The Madison Public Library reports that it has expanded its online collection of Madison City Directories. Coverage now spans from 1850-1911. The collection also contains historical county plat maps from South Central Wisconsin.
In addition to their usefulness for historians and genealogists, these plat maps and city directories are also an important resource for legal researchers seeking historical land use and ownership information.
City directories provide an alphabetical list of citizens with their addresses and occupations, a classified business directory, lists of city and county officials, churches, schools, societies, streets and wards. See, for example, the following entries from the 1911 for Robert M. La Follette’s home, law firm and magazine.
