19 th Century U.S. Newspapers Digital Archive

Public Library Use

19th Century U.S. NewspapersDigital Archive

“Many people like newspapers, but few preserve them; yet the most

interesting reading imaginable is a file of newspapers. It brings up the

past age, with all its bustle and every day affairs, and marks its genius

and its spirit more than the most labored description of the historian.”

--Savannah Republican, Sept. 3, 1862, p. 2, c. 2.

What is the 19th Century U.S. Newspapers

Digital Archive?

§ Approx. 500 U.S. newspapers, published between 1800 and 1900.

§ Total number of pages is over 1.7M.

§ Newspapers from throughout the United States, including many published in what were, at the time, only territories.

§ Papers were sourced from many institutions and historical societies throughout the U.S.

§ Built on the highly-regarded Times Digital Archive platform.

§ Will migrate to PowerSearch in 2007.

A Unique Collection of Sources

Library of Congress

Wisconsin Historical Society

Mississippi Department of Archives and History

South Caroliniana Library

University of Georgia

Tennessee State Library and Archives

Kansas State Historical Society

Boston Public Library

Colorado Historical Society

Syracuse University

Harvard University

Scholarly Resources Archives

North Carolina Office of Archives and History

Nebraska State Historical Society

Pennsylvania State Archives

Western Reserve Historical Society

Idaho Historical Society

Newspaper Selection Criteria

Most titles unique to this collection – minimal duplication with other online resources.

Selected for value to researchers and students.

Represents a broad geographic spectrum and comprehensive chronological coverage.

Why Researchers Want NCNP

Opens archives never before available.

Entire text searchable – actual page images displayed.

Compare regional coverage of news in 19th century.

Newspapers form a critical role in genealogical research.

Features and Benefits

Enables faster research

Unique resources at students’ and researchers’ fingertips

Creates the opportunity for improved class research assignments

More engaging—even fun—for patrons as they discover and use primary materials

Browse Issue by Issue

Browse by Page by Page

Signed Essays on 19th Century Topics and Events

Headnotes

Newspapers and Genealogy

Newspapers in the 19th Century were not just a record of the important or the famous, they contained many articles about the ordinary citizens in their audience.

Newspapers often noted the recent arrivals to or departures from their towns of ordinary persons, often publishing the names of those visitors staying in hotels and rooming houses.

Newspapers published birth notices, marriage announcements, official appointments, death notices and obituaries of the residents of their citizens.

Newspapers recorded land purchases, and the opening, closing or changes in ownership of local businesses.

Aids to Genealogical Research

Full-text searching allows the researcher to find any name on any page.

The “People” categories are tailor-made for locating information on individuals. Search all of “People” or limit your search to:

      Birth Notices      Death Notices      Marriage Notices      Obituary

Thomson Gale is developing a guide for genealogists which will be added to the database by the end of the year, with tips, tools and helpful information for those searching out their family’s history through newspapers.

Birth notices: 18,353 records

Marriage Notices: 137,599 records

Death Notices: 199,296 records

Obituaries: 26,022 records

Thousands of other ways to find genealogical information

Traveler’s Registers

Hotel Guestbooks

Court Proceedings

Crime Blotters (not everyone’s great granddad was an angel!)

Election campaigns

News of local regiment departures, returns and war casualties

Business news and trade

Real estate purchases

Arts and Entertainment news

“Goings on about town” columns

Subscriber lists of many newspapers

Many more!