Branford City Directories
Dublin Core
Title
Branford City Directories
Subject
Directories
Branford (Conn.)--Directories
Description
Branford city directories were started in 1895, published by Price and Lee Company of New Haven until 1978 and afterwards by other companies. They were intended as a resource for businesses and local government and were not published every year. The directories list the names of those living in town, addresses, occupation, and place of business; also included are advertisements, names of streets, government, social groups, and church information. Starting in 1928 there is an alphabetical street index in the back with street numbers and occupants. A pull out map by Price and Lee was included starting in 1928, these maps are often missing from the directories. Wives names were not included until that year. The directory may list a marriage for a woman, if someone moved to another town and death dates. There were no city directories for the town of North Branford until 1960 when the information was included in the Branford directory.
The city directories are very useful for tracking a family chronologically in a town- when they first came, where they lived, if they left, and other family information. The directory should be used in conjunction with maps, land records, and census. The directories did not always collect data accurately on newly arriving immigrants, particularly men coming to work in Branford that were either unmarried or did not bring their families.
Cultural patterns can be ascertained by following the directories chronologically; for example, there was an increase in the number of marriages during World War II. In the early 1900s many families removed from Branford to New Haven, probably to be closer to a place of employment. After World War II families moved to East Haven and North Branford as those towns were developing during the post World War II period with affordable housing. During the mid to late 1950s there is a slowing of this movement out of town as families settled into suburban areas.
The James Blackstone Memorial Library has the only full set of Branford Directories. A few appear on-line from various genealogy vendors.
Blackstone Library owns the following years:
1895, 1897
1900, 1904, 1909
1913, 1917
1920, 1925, 1926, 1928
1930, 1932, 1936, 1939
1942, 1946
1950, 1953, 1958
1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
1970, 1971, 1973, 1974. 1976, 1977, 1978
1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999
2000 - present
- Jane Peterson Bouley
The city directories are very useful for tracking a family chronologically in a town- when they first came, where they lived, if they left, and other family information. The directory should be used in conjunction with maps, land records, and census. The directories did not always collect data accurately on newly arriving immigrants, particularly men coming to work in Branford that were either unmarried or did not bring their families.
Cultural patterns can be ascertained by following the directories chronologically; for example, there was an increase in the number of marriages during World War II. In the early 1900s many families removed from Branford to New Haven, probably to be closer to a place of employment. After World War II families moved to East Haven and North Branford as those towns were developing during the post World War II period with affordable housing. During the mid to late 1950s there is a slowing of this movement out of town as families settled into suburban areas.
The James Blackstone Memorial Library has the only full set of Branford Directories. A few appear on-line from various genealogy vendors.
Blackstone Library owns the following years:
1895, 1897
1900, 1904, 1909
1913, 1917
1920, 1925, 1926, 1928
1930, 1932, 1936, 1939
1942, 1946
1950, 1953, 1958
1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
1970, 1971, 1973, 1974. 1976, 1977, 1978
1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999
2000 - present
- Jane Peterson Bouley
Collection Items
View all 6 items
Collection Tree
- Branford City Directories