Digital Branch: Historical Online Newspapers: Get Started

Getting Started

One of the best ways to find information about the past is researching old newspapers. This guide provides information and links to resources that offer free access to historic online newspapers. But while these collections are digital, some may not be remotely available to search from home. You may need to call the owning institution to see if and how you can access their digital collection from home.

Types of Newspaper Articles

Websites that offer digitized newspaper content that can be searched a number of ways including by name, keyword, place, name of newspaper, or date. So even if you don't have all the information, your search may still turn up something useful. Search results may show several different types of articles and other information. Scanning the page sometimes provides you with treasures you didn't think of finding! Here are a few examples of the types of articles you might find.

Vital Records: birth announcements, marriage intentions, divorce information,obituaries, funeral notices, and more.
Family Reunions:family members coming from long distances
Weekly News & Social Columns little mentions of who was doing what where. Mr. & Mrs. So and So played whist at the home of ...."
Front pages- most likely to include articles about large community news or events that may include mentions of people, photos and more.
Opinions, Letters to the Editors, Letters to Santa Claus
Classifieds & Advertisements
Probate Notices
Court Actions
Women's Pages - these often include minutes or notes from women's clubs, and recipes submitted by community members
School Related
Sports
Military - often includes a photo of an individual with details of their service
Shipping News - may include details of arrivals and departures of ships
Kids page - sometimes winners of contests, essays submitted by children, etc.

Ways to Find Newspaper Items of Interest

FamilySearch.org: How to Successfully Search Newspapers
To research historical newspapers and be successful, it helps to be educated about the characteristics of these important genealogy resources; where to find them, and how to best search for the articles that you are seeking. Linking to this resource will show you many ways that newspapers can be searched!
How to Do More Effective Old Newspaper Searches
If you are looking for your ancestors in old newspapers, you might not be getting the most out of every search. You want to make sure you find every mention of your ancestor, so here are a couple of tips to help you ensure you do.
9 Ways to Effectively Find Obituaries in Online Newspapers
There are several ways to enhance your ability to find obituaries in old newspapers and other sources. This article points up just a few of the most important techniques.
Finding & Using Historic Newspapers in Genealogical Research
A source created by a staff member from FamilySearch.org. Offers not only an overview of the history of newspapers, but also how to search and what you may find in them.
The Best Newspaper Site for Your Genealogy
There are numerous newspapers sites that could be useful for your genealogy research. Many of them would gladly have you as a paid subscriber. But how do you know which one is worth spending your money on? Here's how to find the newspaper site that's best for you.

Ways to Find Historic Photos Featured in Newspapers

Newspaper Photograph Morgues
The following list cites public institutions with custody of at least one newspaper photograph morgue in the United States and Canada. Researchers should contact directly the institutions listed for current information on policies and procedures, as well as on the photo morgue itself.