Early Lansing City Directories

The street directory can be difficult to use because the numbering system used is different than today’s. Lansing’s first numbering system (used in Mudge’s) was in use from about 1867-1883. The numbers seems to run from south to north and west to east with no divisions by blocks. They did not use north, south, east or west, only Washington Ave., Michigan Ave. etc.

The second system used (about 1885-1905) was similar to today’s with north, south, east and west streets, and divisions by block, 100, 200, 300 etc. Many of these numbers in the business district are the same as today, but many in residential areas are different.

The third system, known as the Philadelphia or block plan was adopted in 1906 and is still in use today. The City required that the new numbers be posted on buildings beginning May, 1 1906 and the Post Office required them to be used on mail in place of the old numbers. This system is consistent because a number is assigned every 22 feet along the street with divisions at intersections and where intersections would be if all streets ran all the way through the city.

The old numbers are inconsistent and have to be deciphered individually; there does not seem to be a “key”. The 1868 Sanborn fire insurance map, available at the State Archives, shows the street numbers for Washington Avenue only. Later Sanborn maps (1885, 1892, 1898, 1906, 1913 and 1926), available on microfilm at the Library of Michigan, show the second and third numbering systems for some buildings. By using the Sanborn maps, other maps, atlases, plat books, property tax records and other city directories, you have a chance of locating the address you are looking for.

My compilation of the business and street directories may not be perfect but I hope that it is, “a great deal better than none, as the old maid remarked when she got a poor stick for a husband” (Lansing Republican, January 11, 1878).

Researching Lansing history can be difficult at times, but it is the challenge that makes it fun. I hope you enjoy Lansing history as much as I do.

David R. Caterino                                                                                        1867,  1873, 1878, 1883, 1894, 1904

Vermontville, Mich.

October 16, 1991                                                            Indexing for this project was completed by local researcher James M. Panetta.