City directories are an invaluable resource for historians, geneaologists, and building researchers, among others. They provide unique data on urban areas including individual and business addresses and telephone numbers, occupations and employers of individuals, and a classified business directory. Many also include "reverse lookup" address and telephone listings. Some also included sections detailing the history and government of the cities and states included in the directory as well as other information of interest to the businesses that were the primary audience of the books. Some early directories were segregated, presenting white and "colored" listings in separate sections or "departments."
