Montana Directories: Difference between revisions

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US City Directories Montana

History

A directory is defined as a “book containing names, addresses, and occupations of inhabitants. Several types of directories have been published in the United States over the last two hundred years including: city directories, telephone directories, county and regional business directories, professional, organizational, and religious directories, post office directories, and street directories. Directories have tremendous value to genealogists as both an original record and as a reference aid.

For further information about directories in general, see United States Directories.

Resources for Montana Directories

Libraries and Archives

The Montana Historical Society, Montana State University, and the University of Montana have some of the finest collections of Montana directories in the state.

Business Directories

1868. Maguire, H.N. Historical Sketch and Essay on the Resources of Montana: Including a Business Directory of the Metropolis. Helena: Herald Book and Job Printing office, 1868. FS Library film 1377090. Digital version at Google Books.

1867, 1871-73, 1876-78. Langley, Henry G. comp. The Pacific Coast Business Directory: Containing the Name and Post Office Address of Each Merchant, Manufacturer and Professional Residing in the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada; the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona and Alaska; and the Colony of British Columbia. Also, a Gazetteer of the Counties, Cities and Towns, and an Exhibit of the Resources of the Pacific Coast. San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1871. FS Library film 1004513 item 3. Digital version at Internet Archive.

1879. Warner, Frank W. Montana Territory: History and business directory, 1879 ... Distances, fares, and altitudes, counties, towns, mining camps, commercial, mineral and agricultural interests, with a sketch of the Vigilantes. Helena: Fisk Bros., printers, [1879]. FS Library film 1377090.

1880-81 1883-84, 1886-87. McKenney, L.M. Pacific Coast Directory. Containing names, business and address of merchants, manufacturers and professional men; county, city, state, territorial and federal officers, and notaries public, of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia. Together with a sketch of the different cities and towns, giving description, means of support, population, Etc. San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney & Co., 1880. FS Library film 1004517. Digital version at Internet Archive.

1883. Steel & Co. 1883-4 Montana Advertising Directory, containing a complete list of the tax-payers of Montana, showing their address and occupation, arranged alphabetically according to counties; with a directory of federal, territorial and county officers compiled from the returns of 1883. Helena: Geo. E. Boos & Co., 1883. FS Library film 1697991 item 4. Digital version at Internet Archive.

1914. R.L. Polk and Company. Northwestern Gazetteer: Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana--Gazetteer and Business Directory. St. Paul: R.L. Polk, 1914. FS Library films 1321220-221.

Directories Online

Ancestry.com ($) has Montana directories in their U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 collection. The following cities are currently included: Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Dillion, Fort Benton, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Lewistown, Livingston, Miles City, Missoula, and Whitefish.
Distant Cousin.com has a 1928 Butte, Montana city directory.
US City Directories identifies printed, microfilmed, and online directories and their repositories.
U.S. City Directories on Microfilm in the Microform Reading Room - Montana (Library of Congress)

FamilySearch Library

The FamilySearch Library has city directories for various years from throughout the state of Montana including:

Billings

1901-1935 FamilySearch Library microfilm 1843771-1843775

1955, 1961, 1978 etc. FamilySearch Library book 978.639 E4p

Helena

1889-1901 FamilySearch Library microfilm 2156797-2156800

1902-1935 FamilySearch Library microfilm 2309341-2309347

1929, 1937, 1961 etc. FamilySearch Library book 978.66 E4p

Kalispell

1903-1934 FamilySearch Library microfilm 2309348-2309350

1955, 1961, 1980 etc. FamilySearch Library book 978.682 E4p

To find directories, consult the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

