Directories at the Provincial Archives of Alberta

The Provincial Archives of Alberta holds a large collection of community directories of various types. Primarily, these include City Directories (commonly called Henderson's Directories) and Telephone Directories. Researchers should note that neither source should be considered a totally complete or exhaustive list of all residents of a community.

City Directories

City directories were published annually for Edmonton and Calgary, and generally less frequently for smaller centres.

In addition to the civic address, city directories will also indicate if someone owns or rents their residence and usually identify their occupation and employer. Note that before the 1970s, the city directories do not usually list spouses or adult children living at home. Minor children are never listed.

Province Wide: 1906-1908, 1911, 1914, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1928-29
Note that these directories do not include everyone living in every community in Alberta. The focus is on persons engaged in commerce and the professions (e.g. doctors, lawyers, and business persons).

Calgary: 1908-1953, 1954-1991, 1998

Edmonton: 1899, 1906, 1908-1987, 1998
Pre-1912 Edmonton directories normally also include the Town of Strathcona.

Grand Prairie: 1978-1996 (published annually), 1999

Lethbridge: 1914, 1917-1921, 1923, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1950-1953, 1955, 1960-1961, 1965, 1967-1969, 1971-1990, 1992-1995, 1997, 1999

Lloydminster: 1979, 1981, 1985-1994, 1996, 1998
This directory includes both Alberta and Saskatchewan residents

Medicine Hat: 1913, 1917, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1941, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1960, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971 - 1996

Red Deer: 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974 - 1977, 1980 - 1996, 1998

Wetaskiwin: 1978

Telephone Directories

Telephone directories were typically published annually and generally just listed subscribers (normally one person per household), while city directories enumerate all heads of household with a fixed address.

Rural telephone directories often covered a broad geographic area, including many smaller communities. These directories are listed below in alphabeticaly order, under the name of the largest community covered.

Community Included With Years Available
Province Wide 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911
Airdrie Airdrie - Cochrane - Olds - Three Hills 1982-1988, 1991, 1994
Athabasca Athabasca - Barrhead - Westlock 1973-1980, 1989, 1991, 1995
Banff Banff - Canmore - Lake Louise 1967-1982, 1995-1996
Barrhead Athabasca - Barrhead - Westlock 1973-1980, 1989, 1991, 1995
Barrhead Barrhead - Slave Lake 1991, 1995
Bonnyville Bonnyville - Fort McMurray - St. Paul 1971-1981, 1991, 1995
Brooks Brooks 1968-1988, 1991, 1995
Calgary Calgary 1903-1957, 1955-1966, 1982, 1984, 1986,
1988, 1990-1994, 1996-2003
Camrose Camrose - Leduc - Wetaskiwin 1971-1982, 1991, 1997
Canmore Banff - Canmore - Lake Louise 1967-1982, 1995-1996
Central District Central District 1960-1962, 1964-1966, 1970
Cochran Airdrie - Cochrane - Olds - Three Hills 1982-1988, 1991, 1994
Crowsnest Pass Crowsnest Pass - Pincher Creek 1991, 1995
Drayton Valley Drayton Valley 1971-1981, 1991, 1995
Drumheller Drumheller - Hanna 1967-1988, 1994, 2000, 2002-2004, 2005
Edmonton Edmonton 1895, 1907, 1912-1960, 1975-1976, 1978-2003
Fort McMurray Fort McMurray 1990, 1995
Fort McMurray Bonnyville - Fort McMurray - St. Paul 1971-1981, 1991, 1995
Fort Saskatchewan Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville 1971-1988
Grande Prairie Grande Prairie 1994
Hanna Drumheller - Hanna 1967-1988, 1994, 2000, 2002-2004, 2005
High River High River 1991, 1994
Lake Louise Banff - Canmore - Lake Louise 1967-1982, 1995-1996
Lakeland Regional Lakeland Regional 2008
Leduc Camrose - Leduc - Wetaskiwin 1971-1982, 1991, 1997
Lethbridge Lethbridge 1904-1980, 1999
Lloydminster Lloydminster - Wainwright 1971-1980
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat 1907-1982, 1991, 1995
Northern District Northern District 1915-1979
Olds Airdrie - Cochrane - Olds - Three Hills 1982-1988, 1991, 1994
Peace River Peace River 1923-1982
Pincher Creek Crowsnest Pass - Pincher Creek 1991, 1995
Red Deer Red Deer 1917-1982, 1991, 1994, 1998
Rocky Mountain House Rocky Mountain House 2008
Sherwood Park Sherwood Park 1991, 2006
Slave Lake Barrhead - Slave Lake 1991, 1995
Southern District Southern District 1960-1963, 1965-1966
St. Albert St. Albert 1991
St. Paul Bonnyville - Fort McMurray - St. Paul 1971-1981, 1991, 1995
Three Hills Airdrie - Cochrane - Olds - Three Hills 1982-1988, 1991, 1994
Vegreville Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville 1971-1988
Wainwright Lloydminster - Wainwright 1971-1980
Westlock Athabasca - Barrhead - Westlock 1973-1980, 1989, 1991, 1995
Wetaskiwin Camrose - Leduc - Wetaskiwin 1971-1982, 1991, 1997

Rural Atlas and Directories

In the 1920s, the Cummins Directory Company published two editions of their Rural Dictionary (1923 and 1927). This consisted of a series of maps showing the names of the landowners of each quarter-section. There is no additional biographical information. Most (but not all) of the Province is included.

In the 1990s, the Wildrose Mapping and Atlas Company published a series of rural directories for selected Counties and Municipal Districts (1991 - 1997). These identify the landowner by quarter-section and provides some biographical information submitted by him or her.

Please note that these directories do not list the residents of towns or cities located within the County or MD; only the rural residents. Also note that this list does not include trade or business directories, as these do not specifically identify individuals.

Province Wide: Cummins Rural Directory; 1923, 1927
County of Beaver (No. 9): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1995
County of Camrose (No. 22): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1992 (does not include the city of Camrose)
County of Flagstaff (No. 29): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1991
County of Lamont (No. 30): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1996
County of Minburn (No. 27): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1994
County of Newell (No. 4): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1996
County of Ponoka (No. 3): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1996
County of Paintearth (No. 18): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1993
County of Stettler (No. 6): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1992
County of Two Hills (No. 21): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1994
County of Vermillion River (No. 24): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1993
County of Vulcan (No. 2): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1997
County of Wetaskiwin (No. 10): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1997 (does not include the city of Wetaskiwin)
Kneehill (M.D. No. 48): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1995
Provost (M.D. No. 52): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1994
Starland (M.D. No. 47): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1993
Wainwright (M.D. No. 61): Rural Atlas and Directory, 1993