New City Directory Improvements for the Explore App

Recently, James Juip, Senior Research Associate here in the HESA Lab, has undertaken the task of cleaning up the City Directory data that makes up much of the historical records currently available in the Explore App. His work will make it easier to read and understand information about historical people by removing "Null" entries and expanding the shorthand found in the directory to full occupation titles. For example, "lab" was the shorthand used for "laborer", and "clk" was the shorthand for "clerk". These two jobs are among the five most common jobs in the City Directory, along with Miner, Student, and Trammer.

In addition to finding and cleaning common jobs, James also found several unusual professions listed in the directories. Some of our favorites include:

• ​Umbert Cippollone and Pietro Lovarine who worked as Macaroni Manufacturers. They lived at 1032 Ingot Street in Hancock in 1917, and the Macaroni Factory was attached to their house. Pietro owned both the factory and house, renting the house to Umbert and nine others who worked a variety of jobs, including Trammer, Cellar Man at Park Brewing Company, Mine Boss, Miner, and Laborer.

• Stuart G. Ross was a Magician living at 701 Water Street in Hancock in 1942.

• Alexander Siegel was the Superintendent of Hydrants living at 727 Hancock Street, Hancock in 1917.

• J. P. Mason, who boarded at the Douglass House in Houghton in 1888, was not only a Physician and Surgeon, but also a Pharmaceutist and Dealer in Druggist Sundries at 410 Shelden Street.

Among these unusual professions were also the jobs of Huckster, Clairvoyant, Broom Maker, Traveler, Scissor Grinder, and Sauerkraut Manufacturer. What interesting historical jobs do you know of or can you find in the Keweenaw?