MONTANA, [COUNTY] — DIRECTORIES

MONTANA, [COUNTY], [TOWN] — DIRECTORIES

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-{{Montana-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
+{{MT-sidebar}}
+{{breadcrumb
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-=== Online Resources ===
+==Online Resources==
 *[http://www.uscitydirectories.com/mt.htm US City Directories Montana]
-=== Record Synopsis  ===
+==History==
-A directory is defined as a “book containing names, addresses, and occupations of inhabitants.” It may also be “any list or compilation, usually in book or pamphlet form, of persons, professional organizations, firms or corporations.”<ref>Henry Campbell Black, ''Black’s Law Dictionary: Definitions of the Terms and Phrases of American and English Jurisprudence, Ancient and Modern'', 5th ed. (St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1979), 415, “directory.”</ref> Several types of directories have been published in the United States over the last two hundred years including: city directories, telephone directories, county and regional business directories, professional, organizational, and religious directories, post office directories, and street directories. Directories have tremendous value to genealogists as both an original record and as a reference aid.
+A directory is defined as a “book containing names, addresses, and occupations of inhabitants. Several types of directories have been published in the United States over the last two hundred years including: city directories, telephone directories, county and regional business directories, professional, organizational, and religious directories, post office directories, and street directories. Directories have tremendous value to genealogists as both an original record and as a reference aid.
-The sections below provide information about Montana directories. For further information about directories in general, see [[United States Directories]].
+For further information about directories in general, see [[United States Directories]].
-=== Business Directories  ===
+==Resources for Montana Directories==
-*'''1867. '''Langley, Henry G. comp. ''The Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1867: Containing the name and post office address of each merchant, manufacturer and professional residing in the states of California, Oregon, and Nevada: the terriories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Alaska: and the colony of British Columbia. Also, a gazetteer of the counties, cities, and towns, and an exhibit of the resources of the Pacific Coast. ''San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1867. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/cihm_17457 Internet Archive].
+===Libraries and Archives===
-*'''1868. '''Maguire, H.N. ''Historical Sketch and Essay on the Resources of Montana: Including a Business Directory of the Metropolis''. Helena: Herald Book and Job Printing office, 1868. {{FHL|526739|title-id|disp=FHL film 1377090}}. Digital version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=p3FNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=Historical+sketch+and+essay+on+the+resources+of+Montana+:+including+a+business+directory+of+the+metropolis.&source=bl&ots=3UyQ3AdZu1&sig=9IzVLw1dxz-hVo6iHj4UnU2-Nc0&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books].
+The [http://www.his.state.mt.us/ Montana Historical Society], [http://www.lib.montana.edu/ Montana State University], and the [https://www.umt.edu/about/ University of Montana] have some of the finest collections of Montana directories in the state.
-*'''1871-73. '''Langley, Henry G. comp. ''The Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1871-73: Containing the Name and Post Office Address of Each Merchant, Manufacturer and Professional Residing in the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada; the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona and Alaska; and the Colony of British Columbia. Also, a Gazetteer of the Counties, Cities and Towns, and an Exhibit of the Resources of the Pacific Coast''. San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1871. {{FHL|197266|title-id|disp=FHL film 1004513 item 3}}.
+====Business Directories====
-*'''1876-78. '''Langley, Henry G. comp. ''The Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78: Containing the name and post office address of each merchant, manufacturer and professional residing in the states of California, Oregon, and Nevada: the terriories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Alaska: and the colony of British Columbia. Also, a gazetteer of the counties, cities, and towns, with the federal, state and&nbsp;municipal&nbsp;officers attached thereto, and an exhibit of the resources of the Pacific Coast.&nbsp;''San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1875. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/pacificcoastbusi187678lang Internet Archive].
+*'''1868. '''Maguire, H.N. ''Historical Sketch and Essay on the Resources of Montana: Including a Business Directory of the Metropolis''. Helena: Herald Book and Job Printing office, 1868. {{FSC|526739|title-id|disp=FS Library film 1377090}}. Digital version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=p3FNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=Historical+sketch+and+essay+on+the+resources+of+Montana+:+including+a+business+directory+of+the+metropolis.&source=bl&ots=3UyQ3AdZu1&sig=9IzVLw1dxz-hVo6iHj4UnU2-Nc0&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books].
