18 1902 MO Kansas City *F474 .K2A18 1896, 1897, 1898, 1901, 1903-1905, 1931, 1933-1936, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1945, 1955, 1957, 1959 MO St.