After determining the specific business to research, the first step is to determine when the business started and how long the business has been in existence. The best resources in the Library to answer these questions are the Huntsville City Directories, the Huntsville Telephone Books, the Huntsville Newspapers on microfilm, and the Business Newspaper clippings vertical file.
The next step is to determine the location and physical appearance of the business. The best resources in the Library to answer these questions are the Huntsville City Directories, the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps on microfilm, the Library's Archives photograph collection and digital archives and the many photographic histories of Huntsville.
The final step is to find a biography of the business, which will provide a timeline history and highlight the accomplishments of the business. The best resouces in the Library to find a Huntsville business biography are the Commemorative Album celebrating our city's sesquicentennial of progress,Huntsville, Alabama, the sesquicentennial edition of The Huntsville Times, the Library's vertical files which has many newspaper articles that discuss many of Huntsville's historic businesses and the many Huntsville histories that contain business profiles.