-*'''1878. '''McKenney, L.M. ''Business Directory of the Pacific States and Territories, for 1878, Containing names, business, and address, of merchants, manufacturers, and professional men; county, city, state, territorial, and federal officers; and notaries public, of the principle towns of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona and British Columbia. . .'' Two Volumes. San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney, 1878. {{FHL|197266|title-id|disp=FHL film 1004545 item 2}}. Digital version at [http://www.archive.org Internet Archive] ([http://archive.org/details/mckenneyspac18781mcke Vol. 1]), ([http://archive.org/details/mckenneypacif18782mcke Vol. 2]).
+*'''1867, 1871-73, 1876-78. '''Langley, Henry G. comp. ''The Pacific Coast Business Directory: Containing the Name and Post Office Address of Each Merchant, Manufacturer and Professional Residing in the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada; the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona and Alaska; and the Colony of British Columbia. Also, a Gazetteer of the Counties, Cities and Towns, and an Exhibit of the Resources of the Pacific Coast''. San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1871. {{FSC|197266|title-id|disp=FS Library film 1004513 item 3}}. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/pacificcoastbusi187678lang Internet Archive].
-*'''1879. '''Warner, Frank W. ''Montana Territory: History and business directory, 1879 ... Distances, fares, and altitudes, counties, towns, mining camps, commercial, mineral and agricultural interests, with a sketch of the Vigilantes''. Helena: Fisk Bros., printers, [1879]. {{FHL|526739|title-id|disp=FHL film 1377090}}.
+*'''1879. '''Warner, Frank W. ''Montana Territory: History and business directory, 1879 ... Distances, fares, and altitudes, counties, towns, mining camps, commercial, mineral and agricultural interests, with a sketch of the Vigilantes''. Helena: Fisk Bros., printers, [1879]. {{FSC|526739|title-id|disp=FS Library film 1377090}}.
-*'''1880-81. '''McKenney, L.M. ''Pacific Coast Directory, for 1880-81. Containing names, business and address of merchants, manufacturers and professional men; county, city, state, territorial and federal officers, and notaries public, of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia. Together with a sketch of the different cities and towns, giving description, means of support, population, Etc.'' San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney &amp; Co., 1880. {{FHL|197266|title-id|disp=FHL film 1004517}}. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/cihm_17458 Internet Archive].
+*'''1880-81 1883-84, 1886-87. '''McKenney, L.M. ''Pacific Coast Directory. Containing names, business and address of merchants, manufacturers and professional men; county, city, state, territorial and federal officers, and notaries public, of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia. Together with a sketch of the different cities and towns, giving description, means of support, population, Etc.'' San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney &amp; Co., 1880. {{FSC|197266|title-id|disp=FS Library film 1004517}}. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/cihm_17458 Internet Archive].
-*'''1883. '''Steel &amp; Co. ''1883-4 Montana Advertising Directory, containing a complete list of the tax-payers of Montana, showing their address and occupation, arranged alphabetically according to counties; with a directory of federal, territorial and county officers compiled from the returns of 1883''. Helena: Geo. E. Boos &amp; Co., 1883. {{FHL|197266|title-id|disp=FHL film 1697991 item 4}}. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/montanaadvertis00unkngoog Internet Archive].
+*'''1883. '''Steel &amp; Co. ''1883-4 Montana Advertising Directory, containing a complete list of the tax-payers of Montana, showing their address and occupation, arranged alphabetically according to counties; with a directory of federal, territorial and county officers compiled from the returns of 1883''. Helena: Geo. E. Boos &amp; Co., 1883. {{FSC|197266|title-id|disp=FS Library film 1697991 item 4}}. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/montanaadvertis00unkngoog Internet Archive].
-*'''1883-84. '''McKenney, L.M. ''Pacific Coast Directory, for 1883-84. Giving name, business, and address of business and professional men of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, and New Mexico. Together with sketches of the different towns, giving location, population, Etc.'' San Francisco: L.M. McKenney &amp; Co., 1882. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/cihm_17236 Internet Archive].
+*'''1914. '''R.L. Polk and Company. ''Northwestern Gazetteer: Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana--Gazetteer and Business Directory''. St. Paul: R.L. Polk, 1914. {{FSC|142321|title-id|disp=FS Library films 1321220-221}}.
-*'''1886-87.&nbsp;'''''McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory for 1886-7, giving name, business, and address of business and professional men of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Montana. Together with sketches of the different towns, giving location, population, Etc''. San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney &amp; Co., 1886. Digital version at [http://archive.org/details/mckenneyspacific188687sanf Internet Archive].
+===Directories Online===
