I want to tell everyone what a wonderful list this is! Within what seems like only ten minutes (or less) after posting my query about city directories, I had three messages waiting -- two with information and one asking for the information. Then later there were many more messages ... someone has already searched the 1878 directory without finding my guy -- John C. WilkeRson b. c1819 in TN, running a wagonyard in Ft. Worth 1880 census. Another suggested searching the tax rolls and included the URL -- http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ -- a great help for us surfing-challenged individuals! Another person also suggested the tax rolls, which are located at the Ft. Worth Public Library. As a non-Texan I add, the Public Library is located "just off" Sundance Square in downtown Ft. Worth. I know this by reading the Dallas Morning News, not from anything I found on the internet. [See the above part about being "surfing-challenged". Anyway with input into the FW city webpage might take note.] And that brings me back to this list. I spent an hour searching for information on the library / "a" historical society or genealogical society in Ft. Worth without success. I then thought of rootsweb -- subscribed and posted a message. Everything I wanted was answered in less time than I'd spent searching the net ... You all are great! Now for those non-Texans again. City directories before 1878 are on microfische; there is a genealogical section in the public library. Having just visited FW this past weekend, I'm "assuming" one can park in one of the downtown parking lots in the middle of "Sundance Square" or the parking garage and hike to both the Courthouse and the Library; right? Sundance Square is a delightful area of renovated downtown buildings with lots of shops and "eateries" ... But my all-time favorite place in FW is the Japanese Garden! I could spend a day there ... Would one of the members of the list tell us what "all" is in the genealogical section of the library? Are there books listing all the tombstones in the various FW cemeteries? Does it have any of the CH records -- marriage books? Is the court clerk friendly to genealogists? Things like this are most helpful to know before arriving .... A big thanks to everyone who responded to me personally ... Linda