This is a collection of various historical and genealogical reference works on Pennsylvania. These references cover 1000's of individuals, and are an excellent way to start or continue research focused on PA.

This material was scanned from original publications and will be provided as text searchable PDFs (unless noted in description). These files can be read using many PDF reader programs (Windows / Mac / Linux), however Adobe Reader or Acrobat are recommended.

The Business Directory of Harrisburg, Lancaster, Columbia & York and the
Rural Adjacent Villages for 1858-'59 (Wallace & Phillips, 1858, 108 pages)
This is an early business directory of southeastern PA, covering the major towns and cities of Dauphin, Lancaster, and York Counties. The listings are arranged by town, and are alphabetized by trade. There are also numerous ads for local businesses throughout. The towns covered are: Columbia, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Marietta, Middletown, Mount Joy, Wrightsville and York.

Boyd's Business Directory of the Counties of Adams, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin,
Delaware, Franklin, Lancaster, Montgomery and York, PA. together with a General Directory
of all the Inhabitants of Harrisburg 1860 (William H. Boyd, 1860, 326 pages)
This is an early resident directory of Harrisburg, and business directory of 10 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. The directory of Harrisburg lists the resident's name, occupation, street address and whether they board or own the home. The business directory is arranged alphabetically by trade and lists the name of the business or business-person, and their location (Town). Along with the directory listings, there are also numerous ads for local businesses.

Gopsill's Directory of Lancaster, Harrisburg, Lebanon and York 1863-4
(James Gopsill, 1863, 428 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of the cities of Harrisburg, [Dauphin County], Lancaster [Lancaster County], Lebanon [Lebanon County], and York [York County], PA for the year 1863-64. The directory lists residents and businesses alphabetically by city, and includes the name of the resident, their occupation and street address. At the end of the publication there is an appendix for each city listing further useful information such as county and borough officers, schools with teachers' names, banks with employee's names, churches and their clergymen, etc.

Directory of Harrisburg and towns on the Cumberland Valley Railroad
for 1869 (Seltzer & Thome, 1869, 376 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of the city of Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., PA for the year 1869, and also a business directory of the rest of Dauphin County and several towns on the Cumberland Valley Railroad from Harrisburg to Hagerstown, MD. The directory information includes the resident's or business' name, occupation and address. Following the Harrisburg City directory is the business directory of Dauphin County, arranged alphabetically by trade. And following this is the business directory of the Cumberland Valley Railroad including the towns of Carlisle, Chambersburg, Greencastle, Hagerstown [MD], Mechanicsburg, Newville, Shippensburg and Shiremanstown.

1887 Harrisburg, PA. Business Directory (Joseph Rippey & Co., 1887, 63 pages)
This publication is a business directory of the city of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA for 1887. It begins with a list of State, Local and City officials as well as officers of the city's various fire departments, schools, societies and other institutions. The directory information is organized alphabetically by trade and notes the name of the business or businessman and their street address. As with most directories of the time, there are also numerous ads for local businesses interspersed throughout.

Harrisburg City Directory - 1890 (W. Harry Boyd, 1890, 406 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA for 1890. The information is arranged alphabetically listing the resident's name, occupation and street address. This was part of a larger directory, but includes only the section on Harrisburg. Directories of this era are useful as replacements of the Federal Census of 1890, which was destroyed, making this an excellent resource for historical or genealogical research.

Boyd's Directory of Harrisburg and Steelton - 1893
(W. Harry Boyd, 1893, 609 pages)
This is a directory of Harrisburg and Steelton, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1893. The directory lists residents as well as businesses within the cities, providing the resident (or business) name, occupation, and street address for each. This directory also contains the map of Harrisburg and Steelton.

Boyd's Directory of Harrisburg and Steelton - 1895
(W. Harry Boyd, 1895, 619 pages)
This is a directory of Harrisburg and Steelton, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1895. The directory lists residents as well as businesses within the cities, providing the resident (or business) name, occupation, and street address for each. This directory also contains the map of Harrisburg and Steelton.

1902 Boyd's Directory of Harrisburg and Steelton
(W. H. Boyd Co., 1902, 776 pages)
This is a directory of Harrisburg and Steelton, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1895. The directory lists residents as well as businesses within the cities, providing the resident (or business) name, occupation, and street address for each. This directory also contains the map of Harrisburg and Steelton.

1926 Boyd's Harrisburg Directory Including Steelton and Penbrook
(W. H. Boyd Co., 1926, 986 pages)
This is a resident and business directory for the region of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1926. The directory first covers Harrisburg, but also the nearby boroughs of Steelton and Penbrook. The directory lists 1000's of residents and businesses within these towns, giving the primary resident's (or business') name, primary residents mate's name, occupation, and street address for each.

1935 Boyd's Harrisburg Directory Including Steelton and Penbrook
(R. L. Polk & Co., 1935, 850 pages)
This is a resident and business directory for the region of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1935 The directory first covers Harrisburg, but also the nearby boroughs of Steelton and Penbrook. The directory lists 1000's of residents and businesses within these towns, giving the primary resident's (or business') name, primary residents mate's name, occupation, and street address for each.

1936-37 Polk's Greater Harrisburg City Directory
(R. L. Polk & Co., 1936, 884 pages)
This is a resident and business directory for the region of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1936-37. The directory first covers Harrisburg, but also the nearby boroughs of Paxtang, Penbrook, Progress and Steelton. The directory lists 1000's of residents and businesses within these towns, giving the primary resident's (or business') name, primary residents mate's name, occupation, and street address for each.

1947 Polk's Greater Harrisburg City Directory
(R. L. Polk & Co., 1947, 1540 pages)
This is a resident and business directory for Harrisburg and Steelton, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1947. The directory lists 1000's of residents and businesses within these towns, giving the primary resident's (or business') name, primary residents mate's name, occupation, and street address for each. After the resident directory there is a separate classified business directory arranged according to trade. After this is a numeric street directory, listing residents and businesses by street number. This section also includes telephone numbers for households and businesses which had them. Following that section, there is a Rural Route directory of the areas surrounding Greater Harrisburg, and finally a numeric telephone directory of the region.

1949 Polk's Greater Harrisburg City Directory
(R. L. Polk & Co., 1949, 1668 pages)
This is a resident and business directory for Harrisburg and Steelton, Dauphin County, PA for the year 1949. The directory lists 1000's of residents and businesses within these towns, giving the primary resident's (or business') name, primary residents mate's name, occupation, and street address for each. After the resident directory there is a separate classified business directory arranged according to trade. After this is a numeric street directory, listing residents and businesses by street number. This section also includes telephone numbers for households and businesses which had them. Following that section, there is a Rural Route directory of the areas surrounding Greater Harrisburg, and finally a numeric telephone directory of the region.