Library and Archives
Catalog of Directories

In our Library, we have an extensive collection of directories, which can be a useful tool for aiding the researcher. Primarily, this collection consists of Philadelphia City Directories. An excellent explanation of the usefulness of city directories can be found in "Using Philadelphia City Directories in Genealogical Research" by Robert Elwood Hoagland, published as a Research Tip in Penn in Hand, the newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Volume 10, No. 4, Summer 1989.

Essentially, city directories worked like a modern telephone book, listing persons alphabetically, not by address. (Exception: the 1929 and 1930 directories contain a street listing as well as an alphabetical one.) Often, they also contain a wealth of information about old street names, social and fraternal associations, houses of worship, and so forth. Key to use of these directories is to remember that the "City" of Philadelphia did not expand to its present boundaries to fill the entire "County" of Philadelphia until 1854.

Recognizing the value of surname searches for genealogical researchers at a distance, who cannot come into the library and examine the directories personally, the Society offers to copy one surname from ten city directories for $25, plus $1 for postage ($26 per surname per order of ten). Members of the Society receive a 10 percent discount ($22.50). When the surname is quite common (Smith, Jones, etc.), we need to limit our search to one given name (James Smith, Thomas Jones, etc.).

"Amazing how people, dates and places can be connected with the City Directory. Probably the best reference source I have obtained."

--T.B., Florida, satisfied GHS customer