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Directories, City of San Jose and Vicinity

This collection includes city directories for San José, San Francisco, and other cities in print, on microfilm, or online as well as Haines Criss Cross directories and phone books.

About the Collection San José City Directories The San José Public Library holds all known published San José City directories from 1870-1970. However, the year ranges for each city directory on this page may include missing years. Please contact the California Room to verify that the directories you seek are available.

1870-1979 in print
1870-1960 on microfilm
1870 online
1887 online
1920 online
Covering San José Suburban for 1968-1974

Important note: The earlier San José City Directories often list other Santa Clara County cities. For exact city coverage in these directories, please see our City Directories Index. The Digital Collection The digital directories collection currently includes the San Jose City Business Sections for the years 1870-1918 as well as the complete 1870, 1887, and 1920 City Directories. For information about using images from this collection, contact the California Room. For more information about using our city directories, please visit our House and Property Research Guide. San Francisco City Directories We have San Francisco City Directories in print and/or microfilm:

1882-1982 (missing some years)

San Francisco Directories online:

San Francisco City Directory 1881-1890 (missing 1884, 1887, 1888)
San Francisco City Directory 1891-1927 (missing some years)

Other City Directories We provide the following city directories in print. The year ranges for each city directory may include missing years. Please contact the California Room to verify that the directories you seek are available.

Gilroy: 1964-1983
Los Gatos: 1956-1967
Menlo Park: 1978-1980
Morgan Hill: 1968-1983
Mountain View: 1962-1968
Palo Alto: 1938-1978
San Martin: 1970-1983
Santa Cruz: 1963-1985
Sunnyvale: 1964-1968
Watsonville: 1981-1988

City Directory Research Tips A City Directory lists the names of individuals living within a city along with their place of residence and occupation. To be listed, a person or property must have been located within city limits when the directory was issued (Large parts of present-day San José are not included in early city directories.) Before 1911 only property owners were included in directories. Beginning with the 1911 edition, the names of spouses and children over 18 were also included. Directories prior to 1913 were by surname only. In 1913, a street index was added. This feature is helpful to those researching houses, since one can look up a specific address to find all its residents. Note that street names have changed over time; for example, in 1913, 14th St. in San Jose became 17th St. A list of street name changes is available in the California Room. House numbers and parcels may change as well. Early San Jose directories include other cities in the area; the City Directories Index will help you determine coverage. A key at the front of each directory aids in deciphering symbols and abbreviations. In some of the older directories, occupation and ownership of property is listed. About Haines Criss-Cross Directories and Pacific Bell Reverse Directories These directories date from the mid-1960s. They are useful for finding out who lived in your house after 1979 when the City Directories cease publication. They can also be used for cities and unincorporated areas outside San Jose.

Newspapers and Clippings

This collection includes clipping files, scrapbooks and microfilm of area newspapers.

About the Collection San Jose Mercury News The San Jose Mercury News varied in titles over the years. It began as the Weekly Visitor, changed to the Daily Mercury, Times Mercury, San Jose Daily Mercury, San Jose Mercury Herald, then merged with the Evening News to become the San Jose Mercury, which in turn became the San Jose Mercury News. For more information about the Mercury News and its antecedents, please refer to: Historical Directory of Santa Clara County Newspapers- 1850-1972, by Jean French Wheeler, available in the California Room under REF CAL 016.0719 Wheeler Digitized Newspapers Digitized San Jose Newspapers from 1861-1922 can be found in the California Digital Newspaper Collection. The San Jose Mercury News from 1900-1985 is accessible to San Jose Public Library card holders via Newsbank. The San Jose Mercury News from 1985 to present is accessible to San Jose Public Library card holders via NewsBank. The complete run of El Excentrico, a local English/Spanish magazine published from 1949-1981, is available via our Internet Archive page. Additional historical newspapers from outside Santa Clara are accessible to San Jose Public Library card holders via Newspapers.com. Additional historical newspapers from Santa Clara county can be found in print and on microfilm at the California State Library. Newspapers on Microfilm in the California Room

California Star (1847 - 1848)
Santa Clara Register (1853 - 1853)
San Jose Daily Mercury (1861 - 1899)
San Jose Weekly Mercury (1864 - 1881)
Daily Argus (1876 - 1877)
San Jose Daily Herald (1876 - 1900)
Daily Morning Times (1879 - 1884)
Daily City Item (1884 - 1885)
San Jose News Evening Edition (1887 - 1947)
San Jose Mercury Herald (1900 - 1985)
Morning Times (1906 - 1909)
San Jose News (1973 - 1983)

SJSU holds additional area newspapers on microfilm, located on the basement level of the King Library. Clipping files Microfiche When looking for information on a particular subject prior to 1985, the San José Mercury News (1920-1979) clipping collection is available on microfiche in the California Room. Print The California Room also holds a physical collection of clippings, updated through the late 2000s. Clipping files are searchable in the California Room Index.