Tuesday, September 26, 2006

What the city directories can tell you

I'm still working on the 1900 census, so I really have no business looking at any other year until 1900 is done. But I did look at another year and this is a good project to pursue, for someone else, so feel free to steal this idea. The last census available to me is 1930. So, I'm going to have to wait a couple of years before the National Archives releases the 1940 census, but there is a way to find out who lived in the hood between 1930 and 1970, the city directories.
In the back of the city directories, there are names and businesses listed by address. So out of curiosity I picked the 1400 block of North Capitol. I was randomly looking at years and addresses but probably with the 1940 City Directory there is Catania Bakery, a grill, and another restaurant on North Cap. Actually several businesses. Got me to wondering what did the commerical corridor of North Capitol look like, pre-war, pre-riots.

2 Comments:

At 9/26/2006 3:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are the Censuses available online? I've been curious as to who lived in my house in 1900, but I haven't found anything online. Where do you find your info?

Viceroy of Lost Umbrellas.

 
At 9/26/2006 11:29 PM, Blogger Mari said...

Ancestry.com has it on-line but it will cost you. You can can get your butt over to the national archives (college park or 7&Penn) and view the digital versions from the library there. If your house is in the TC I can just tell you (send email to mari at inshaw period com).

 

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