City Directory, 1857

Thinking of the latest Kingstonist challenge regarding the Swamp Ward Inner Harbour History Project we thought that it would be a good time to feature one of the best resources available for any local history: the City Directory. Pictured above and below are a few pages of advertisements and listings from the 1857 Directory. This 1857 version does not have numbered street addresses but there is generally enough information to give you a sense of where the homes or offices of these individuals may have been located.
The directories would almost always include someone’s occupation and later editions of the Directory went on to list specific addresses, as well as marital status. One can read these directories through a variety of lenses, from societal trends (changing occupations) to the geographic effects of class. Many of the earlier directories are available on-line through KFPL, the InternetArchive, or Library and Archives Canada. Here in the Archives reading room we have physical copies of the Directories up until the year 2000.