City Directories: Family Mobility
City directories can help researchers trace the movement of a family throughout a given time period. The directories allow the researcher to see if a family moves from place to place or if they stay at the same address. They also show who moved into and out of a community and in what years.
Scroll down for activities related to these directory pages
1898-99 Charleston City Directory
1902 Charleston City Directory
Look at the two city directories shown above. Answer the following questions based on the information you see in the directories. For the 1898 directory, use the listings between W. O. Albertson and Evaline Alvey. For the 1902 directory, use the listings between W. O. Albertson and Mrs. Kate Alvey.
1) How many of the same individuals are listed in both directories?
2) How many new residents are listed in 1902?
3) Of the people listed in both directories, how many live at the same address? How many live at a different address?
4) Would you expect to find similar statistics if you looked at more modern directories? What differences might you find?
