Reading Between the Lines of the City Directory

Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG 

Reading Between the Lines of the City Directory

This lecture encourages one to go beyond the obvious use of a city directory-locating an ancestor. The directory provides an opportunity to understand our ancestor’s historical context. Pictures, advertisements, maps of the city and many more items are often included. The audience will be encouraged to understand each directory’s unique qualities. Examples will be used to illustrate various points.