Old CA Phone Books

That's a great question! I actually am also searching for someone that would have been in the LA area in the 60s. I hope you get someone that can help you!

Would your local library have an archive?

Yes, the local libraries usually have copies old their area's old phone books. My problem is that I need to check Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA and I live in MArion, KY. I have more books than my local library. I live in a one horse town. LOL

He he, I see. Perhaps your librarian can assist you in searching the archives of the LA area. It can't hurt to ask!

The Geneological Library in Salt Lake City has every phone book ever published, I believe; even the little pamphlet-size book that had my very first phone listing in it! It's been a long time since I visited or used their services but the librarians there are EXTREMELY helpful. You might try phoning them; or see if they have online access by now. Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try it.

Hi again! Had not seen your updates until just now or I would have contacted you earlier. I still live in the Los Angeles area and have access (including the HUGE main LA branch in downtown LA) and at a few different libraries in the San Fernando area. Most have archived phone books. I know that most of the LA area phone books are indeed at the main LA branch downtown as I have used them in my own searches and for others searching the LA area. I am planning a trip downtown in the next 2 weeks. If you would like me to do any lookups please email me asap and I would be happy to do so! If my day is not too busy I may go tomorrow but most probably the next week or so. You can email me from my profile. Blessings, Tina

Tina, It would be great if you could look up Lawrence D Stahl in the 1960's. I know that the birth mother didn't work, so for her to have known Larry, they probably lived near one another. Larry lived in LA or Long Beach. I know his parents, Mary And John C Stahl passed away in Los Angeles. If you could look for addresses for them, I would appreciate it. I won't even ask you to look for the birth mom, her married name was King, and there are probably 5 pages of Kings. But Larry's address will give me an idea of where to look. Thanks for Barbara's info too. If there are old yearbooks there (I don't know how many schools there were in that area in the 1970 and 1980's) I know that the older borther graduated 1978 or 1979 and the younger brother was two years younger, so he would have been a sophmore when his brother graduated. If you have the time to look to see if there might be anything in the yearbooks, I would appreciate it. I know there are probably just as many King children in yearbooks as adults in the phone book. So if you can't, I understand.

UPDATE: We got confirmation today that Lawrence Dale Stahl WAS my husband's birth father. He passed away in 2006. We were able to track down his ex wife, and he had told her about my husband!! She also gave us the birth mothers name - Linda King!! Now I am looking for ANY info I can find on her. We know that she was born in Michigan, was 22 in 1964 (making her born 1941 or 1942). Her mother was living in Illinois in 1964. She was married with two boys - one was 5 and one was 3 in 1964. Linda was adopted by her step father when she was a young child, her maiden name was listed as Jones, but we don't know if that is her fathers name or her step fathers. She also had stated to the adoption agency that her father was part Chippewa Indian. If this means anything to anyone, please contact us. If anyone has access to Los Angeles County phone book, I could REALLY use help looking up a possible address for her then, so I have something to go on. Thanks!!