City Directories – more than a phone book
Apr 20th, 2009 by sharbrough
Detroit 1911
Page 13 has a general index:
- Abbreviations, p 501.
- Alpha list of names, p 501.
- alterations, removals, etc, 23.
- Index to advertisements 15.
- Map, op title page.
- Miscellaneous Information, 41,
- Street and Avenue Guide, 2517.
- Classified business directory, 3053
- Windsor Business Directory (this is Windsor Ontario, across the river, in Canada)
The Title page is page 7. It identifies the contents somewhat, without the detail on p13. On the following pages of introduction, it appears that the chamber of commerce really pulled out all the stops. It’s got a comparison of 1900 and 1910 in terms of square miles, number of families, census populations, # and cost of construction permits, manufacturing, imports, exports, banking, etc.
That is followed by a year-to-year comparison of similar info for 1911 and 1910.
After that is a section called WAGE WORKERS and WAGES in DETROIT. It identifies:
- the number of factories,
- the number of adult males employed (avg daily wage of $2.47) and
- females ($1.33),
- boys under 16 ($.98), and
- girls under 16 (parity! 98 cents!),
- followed by this note: “The total number of employed is more than double that in 1900.”
AUTO MAKING in MICHIGAN. There are 26 companies making 220,000 cars in Detroit. less than 5 companies in each of 9 other cities, making less than 100,000 cars.
AS OTHERS SEE US. A comparison of rents in Detroit vs NY, St Louis, Cincy, Cleveland, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.
The Street and avenue guide starts on page 2517 (http://www.footnote.com/image/129779341/). You can see which people lived, or businesses were operated, in a given block.
Abbott street, from 125 Michigan Av west to 12th, paved with cedar.
9 Solomon Jacob
9 1/2 London Laundry (bch)
11 Loud Wm H, jeweler
11-13 Campbell Thos A, restr
13 1/2 Abbott Laundry
15-17 Blake’s P Sons, undertakers
17 Humphreys Everett M
(skipped a few)
28 Vacant
39 Bovee Clara Mrs
39 Bovee Frank
In short, the directories have a lot more than names. Footnote has Detroit from 1861 to 1923, excepting 1884. They have many other cities, having started with the largest ones.
Rural directories were also published, and if time and resources permit, they might also be online someday. If your family didn’t live in a city (and most americans didn’t, for a long time), go to a better library, and see what they have!
And let me warn you. Once you start reading these, you will lose track of time.
