Polk detroit

The directory is a pre-Depression, pre-Expressway look at Detroit when most of our ancestors had already arrived here. It's not searchable by name, only address. So, you could just look up the name in the Polk, find the address, and plug that in the census search.

Instant success! I've asked the InfoGroup to contact the library directly to assure them there would be no legal problems to re-posting the directory online.

However, a word from you, members of DetroitYes , would go a long way in showing the U of M what an important resource this is to us. Kindly email them and ask that the R. Hopefully, we can get the directory back online again soon. March, PM 2.

When is "Public Domain" not really public? Here is the response I received from the University of Michigan: Thank you for your message. You are correct in noting that this volume was previously available to the general public. As this material is migrating to HathiTrust in the near future, we recently changed access to match what is found there.

While some titles, like this one, became more restricted, many more opened up because of the copyright research done for HathiTrust. I will pass this on to our Copyright Office. I told them that the gov't made the Census public with no restrictions So, if anybody sees it up and running, please let us know. March, AM 3. Join Date Mar Posts 3, United States Census reports are confidential for 72 years. The census was released in The census will be released in March, PM 4.

Join Date Mar Posts March, PM 5. Join Date Apr Posts 4, Thank you for fighting this fight Kathy. I noticed that the Directory was no longer available to public access about a week ago when I went to confirm some information, and emailed the U of M Library. I'm glad to see that you at least got a response.

I will contact them again at the address you provided above. The U of M Library has apparently been reconfiguring a lot of their online historical collections.

Their wonderful online collection of photos from the Burton Historical Collection, which was an amazing resource full of large format photos of 19th and early 20th century Detroit and Michigan, has also been "retired" without warning. They now refer you to the DPL's own Burton site, which does have many photos online, but nowhere near the breadth that was available through the U of M Library's site.

I hope the map and atlas collections, which are also an invaluable resource to anyone interested in local history, stay up and open to the public. They have so far, but I definitely have my fears. Along with the extreme diminution of Wayne State's "Virtual Motor City" site of historic 20th century photos [[I'm told "unofficially" that the culprit there was the Detroit News' legal dept.

March, PM 6. Originally Posted by wilderness. They've obviously not heard of 'the Sonny Bono Act', which extended the years. March, AM 7. I was wondering if i was the only one who cared about this. I just wanted to find the house where my aunt was born, and I'm still determined to do it, one way or another. I was not aware of the photos in the Burton Collection also being suppressed. I am very unhappy about this. It's one thing to not make our Detroit history available to the descendants of those that made it happen.

But to first make it readily available, and then to take it away, is nothing short of unconscionable. They already opened Pandora's box; it was already out there What good is chronicling it all "for posterity" when "posterity" is forbidden from accessing it?

I understand The Detroit News charging for editorial access to news stories; they're a business, after all. Plus, the universities are tax-payer, tuition and alumni funded entities.

Aren't they supposed to be "educators"? To deny us our history is to deny us the knowledge that is the link to ourselves. My contact at the InfoGroup said I could call him on Monday, and after reading your encouraging post, I plan on it. Mike said he would help me with this issue, and I'd really like to know what UofM said to him. I'm not above starting an online petition, if that's what's necessary.

I'm beginning to think it might take something like that to let them know it is indeed a big deal to many of us. I'll report back on this. Again, thanks to you, Al, and to all those who care about not only saving our history, but our ability to access it, too. March, PM 8. Join Date Sep Posts Originally Posted by kathy2trips. Those of you who have used this valuable historical resource from the University of Michigan Digital Library over the last several years may have noticed that quite suddenly, it is no longer available online.

March, AM 9. March, PM You are a friggin' research genius! For user's reference: the General Index is on page Hoping they don't make Don's List take it down. Actually, they have no standing since the publication is in public domain. I wonder if there was a way I could download this for myself? I don't want to go through this again. At this point, I don't trust anyone. Thanks again to Crystal, Al and the rest of group who contributed to this thread. You're welcome, kathy2trips. I have used the directory many times and was sad [[ok, maybe even a little distressed to learn U-M had withdrawn it from online use.

I don't have a subscription to ancestry. After screaming incoherently for weeks on end regarding both the removal of the U of M Burton collection as well as the Polk guide I suppose I can take slight solace from the fact that I am not alone. In addition to regular research of Detroit history as a hobby, I also post historical images and postcards on the FB page Buildings of Detroit. As the company emerged from the Depression, another reorganization in dissolved the surviving subsidiaries and consolidated them into one operating company, R.

The s also brought tremendous expansion to Polk's City Directory Division. By the decade's end Polk was producing more than 1, city and suburban directories.

