Company History Research in Virginia

Directories are often the best place to begin researching a company. Directories list the name and address of companies. Additionally, some directories list the names of major officers, the dates that the company was incorporated or began operating, and whether a business was a subsidiary or a division of a larger entity.

By examining Virginia city directories, you can often learn where a business was located, names of individuals associated with the business, and company names used over time.

• Business and Professional Directory of Eastern Virginia. Richmond: Young & Company, 1899/1900–1903/04. Annual.
  Call number: F224.7 E13

• Business Directory and Mercantile Register: Washington, Richmond and Norfolk. Richmond: Commercial Directory, 1903/04.
  Call number: F224.7 B9
  Also includes Alexandria, Berkley, Fredericksburg, Hampton, Manchester, Newport News, Petersburg, and Portsmouth, VA as well as Frederick, Hagerstown, Hyattsville, and Rockville, MD.

• Business Directory of the Principal Cities and Villages of Virginia. Richmond: B. Bates, 1873/74.
  Call number: F224.7 B92

• Elliott and Nye’s Virginia Directory and Business Register for 1852. Richmond: Elliott and Nye, 1852.
  Call number: F224.7 V833

• Virginia Business Directory. Omaha, NE: American Business Directories, 1988–2008/09. Annual.
  Call number: HF5065 V8 V58

• Virginia Business Directory and Gazetteer. Richmond: Hill Directory, 1906–17. Annual. (Select years digitized)
  Call number: F224.7 V8

Previous titles:
Virginia State Gazetteer and Business Directory. Richmond: J. L. Hill Printing, 1897/98. Biennial.
Chataigne’s Virginia Gazetteer and Classified Business Directory. Richmond: J. H. Chataigne, 1884/85–1893/94. Biennial.
Chataigne’s Virginia Business Directory and Gazetteer. Richmond: Baughman Brothers, 1880/81. Biennial.
Virginia Business Directory and Gazetteer, and Richmond City Directory. Richmond: J. W. Randolph & English, 1877/78. Biennial.

• Virginia State Business Directory, 1871–72. Richmond: B. Bates, 1871/72.
  Call number: F224.7 V83

• Directory of Virginia Industries. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1936, 1946–1947. Annual.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V86

• Directory of Virginia Manufacturers. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1948.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V861

• Directory of Virginia Manufacturing and Mining. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1949/50–1963/64. Biennial.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V862

• Harris Virginia Industrial Directory. New York: Mergent Inc., 2012–. Annual.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V866

Previous title:
Virginia Industrial Directory. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1981–2011.

• Industrial Directory of Manufacturing in Virginia. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1967/68. Biennial.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V864

• Industrial Directory of Virginia. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1969/1970–1978/1979. Biennial (irregular).
  Call number: HC107 V8 V865

• Industrial Directory of Virginia Manufacturing and Mining. Richmond: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, 1965/66. Biennial.
  Call number: HC107 V8 V863

• Official Directory – Virginia Bank Association. Richmond: Richmond Virginia Bankers Association, 1975/76–1979/80. Annual.
  Call number: HG1507 V83

• Virginia Bank Directory. Norcross, GA: McFadden Business Publications, 1980–1981, 1986. Semiannual.
  Call number: HG1507 V832

• Virginia Insurance Report. Richmond: Virginia Bureau of Insurance, 1906/07–1950/51. Annual.
  Call number: HG8511 V8 A4
  In addition to fire, life, and casualty insurance companies, this publication includes fraternal orders.

• Virginia Manufacturers Directory. Evanston, IL: Manufacturers’ News, 1998–. Annual.
  Call number: HF5065 V8 V57

• Directory of Negro Businesses in Virginia. Hampton: Extension Department, Hampton Institute, 1940.
  Call number: HF5065 N8 H2

• Minority Vendors Listing. Richmond: Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise, 1995–2000. Quarterly.
  Call number: HD2346 U52 V8

Previous titles:
Directory of Minority-Owned Businesses. 1989, 1992.
Minority-Owned Businesses in Virginia. 1983–1986.
Virginia Directory of Minority-Owned Businesses. 1975, 1978, 1980.

• Bank Directory. Skokie, IL: Accuity, 2006/07–2007. Semiannual.
  Call number: HG2441 R3

Previous titles:
Thomson Bank Directory. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1991–1996/7, 2000–2001/2. Semiannual.
Thomson/Polk Bank Directory. Skokie, IL: Thomson Financial Pub, 1997/98–1999/2000. Semiannual.
Rand McNally International Bankers Directory. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1955–1986. Semiannual.
Rand McNally Bankers Directory. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1929–1954, 1987–1990. Semiannual.

• Directory of Corporate Affiliations. Skokie, IL: National Register Publishing. 1980–2008. Annual.
  Call number: HG4057 A219

• Directory of Obsolete Securities. Jersey City, NJ: Financial Information, 1983–2002. Annual.
  Call number: HG4961 D56
  Compiles information published starting in 1927. Profiles publicly traded companies and banks whose original identities have disappeared for reasons such as a name change, merger, or dissolution.

• Hoover’s Handbook of American Business. Austin, TX: Reference Press, 1991–2009. Annual.
  Call number: HG4057 A2

• Mergent Manuals / Moody Manuals
  For a guide to these manuals, see the publication Moody’s (Mergent) Manuals at the Library of Virginia (Call number: HG4901 F45).

• Smythe, R. M. Obsolete American Securities and Corporations. New York: R. M. Smythe, 1904. 
  Call number: HG4927 S6

• Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives. New York: Standard & Poor’s, 1988–2007. Annual.
  Call number: HG4057 A4

• Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and Thomas Register Catalog File. New York: Thomas Publishing, 1905/06–2006. Annual. (select years digitized)
  Call number: T12 T45

• Ward’s Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1988–2009. Annual.
  Call number: HG4057 A59

• Best’s Insurance Reports. New York: Alfred M. Best Co., 1903/04, 1905/06.
  Call number: HG9655 B5

• Best’s Insurance Reports (Casualty and Surety) […]. New York: Alfred M. Best. 1914/15–1942/43. Annual.
  Call number: HG9956 B5

• Best’s Insurance Reports: Fire and Marine. New York: Alfred M. Best, 1906/7–1942/43. Annual.
  Call number: HG9655 B5

• Best’s Insurance Reports: Life-Health. Oldwick, NJ: A.M. Best, 1983–2010. Annual.
  Call number: HG8943 B3

Previous titles:
Best’s Life Insurance Reports. New York: A.M. Best, 1912/13–1942/43. Annual.
Best’s Insurance Reports: Life. New York: Best Reporting, 1906/07–1911/12. Annual.

• Cyclopedia of Insurance in the United States. New York: Index Publishing, 1898/99–1965. Annual. (select years digitized)
  Call number: HG8523 C9

• The Spectator Insurance Year Book. Philadelphia, PA: The Spectator, 1901/02–1928/29, 1934/35, 1940/41–1942/43. (select years digitized)
  Call number: HG8523 S7