Michigan Online Historical Newspapers Summary

Michigan is one of the states who do not have a central online repository for searching historical newspapers. Several states use the Library of Congress Chronicling America site as their main central online site for searching old newspapers. And a few have a central portal for many of the newspapers that have been digitized. Michigan currently has its online availability from different websites.

I have been eager to write an article about Michigan and recently was inspired by the work of some folks at Central Michigan University's Clarke Historical Library.

The online newspaper titles are available from several different sites, many free and many require a subscription. Below is a list of where the titles are stored and the link so that you can access them. 

There are around 4,000 newspapers that have been published in the Wolverine State - certainly not all of them are searchable online - not by a long shot. But there are quite a few that are indeed available. So go for it - find your Michigan ancestors and all the interesting articles that capture the stories of their lives. 

Please note that I have not always entered the dates that are included in the collections, as I suspect they will change as more items are digitized. Also I suspect that some of these links may change over time - so if there is a dead link - please use your favorite search engine to find their new location. Some are easier than others to navigate - I will leave you to try them and judge for yourself.

Free Sites:

(Recent changes in the Google News Archive has diminished the capability to search newspapers published prior to 1970). A few of these below are in the Google News Archive.For others not listed below but available in the Google News Archive - Newspaper Cat will provide you with 32 more titles).

Allegan County

• Commercial Record, Saugatuck-Douglas 

Calhoun County

• Adventist Review and Herald 

Cass County

• Cass County Republican -Dowagiac

Cheboygan County

• Northern Tribune - Cheboygan

Clare County

• Clare County Press
• Clare Courier
• Clare County Cleaver
• Clare Democrat 
• Clare Democrat and Press 
• Clare Press 
• Clare Sentinel
• Clare Sentinel and Democrat Press 

Ingham County

• The Michigan State Journal 

Isabella County

• Central Normal Life 
• Central State Life
• Central Michigan Life Student Newspaper Archive
• Isabella County Enterprise 

Oakland County

• Farmington Enterprise 
  
• Lake Orion Review

Otsego County

• Gaylord Herald Times

Ottawa County

• Grand Haven News
• Grand River Times - Grand Haven 

Saint Clair County

• Weekly Expositor - Brockway Centre

Saint Joseph County

• Constantine Republican 

Shiawassee County

• Owosso Argus Press

Tuscola County

• Cass City Chronicle 
• Mayville Monitor

Van Buren County

• Gobles Newspaper
  

Washtenaw County

• Ann Arbor Journal
• The Ann Arbor Argus 
• Ann Arbor Signal of Liberty
• Manchester Enterprise 
  
• The Michigan Daily 
• Reporter
• The Saline Observer 
• Saline Reporter 
• Saline Review 
• Ypsilanti Sentinel 

Wayne County

• Detroit Gazette 
• Detroit Jewish News 
  
• Grosse Pointe Public Library Local History Archives: Newspapers 
  • Grosse Pointe Civic News (1920-1935)
  • Grosse Pointe News (1940- )
  • Grosse Pointe Review (1930-1952)

Subscription or Pay Sites:

Genealogy Bank (by County)

Bay County

• Bay City Times (1889-1922)

Charlevoix County

• Northern Islander --St. James (1850-1856)

Chippewa County

• Evening News (1901-1923)
• Sault Ste Marie Democrat (1887)
• Sault Ste Marie News (1888-1900)

Genesee County

• Flint Journal (1898-1922)

Ingham County

• Lansing State Journal (2003- )

Jackson County

• Jackson Citizen (1849-1903)
• Jackson Citizen Patriot (1865-1922)

Kalamazoo County

• Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph (1900)
• Kalamazoo Gazette (1872-1922)

Kent County

• Afro-American Gazette (1991-1995)
• Grand Rapids Herald (1898-1900)
• Grand Rapids Press (1893-1922)

Lenawee County

• Daily Telegram (1893-1992)
• Tri-weekly Telegram (1900-1903)

Livingston County

• Livingston County Daily Press and Argue (2007– )

Muskegon County

• Muskegon Chronicle (1869-1922)

Ontagon County

• Lake Superior Miner --Ontonagon (1855-1870)

Saginaw County

• Saginaw News (1881-1922)

Washtenaw County

• Ann Arbor Daily Argus (1898-1907)
• Ann Arbor Daily Times (1903-1908)
• Ann Arbor News- Argus (1907-1908)
• Ann Arbor News (1909-1922)
• Michigan Argus (1879-1907)
• True Democrat (1845-1849)
• Ypsilanti Commercial (1864-1898)

Wayne County

• Detroit Independent (1923)
• Detroit Informer (1900)
• Plaindealer -Detroit (1889-1893)
• Weekly Detroit Free Press and Supp.. The Household (1886-1887)

