Lecture Hall - Exploring City Directories

February 26, 2026 7PM ET

City directories are indispensable locating tools for genealogists, but they go far beyond connecting an ancestor to a certain place in time.  They lead to a multitude of sources, contain information of genealogical value beyond the individual listings, and present a fuller picture of ancestors’ lives.  

In this Lecture Hall session you will learn:

• A brief history of city directories: who’s in them, what their original purpose was, when and where they were published
• Entries in city directories: what they might reveal about your relatives
• Clues in individual entries: what additional records they may lead you to
• Entries across time: How a series of chronological directory entries can reveal family stories
• How other parts of directories might help your research: Using crisscross listings, entries for businesses associated with your relatives, and supplemental materials
• Where to find city directories: Enormous online collections, plus how to find specific directories you need (offline or online)
• Search and browse tips for online directories
  

About the instructor:

As a genealogy researcher and creator of the Are You My Cousin? blog, Lisa Lisson takes the overwhelm out of genealogy research and keeps researchers moving forward finding their ancestors. Whether researching ancestors alongside clients or writing how-to articles and books, Lisa uses her 12 years of research experience to help others build a solid research plan, find the needed genealogy records, and get the most out of those resources. When not working with clients or writing genealogy articles, Lisa can be found pursuing her passion for running, traveling with her husband or simply enjoying time with her two adult children.