Collection of automotive statistics was suspended during World War II, when civilian auto production halted, but the process was resumed in During the war years, Polk provided mass mailing services for government departments and agencies. The company's efforts included assisting the Federal Food Administration in its efforts to distribute regulations and instructions to food product manufacturers.

By the end of the s, Polk operated several printing plants and had branch offices in more than 40 cities. The company's City Directory Division was publishing directories and the Direct Mail Division was processing up to two million pieces of mail per day. Employment stood at about 5, Previously a manager in the City Directory Division, the new president led R. Polk into the computer era. The company's first computers, installed in and , were used to compile motor vehicle statistical data and facilitate direct mail activities.

Prior to the beginning of electronic processing, reports were produced by hand-sorting information and manually tabulating it. Improvements in printing technology also helped make the job of producing documents more efficient.

As a result, employment within the Statistical Services Division peaked at in Although the division's workload continued to increase, fewer employees were needed. Polk's foreign expansion began in with the purchase of a Canadian directory company, Annuaries Marcotte Ltd.

Annuaries Marcotte published directories for Quebec city and other smaller communities. The company name was changed to R. Canada Ltd. Later Polk Canada served as a holding company for subsequent Canadian acquisitions. Polk's growth continued. In the company established a Bank Business Development Division to use list information generated by the billing operations of its Bank Services Division. The new division performed promotional, research, and syndicated marketing services for banks and other financial institutions.

The plant was the company's first to include in-house bindery capabilities. Based on the obvious benefits, the company was also expanding its computer applications. Polk's National Vehicle Identification Number File was computerized in , the same year computer operations were converted to magnetic tape.

The Eureka, California, city directory was the first one published with data processing techniques. Walter J. Gardner, who had been executive vice-president since , became the first non-family member to hold the position of president. Under Gardner's direction, the company achieved international recognition as a leader in the information industry.

Gardner also continued his predecessor's policy of pursuing technological modernization. Some activities of the late s included an expansion within the Bank Services Division to accommodate the production of annual custom bank directories and the adoption of innovative computer technology within the Marketing Services Division to permit computer letter printing and improved list services.

Demand for automotive information increased following a federal law that required manufacturers to notify vehicle owners of safety-related defects in automobiles. Car manufacturers turned to Polk for assistance in sending recall notifications. Polk's Auto List II, a semiannual auto list, replaced the company's annual list in During the s Polk expanded and improved its existing services. Enhanced computer processing power enabled Polk's staff to generate more detailed statistical profiles of major automotive markets.

Polk's ability to create reports by census tract as well as by postal zone helped motor vehicle dealers defend their markets in the wake of state franchise legislation. The s also marked the beginning of Polk's activities in Australia. DMS of Melbourne, Australia. The company's name was changed to R. Australia Pty. In Australia, Polk pioneered the fully personalized computer letter and successfully lobbied for postal acceptance of poly bag mailers.

In the United States, the s marked a period of aggressive growth and challenge. In Ralph Lane Polk IV was elected president, but he served only four years before his sudden death in Polk was succeeded by John M.

O'Hara, who faced the challenge of a nationwide trend toward consumer privacy and resulting restrictions in the availability of motor vehicle records for commercial purposes.

Under O'Hara's leadership, Polk maintained its relationship with motor vehicle departments in all 50 states. In Polk acquired Advertising Unlimited, Inc. AUI , the largest U. AUI, incorporated in , originally sold Yellow Page advertising and White Page maintenance services to small and medium-sized independent telephone companies. AUI began supplying merchandise to the specialty advertising industry in Following federally-mandated restructuring within the telephone industry, AUI's telephone directory business declined, and the company increased its emphasis on specialty advertising and calendars.

NDL , a Denver-based provider of demographic data. NDL, founded in , collected lifestyle information to create an enormous database by using product registration questionnaires. NDL was able to provide its clients with targeted mailing lists according to customer profiles.

Polk acquired complete ownership of GDT in GDT was founded in to prepare computerized maps. Its first digital maps were used for defining political and census boundaries in Florida. By GDT had completed boundary files for all U. Computerized maps were used to predict store site values, plan election campaigns, target direct mail promotions, and establish routes for buses and delivery vehicles.

The company generated revenue by selling long-term licenses for the use of its files. In other areas, existing products were upgraded and new products were developed.

For example, Polk's REGIS Registration Information System database, which was first developed in , made information accessible to customers who were linked to Polk's mainframe computers using PC network technology.

Interactive databases gave users the flexibility needed to look for specific information on a task-oriented basis. By combining information from the NVPP database with their own parts catalog and inventory, suppliers were better able to make accurate inventory decisions.