Directories

City Directories & Telephone Books Available On-Line

Below are links to digital images of directories covering the Oakland-Berkeley area -- some even before Berkeley officially existed.  Most are annotated to indicate where the Berkeley-specific information can be found.  Most hard copies (from the 1880s) can be located at the Central Branch and at the Berkeley Historical Society and Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.

1867 LangleyThere are many advertisements; the table of contents etc. appears on page 202.1869 StilwellThe index is on page 5, the University of California on page 10, the College of California on pages 98 - 101.1874 LangleyThe table of contents is on the digital page 31. The University of California (and those associated with it), plus the Institute of the Deaf Blind and Dumb, is located in the book pages 43 - 47.1875 BishopThe University of California is on page 40, and the Deaf Dumb and Blind Institute follows on page 42.1876-77 BishopThe University of California and associated persons are mentioned on pages 42 - 48, otherwise "Berkeley" seems to be interfiled with Oakland.1877-78 BishopThe University of California and associated persons are mentioned on pages 42 - 48, otherwise "Berkeley" seems to be interfiled with Oakland.1880-81 BishopBerkeley starts on page 5131884-85 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 6281887 HustedBerkeley starts on page 8361889-90 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 9771892-93 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 7541903 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 5441908 Husted's1909 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 9761910 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 9601911 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 9631912 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 11511913 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 11201914 Polk-Husted1915 Polk-HustedBerkeley starts on page 8721916 Polk-Husted1916 Oakland-Berkeley Telephone Directory1917 Polk-Husted1918 Polk-Husted1921 Polk-Husted1923 Polk-HustedBerkeley is interfiled with Oakland1924 Polk-HustedBerkeley is interfiled with Oakland1925 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1926 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1927 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1928 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1930 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1933 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1934 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1935 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1937 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1938 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1938 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1939 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1940 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1940 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1941 R.L. Polk & Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1943 R.L. Polk & Co.1944 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co.Berkeley is interfiled with Oakland1967 R.L. Polk & Co.Oakland only, not Berkeley1969 R.L. Polk & Co.Oakland only, not Berkeley

 

Directories in the Library

The Berkeley History Room contains many directories of current and not-so-current Berkeleyans and local businesses.

Polk's Directory of Berkeley and Nearby Areas Call Number: 917.94 P759 Directories from 1883 to 1943.

 

Blue Books Available on the Web

Blue books list the elite and/or socially active of society.

Alameda County Society Blue Book - 1889

 

Some City Directories Available at the Library or BHS

Some City Directories can ONLY be found in print in Berkeley History Room or at the Berkeley Historical Society or Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.  At the library they can be found in the Berkeley History Room under the call number 917.94 P759.  "(BHS)" denotes these years can be found at the Berkeley Historical Society. These directories include the following:

1882-1883188818911894-19021898 (BHS)1901 (BHS)1904-19071907 (BHS)1922

Business Directories in the Library

Below are links to our catalog records of many different types of resources about Berkeley businesses.

Berkeley Business Directories Mercantile Guide

 

Reverse Directories

When you know an address, but don't know who or what was there, a reverse directory can help

1938 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph

1940 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph

1944 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph

Criss-Cross Directories in the History Room (1981-Present)
Call Number: 917.94 H127o
These cover roughly from Oakland to Port Costa. Other Reverse Directories The Berkeley Historical Society has many reverse directories that cover the time periods of March 1936 and 1964-1984.

 

Some Telephone Directories Available at the Library or BHS

Some telephone directories can ONLY be found in print, in the Berkeley History Room or at the Berkeley Historical Society or Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.  When they are only located at the library they are denoted "Hist Room," and are in the Berkeley History Room under the call number 917.9466 Oa4p. "(BHS)" denotes these years can be found at the Berkeley Historical Society.  These directories include the following:

1925-1927 (BHS)19281931-1934 (BHS)1936 (BHS)19371938-1939 (BHS)1941-1942 (BHS)194319461947-1948 (BHS)194919511952 (BHS)19531954 (BHS)1955 (Hist Room)1956-1959 (BHS)1964-19671965-1966 (Hist Room)1967-19691970 (Hist Room)1971-19741975 (Hist Room)1976-19791980 (Hist Room)1981-Present