by Juliana Szucs
Family history allows us to travel back in time to where our families lived. A good working knowledge of our ancestors’ communities can enrich our understanding of their lives. Not only that, but it can also lead us to research breakthroughs with crucial information about what records are available, and how, when, and where records were kept. Fortunately, there is a lot of guidance available at our fingertips to help us navigate, including the following sources.
City Directories
Generally, city directories were published from the 1700s until about the 1960s when telephone books became more useful. Most often they are used to track family members from year to year, particularly between census years. But the information included in them can go far beyond just names, occupations, and addresses. Street guides included in directories can help you track down cross streets, which is particularly useful in cities where streets were renamed and/or renumbered over the years.
Some may even show maps, like this 1880 directory of Cleveland, Ohio, found on Ancestry, which includes Ward numbers. These can be useful in locating census records, where indexes are failing to locate a family.
Beyond street and ward information, you can learn what religious institutions and cemeteries were nearby and operating at that time.
Historical Maps
Historical maps also abound online elsewhere, if your particular directory doesn’t include one. Sanborn maps were created for fire insurance purposes and include detailed maps of an area including individual dwellings, as well as construction information. The Library of Congress has a large collection of these maps and a resource guide is available with search tips.
The Davd Rumsey Collection is another fantastic free resource for locating historical maps. The Maps & Geography section of Cyndi’s List can guide you to additional collections and an internet search for a location and the terms “historical maps” will likely yield additional leads.
Newspapers
Historical newspapers provide another window into your ancestors' world, including details on local events that may not show up in more generic history books. The Chronicling America project of the Library of Congress allows you free access newspapers from various locations across the country, covering (non-inclusively) 1756-1963.
You can find newspapers available on a number of subscription sites, including NewspaperArchive.com, which is available as a free benefit to members of the National Genealogical Society.
Record Availability
When it comes to determining record availability, the FamilySearch Research Wiki offers a comprehensive guide to what records were created by US states, county, and districts. Search or browse the list of localities, checking records kept on the various levels of government. It will provide you with detailed information on how to locate records specific to your ancestors’ locations.
Print publications like the NGS Research In the States guides offer a state by state look at early history and settlement; repositories of note; record availability; ethnic research; relevant military collections; and religious and institutional records.
Religious Communities
Don’t overlook your ancestors’ religious communities. As mentioned above, city directories can alert you to churches, mosques, synagogues, or temples in the area where your ancestors may have worshipped. The records may also be held on a regional or national level, or they may be in the archives of the religious institution. Also check state and local archives, universities, and genealogical and historical societies for collections as well. FamilySearch has also digitized collections from many locations.
In short, digitization and finding aids available at our fingertips online can give us a walking tour of what we need to know to make that next great find. So if you’re in a bit of a rut, why not take some time and see what options are available when you take a tour of your ancestors’ neighborhoods.
