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.

Gopsill's Directory of Reading, Allentown, Easton, Pottsville and Bethlehem 1864-5
(James Gopsill, 1864, 272 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of five major cities of eastern Pennsylvania for the year 1864-65. The cities covered include Reading (Berks County), Allentown (Lehigh County), Easton (Northampton County), Pottsville (Schuylkill County), and Bethlehem (Lehigh / Northampton County). The information is arranged alphabetically listing the resident's name, occupation and street address. The directory also included a number of ads for local business of the same areas.

Boyd's Directory of Pottsville 1871-72 (W. Harry Boyd, 1871, 343 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA for the year 1871-72. This publication also includes a business directory of several principal towns in Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Schuylkill Counties. The directory information for Pottsville includes the primary resident's (or business') name, occupation and street address. The business directory information includes the name of the business or businessman, trade, and street address.

Business Directory Information:
Ashland, Girardsville, Hamburg, Mahanoy City, Minersville, Norristown, Phoenixville, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Pottstown, Reading, Schuylkill Have, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua, Tremont

Boyd's Pottsville Directory 1879-1880 (W. Harry Boyd, 1879, 220 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA for the year 1879-80. This publication also includes a business directory of several of the principal towns in Schuylkill County. The directory information includes the primary resident's (or business') name, occupation and street address. The business directory information includes the name of the business or businessman, trade, and street address.

Business Directory Information:
Ashland, Frackville, Girardsville, Mahanoy City, Manahoy Plane, Minersville, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua, Tremont

Boyd's Directory of Pottsville 1905-07 (Including Yorkville,
Palo Alto, Mt. Carbon and Mechanicsville) (H. W. Boyd Co., 1905, 388 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for the years 1905-07. The directory information is present in several ways; first, is a classified business directory listing businesses alphabetically by trade for the Pottsville area. Next is the residential directory which lists residents and businesses alphabetically and provides the name of the primary resident, occupation, and street address. Lastly, there is also a business directory of surrounding towns, including: Ashland, Cressona, Frackville, Girardville, Gordon, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Plane, McAdoo, Minersville, Orwigsburg, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua and Tremont.

Boyd's Directory of Pottsville 1907-1909 (Including Yorkville,
Palo Alto, Mt. Carbon and Mechanicsville) (H. W. Boyd Co., 1907, 398 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for the years 1907-1909. The directory information is present in several ways; first, is a classified business directory listing businesses alphabetically by trade for the Pottsville area. Next is the residential directory which lists residents and businesses alphabetically and provides the name of the primary resident, occupation, and street address. Lastly, there is also a business directory of surrounding towns, including: Ashland, Cressona, Frackville, Girardville, Gordon, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Plane, McAdoo, Minersville, Orwigsburg, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua and Tremont.

Boyd's Pottsville City Directory 1926-1928 [Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon & Palo Alto] (R. L. Polk & Co., 1926, 548 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for the year 1926-1928. The directory information is present in several ways; first, the regular directory lists residents and businesses alphabetically and provides the name of the primary resident, occupation, mate's name and street address. Next is a classified business directory listing businesses alphabetically by trade for the same area. Lastly, there is also a business directory of surrounding towns, including: Ashland, Cressona, Frackville, Girardville, Gordon, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Plane, Minersville, Orwigsburg, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua and Tremont.

Boyd's Pottsville Directory 1928-1929 (Including Palo Alto,
Mt. Carbon and Mechanicsville) (H. W. Boyd Co., 1928, 512 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for the year 1928-1929. The directory information is present in several ways; first, the regular directory lists residents and businesses alphabetically and provides the name of the primary resident, occupation, mate's name and street address. Next is a classified business directory listing businesses alphabetically by trade for the same area. Lastly, there is also a business directory of surrounding towns, including: Ashland, Cressona, Frackville, Girardville, Gordon, Mahanoy City, Mahanoy Plane, Minersville, Orwigsburg, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, St. Clair, Tamaqua and Tremont.

Boyd's Pottsville City Directory 1936-37 [Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon & Palo Alto] (R. L. Polk & Co., 1936, 460 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for the year 1936-1937. The directory information is present in several ways; first, the regular directory lists residents and businesses alphabetically and provides the name of the primary resident, occupation, mate's name and street address. Next is a classified business directory listing businesses alphabetically by trade for the same area.

Boyd's Pottsville City Directory 1941 [Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon & Palo Alto] (R. L. Polk & Co., 1941, 586 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottville and vicinity, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania for 1941. The residential directory lists 1,000's of residents and businesses from the area, providing the resident's (or business) name, mate's name, occupation, and street address. Following this is a numeric street directory, listing residences and businesses according to street address, which also includes telephone numbers for those locations which had the service. Next is a classified business directory, listing businesses alphabetically by trade and providing the name and street address for each.

Boyd's Pottsville City Directory 1953 (Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon and Palo Alto) (R. L. Polk & Co., 1953, 552 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and surrounding areas, Schuylkill County, PA for 1953. The residential directory lists 1,000's of residents and businesses from the area, providing the resident's (or business) name, mate's name, occupation, and street address. Following this is a classified business directory, listing businesses alphabetically by trade and providing the name and street address for each. After this is a numerical street directory listing residents and businesses by street number. This directory also includes telephone numbers for those households which had them. Finally, there is a separate telephone directory for Pottsville and vicinity, listing simply the name and telephone number for each location.

Polk's Pottsville City Directory 1955 (Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon and Palo Alto) (R. L. Polk & Co., 1955, 544 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and surrounding areas, Schuylkill County, PA for 1955. The residential directory lists 1,000's of residents and businesses from the area, providing the resident's (or business) name, mate's name, occupation, and street address. Following this is a classified business directory, listing businesses alphabetically by trade and providing the name and street address for each. After this is a numerical street directory listing residents and businesses by street number. This directory also includes telephone numbers for those households which had them. Finally, there is a separate telephone directory for Pottsville and vicinity, listing simply the name and telephone number for each location.

Polk's Pottsville City Directory 1958 [Including Mechanicsville,
Mt. Carbon & Palo Alto] (R. L. Polk & Co., 1958, 556 pages)
This is a resident and business directory of Pottsville and surrounding areas, Schuylkill County, PA for 1958. The publication starts with the classified business directory, listing businesses alphabetically by trade. Next, the residential directory lists 1,000's of residents and businesses from the area, providing the resident's (or business) name, mate's name, occupation, and street address. After this is a numerical street directory listing residents and businesses by street number. This directory also includes telephone numbers for those households which had them. Finally, there is a separate telephone directory for Pottsville and vicinity, listing simply the name and telephone number for each location.