Directories at the Boston Public Library: Business Directories
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This page is intended to highlight historical business directories particularly in Boston, Massachusetts or the New England area, and currently lists mainly online resources.
Business directories listed in this section include mainly business information. However, general city directories also usually include business listings and are another good way to find a company or information about an industry.
Boston Business Directories
- 1853: Bostoniad giving a Full description of the principal establishments, Together with the most honorable and substantial business men in the Athens of America
- 1866 & 1869 Boston Business Directory Title for 1869 edition is Metropolitan business directory of Boston and vicinity.
- Boston Businesses 50 years or older (1930) The 1930 Boston Directory published a special section listing businesses in Boston that had been in business for 50 years or more. “A List of Boston Individuals, Firms and Corporations Who Have Been in Business Fifty Years or More, compiled for the 1930 Tercentenary Edition of the Boston City Directory,” listing the present firm name, year founded, founded by, original and subsequent names of business, original location, and special facts of interest.
- Guide to Boston employers, 1979-1980Published by the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, Boston, Kevin H. White, Mayor,; ..a directory of employers in Boston arranged by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) number (type of activity); gives name, address and number of employees for each firm; contains some corrections and hand written comments; includes some firms outside of Boston proper; this item was in the BRA collection..
Massachusetts Business Directories and Statistics online
- Massachusetts Register, 1767 - 1796 Includes state and county officers, business enterprises within the state and other useful information. Early editions have mostly governmental information.
- Pocket Almanack, 1779 - 1800 Also called Fleets Pocket Almanack. Includes state and county officers, business enterprises within the state and other useful information. Early editions have mostly governmental information.
- 1835: The Massachusetts directoryThis directory is not a typical business directory, but does have some business related information and contains other useful information,
- 1850 - 1851 Massachusetts State Directory Classified business directory for whole state. Courtesy Boston Public Library via Internet Archive
- 1899 - Massachusetts year book and business directory of every town and city in the state, part 1 to Lawrence, June 1899 Also a complete roster of city and town officers, population, valuation, debt, tax rate, national and state governments, county officers, courts, banks, insurance companies, railroads, newspapers, and general statistics relating to the commonwealth.
- Annual Statistics of Manufactures, 1887-1899 Published by the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor
- 1900-1919 Annual Statistics of Manufactures Published by the Massachusetts Bureau of the Statistics of Labor
- 1922: Directory of Massachusetts manufacturers, issued under the editorial supervision of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Published by Sampson & Murdock Company
- Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester counties, 1887 Leading manufacturers and merchants of central and western Massachusetts. . Historical and descriptive review of the industrial enterprises of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire, and Franklin counties
- Bristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, 1887 Leading manufacturers and merchants of eastern Massachusetts : historical and descriptive review of the industrial enterprises of Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk, and Middlesex Counties
- Bristol and Norfolk Counties directory, 1900 -1901 Anthony's Standard Business Directory and Reference Book covering 16 selected towns via Internet Archive
- Bristol County Directories, 1875 - 1885 Includes 1875-76, 1878, 1885 via Internet Archive
- Essex County Directory, 1866 via Internet Archive
- Essex County Directory, 1873 via Internet Archive
- Essex County Directory, 1884-85 via Internet Archive
Massachusetts Business Directories Online - Cities & Towns
New England Business Directories
Industry specific directories
- Swine - Blue Book of the Hampshire Breed, 1920Swine Industry directory which mimics other well known directories
Boston Business Directory 1879 title page
Massachusetts Industries 1887 cover image
Related Guides
1887 title page image from Leading manufacturers and merchants in Eastern Massachusetts
