Kent County, Michigan Online Historical Directories

Expand your research by checking out the Michigan Online Historical Newspapers here.




Links to directories at Ancestry are to the images themselves, which are browsable. Non-subscribers will not be able to view these. Non-subscribers can, however, use the search engine and see a listing of possible results (but no images or further details). To search by name, directory, year, or keyword, go to Ancestry's U.S. City Directories search engine. For more information on how to access subscription websites, read Number 5 on my FAQs page.

In order to view directories at Historic Map Works, you must register (for free). This will give you 10 free credits allowing you to view 10 directories on the site. After you have used your 10 credits, you may either purchase more in increments of $10.00 each (each credit is worth 10 cents), or by purchasing a monthly subscription of $29.95 or a yearly one of $249.95. More info on rates is available here, and a list of available directories is here (viewable once you've registered).


1850s - 1860s

 - transcribed


Grand Rapids City Directory, Williams, 1859-60 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)

 - transcribed portion of business directory section only


Grand Rapids City Directory, French & Ryan, 1865 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)



Grand Rapids City Directory, Dudley & Goldsmith, 1868-9 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)







 - another copy

 - a third copy

 - a fourth copy

 - a fifth copy

 - a sixth copy

 - a seventh copy



 - transcribed

Grand Rapids Business Directory, unknown, 1872 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


Grand Rapids City Directory, Godfrey/Dillenback, 1872-3 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


Grand Rapids City Directory, Burch, Polk, & Co., 1873-4 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)

 - includes business directories for Cedar Springs, Sand Lake, Rockford, and Sparta

 - includes business directories for Cedar Springs, Sand Lake, Rockford, and Sparta    


Grand Rapids City Directory, Murphy & Co., 1875-6 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)



Kent County Atlas, Beldin, 1876 - $ (Ancestry)
 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - contains patrons directory in the back




Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1879-80 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)



Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1880-1 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1881-2 - $ (Ancestry)



Grand Rapids City and Kent County Directory, Polk, 1886-7 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)

 - transcription of churches, newspapers, public halls and buildings, school districts, miscellaneous societies, and benevolent and secret societies ONLY

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1887 - $ (Ancestry)

Grand Rapids City and Kent County Directory, Polk, 1888 - $ (Ancestry)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1889 - $ (Ancestry)
 - searchable database only; no images
 - part of the 1890 Census Substitute Collection

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1889 - $ (Ancestry)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1889 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


1890s

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1890 - $ (Ancestry)
 - searchable database only; no images
 - part of the 1890 Census Substitute Collection



Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1891 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Kolts, 1891-2 - Free (Internet Archive)




 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names

 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - another database


Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1895 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)





Grand Rapids City and Kent County Directory, Polk, 1898 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)



1900s




Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1902 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1903 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)
 - vol. 1 of 2





 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - contains patrons directory in the back

 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - contains patrons directory in the back
 - another version, in color
 - use the filmstrip view at the bottom of the image to scroll through the pages, as each page has been added as an individual collection, rather than the complete book

Kent County Atlas, Ogle, 1907 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)
 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - contains patrons directory in the back

Kent County Atlas, Ogle, 1907 - Free (Internet Archive)
 - contains images of township maps with landowners' names
 - contains patrons directory in the back




1910s



Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1911 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)






Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1916 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)




Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1919 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


1920s


Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1920 - Free (FamilySearch Books)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1920 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)



Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1922 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1923 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)


Grand Rapids Street Directory, White, 1924 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)




Grand Rapids Furniture Market Directory, Mead, 1928 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)









Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1936 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Godwin Heights, Home Acres, Kelloggsville, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1937 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Godwin Heights, Home Acres, Kelloggsville, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids Street Directory, White, 1937 - Free (Hathi Trust Digital Library)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1939 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Godwin Heights, Home Acres, Kelloggsville, North Park, and Wyoming Park


1940s

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1940 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Godwin Heights, Home Acres, Kelloggsville, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1941 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Beverly, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Godwin Heights, Home Acres, Kelloggsville, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1942 - $ (Ancestry)

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1943-4 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes East Grand Rapids; appears to be incomplete

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1945-6 - $ (Ancestry)
 - appears to be listings by address only; appears to be incomplete

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1946 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes East Grand Rapids

 - includes Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, and North Park

 - includes Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, North Park, and Wyoming Park


1950s - 1960s

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1951 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, North Park, and Wyoming Park


Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1953 - $ (Ancestry)
 - appears to be listings by address only; appears to be incomplete

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1954 - $ (Ancestry)
 - includes Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, North Park, and Wyoming Park

Grand Rapids City Directory, Polk, 1955 - $ (Ancestry)
 - appears to be listings by address only; appears to be incomplete and pages out of order

 - includes Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, North Park, and Wyoming Park


 - appears to be incomplete



Are the directories you're looking for not available online?
Check out WorldCat to find printed or microfilmed directories for Grand Rapids and Kent County.
They may be available through inter-library loan, or the library that holds them may be able to do lookups and send you copies of pertinent pages.

The Library of Congress holds a number of Michigan business, city, reverse (crisscross and street address), telephone, and other directories.
Learn how to access these materials in person in Washington, D.C. through this link, or via a researcher here.



Created 8 May 2009.

Last updated 19 July 2019.

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