-*'''1914. '''R.L. Polk and Company. ''Northwestern Gazetteer: Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana--Gazetteer and Business Directory''. St. Paul: R.L. Polk, 1914. {{FHL|142321|title-id|disp=FHL films 1321220-221}}.
+*[http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com] ($) has Montana directories in their [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1540 U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989] collection. The following cities are currently included: Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Dillion, Fort Benton, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Lewistown, Livingston, Miles City, Missoula, and Whitefish.
+*[http://www.distantcousin.com/Directories/MT/ Distant Cousin.com] has a 1928 Butte, Montana city directory.
+*[http://www.uscitydirectories.com/mt.htm US City Directories] identifies printed, microfilmed, and online directories and their repositories.
+*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/microform/uscity/mt.html U.S. City Directories on Microfilm in the Microform Reading Room - Montana] (Library of Congress)
-=== City&nbsp;Directories  ===
+===FamilySearch Library===
-Typically, city directories are published on a local level, hence the name "city" directory.&nbsp;There are no statewide “city” directories for Montana. To find local Montana city directories, check the appropriate Montana city Wiki page. Researchers may also find the following resources helpful:
+The [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library] has city directories for various years from throughout the state of Montana including:
-=== Online Resources  ===
+'''Billings'''
-*[http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com] ($) has Montana directories in their [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1540 U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989] collection. The following cities are currently included: Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Dillion, Fort Benton, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Lewistown, Livingston, Miles City, Missoula, and Whitefish.
+-1935 FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/661759 microfilm 1843771-1843775]
-*[http://www.distantcousin.com/Directories/MT/ Distant Cousin.com] has a 1928 Butte, Montana city directory.
-*[http://www.uscitydirectories.com/mt.htm US City Directories]&nbsp;identifies printed, microfilmed, and online directories and their repositories.
-*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/microform/uscity/mt.html U.S. City Directories on Microfilm in the Microform Reading Room - Montana]&nbsp;(Library of Congress)
-=== The Family History Library (FHL)  ===
+, 1961, 1978 etc. FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&query=%2Bcall_number%3A%22978.639%20E4p*%22 book 978.639 E4p]
-The Family History Library has an excellent collection&nbsp;of Montana city directories on microfilm up through 1935.&nbsp;The cities of Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula are well represented. The&nbsp;Library&nbsp;also has&nbsp;printed directories for some select Montana&nbsp;cities that extend into the 1990s.
+'''Helena'''
-To find out what records are available at the&nbsp;Library,&nbsp;do a "Place-names" seach in the [https://familysearch.org/catalog-search FamilySearch Catalog]. Search for:
+-1901 FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/993157 microfilm 2156797-2156800]
-:Montana - Directories
+-1935 FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/993157 microfilm 2309341-2309347]
-:Montana, [County] - Directories
-:Montana, [County], [City] - Directories
-=== Organizational Directories  ===
+, 1937, 1961 etc. FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&query=%2Bcall_number%3A%22978.66%20E4p*%22 book 978.66 E4p]
-*'''1942. '''''Directory of Community Service Organizations in Montana''. Helena, Montana: Montana Preparedness and Advisory Commission, 1942. {{FHL|427868|title-id|disp=FHL book 978.6 C44d}}.
+'''Kalispell'''
-== Libraries, Archives and Societies  ==
+-1934 FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1061698 microfilm 2309348-2309350]
-"Most libraries, historical societies, and archives at the state level have fairly extensive collections of in-state directories and may also have directories from major out-of-state&nbsp;cities."<ref>Remington, Gordon L., "Directories," in Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, editors, ''The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy'', 3rd ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2006), chap. 8, p. 327.</ref> The [http://www.his.state.mt.us/ Montana Historical Society], [http://www.lib.montana.edu/ Montana State University], and the [http://www.umt.edu/InformationAbout/Libraries University of Montana]&nbsp;have some of the&nbsp;finest collections&nbsp;of Montana directories in the state.
+, 1961, 1980 etc. FamilySearch Library [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&query=%2Bcall_number%3A%22978.682%20E4p*%22 book 978.682 E4p]
-=== References  ===
+To find directories, consult the [[FamilySearch Catalog Place Search|Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog]] under:
-<references />
+::MONTANA, [COUNTY] — DIRECTORIES
+::MONTANA, [COUNTY], [TOWN] — DIRECTORIES
+:
+==Websites==
 <br>
 {{Montana|Montana}} {{U.S. Directories}}
-[[Category:Montana, United States|Directories]][[Category:United States Directories]]
+[[Category:Montana, United States|Directories]]
+[[Category:United States Directories]]