Montana Directories

Online Resources

 * US City Directories Montana

History
A directory is defined as a “book containing names, addresses, and occupations of inhabitants. Several types of directories have been published in the United States over the last two hundred years including: city directories, telephone directories, county and regional business directories, professional, organizational, and religious directories, post office directories, and street directories. Directories have tremendous value to genealogists as both an original record and as a reference aid.

For further information about directories in general, see United States Directories.

Libraries and Archives
The Montana Historical Society, Montana State University, and the University of Montana have some of the finest collections of Montana directories in the state.

Business Directories

 * 1868. Maguire, H.N. Historical Sketch and Essay on the Resources of Montana: Including a Business Directory of the Metropolis. Helena: Herald Book and Job Printing office, 1868. . Digital version at Google Books.


 * 1867, 1871-73, 1876-78. Langley, Henry G. comp. The Pacific Coast Business Directory: Containing the Name and Post Office Address of Each Merchant, Manufacturer and Professional Residing in the States of California, Oregon, and Nevada; the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona and Alaska; and the Colony of British Columbia. Also, a Gazetteer of the Counties, Cities and Towns, and an Exhibit of the Resources of the Pacific Coast. San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1871. . Digital version at Internet Archive.


 * 1879. Warner, Frank W. Montana Territory: History and business directory, 1879 ... Distances, fares, and altitudes, counties, towns, mining camps, commercial, mineral and agricultural interests, with a sketch of the Vigilantes. Helena: Fisk Bros., printers, [1879]..


 * 1880-81 1883-84, 1886-87. McKenney, L.M. Pacific Coast Directory. Containing names, business and address of merchants, manufacturers and professional men; county, city, state, territorial and federal officers, and notaries public, of California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia. Together with a sketch of the different cities and towns, giving description, means of support, population, Etc. San Francisco, California: L.M. McKenney &amp; Co., 1880. . Digital version at Internet Archive.


 * 1883. Steel &amp; Co. 1883-4 Montana Advertising Directory, containing a complete list of the tax-payers of Montana, showing their address and occupation, arranged alphabetically according to counties; with a directory of federal, territorial and county officers compiled from the returns of 1883. Helena: Geo. E. Boos &amp; Co., 1883. . Digital version at Internet Archive.


 * 1914. R.L. Polk and Company. Northwestern Gazetteer: Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana--Gazetteer and Business Directory. St. Paul: R.L. Polk, 1914..

Directories Online

 * Ancestry.com ($) has Montana directories in their U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 collection. The following cities are currently included: Anaconda, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Dillion, Fort Benton, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Lewistown, Livingston, Miles City, Missoula, and Whitefish.
 * Distant Cousin.com has a 1928 Butte, Montana city directory.
 * US City Directories identifies printed, microfilmed, and online directories and their repositories.
 * U.S. City Directories on Microfilm in the Microform Reading Room - Montana (Library of Congress)

Family History Library
The Family History Library has city directories for various years from throughout the state of Montana including:

Billings

1901-1935 Family History Library microfilm 1843771-1843775

1955, 1961, 1978 etc. Family History Library book 978.639 E4p

Helena

1889-1901 Family History Library microfilm 2156797-2156800

1902-1935 Family History Library microfilm 2309341-2309347

1929, 1937, 1961 etc. Family History Library book 978.66 E4p

Kalispell

1903-1934 Family History Library microfilm 2309348-2309350

1955, 1961, 1980 etc. Family History Library book 978.682 E4p

To find directories, consult the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:


 * MONTANA, [COUNTY] — DIRECTORIES
 * MONTANA, [COUNTY], [TOWN] — DIRECTORIES