Newspaper Archive (by City)

Adrian

• Adrian Daily Telegram (1901 - 1976) 
  

Benton Harbor

• Benton Harbor Daily Palladium (1896 - 1976) 
  
• Benton Harbor Evening News (1896 - 1977) 
  
• Benton Harbor Herald Palladium (1975 - 1977) 
  
• Benton Harbor News Palladium (1905 - 1975) 
  
• Benton Harbor Weekly Palladium (1889 - 1901)
  
• News Palladium (1921 - 1967)
  

Bessemer

• Bessemer Gogebic Explorer (1885 - 1938)
  
• Bessemer Herald (1804 - 1970)
  
• Bessemer Pick and Axe (1976)
  
• Gogebic Explorer (1885)
  
• Gogebic Iron Spirit (1890 - 1892)
  

Escanaba

• Escanaba Daily Press (1910 - 1973)
  
• Escanaba Morning Press (1910)
  

Hillsdale

• Hillsdale Standard (1865 - 1869)
  
• Hillsdale Whig Standard (1846 - 1849)
  

Holland

• Holland Evening Sentinel (1948 - 1976)
  

Ironwood

• Advocate (1891 - 1892)
  
• American Citizen (1893)
  
• Daily Advocate (1891 - 1892)
  
• Daily Globe (1919 - 2011)
  
• Gogebic Advocate (1890 - 1892)
  
• Gogebic Iron Spirit (1890 - 1892)
  
• Inter State News Record (1890)
  
• Interstate News Record (1890 - 1891)
  
• Iron County Miner (1985)
  
• Ironwood (1939)
  
• Ironwood Advocate (1891 - 1892)
  
• Ironwood American Citizen (1893)
  
• Ironwood Daily Advocate (1891)
  
• Ironwood Daily Globe (1925 - 2012)
  
• Ironwood Gogebic Advocate (1890 - 1892)
  
• Ironwood Inter State News (1890)
  
• Ironwood Lake Superior Citizen (1894)
  
• Ironwood News Record (1892 - 1921)
  
• Ironwood Times (1888 - 1946)
  
• Lake Superior Citizen (1894)
  

Ludington

• Ludington Daily News (1913 - 1977)
  

Marshall

• Calhoun County Patriot (1838 - 1840)
  
• Daily Chronicle (1891 - 1988)
  
• Daily News (1903 - 1930)
  
• Daily Statesman (1881)
  
• Democratic Expounder (1851 - 1895)
  
• Evening Chronicle (1912 - 1998)
  
• Evening Statesman (1887)
  
• Marshall Advisor and Chronicle (2011) 
  
• Marshall Chronicle (1939 - 2009)
  
• Marshall Daily Chronicle (1879 - 1991)
  
• Marshall Daily News (1899 - 1903)
  
• Marshall Democratic Expounder and Calhoun Patriot (1841 - 1875)
  
• Marshall Evening Chronicle (1928 - 2012)
  
• Marshall Evening Statesman (1887 - 1914)
  
• Marshall Expounder (1885 - 1960)
  
• Marshall Historian (1986)
  
• Marshall News (1898 - 1992)
  
• Marshall News Statesman (1914 - 1919)
  
• Marshall Statesman (1843 - 1914)
  
• Marshall Statesmen (1994)
  
• Marshall Western Statesman (1839 - 1843)
  
• Semi Weekly Marshall Expounder (1886)
  
• Semi Weekly Statesman (1887)
  
• Weekend Marshall Chronicle (1991 - 1995)
  
• Weekly Statesman (1887)
  

Saint Joseph

• Saint Joseph Herald Press (1943 - 1973)
  
• Saint Joseph Weekly Press (1906 - 1909)
  
• St Joseph Herald (1868 - 1889)
  
• St Joseph Traveler Herald (1884 - 1885)
  

Sault Saint Marie

• Evening News (1903 - 1974)
  
• Sault Ste Marie Democrat (1887)
  

South Haven

• South Haven Daily Tribune (1942)
  

Traverse City

• Grand Traverse Herald (1858 - 1913)
  
• Grand Traverse Herald and Traverse Bay Eagle (1908 - 1913)
  
• Grand Traverse Press (1918)
  
• Traverse City Honest Opinion (1919)
  
• Traverse City North Coast (2011 - 2013)
  
• Traverse City Press (1917 - 1918)
  
• Traverse City Record Eagle (1897 - 2013)
  

Wakefield

• Wakefield Advocate (1902 - 1924)
  
• Wakefield Bulletin (1887 - 1888)
  
• Wakefield News (1925 - 1977)
  
• Wakefield News Review (1924) 
  

Miscellaneous Pay or Subscription Sites (by County):

Calhoun County

• Battle Creek Enquirer (1846-current) 
• Battle Creek Inquirer (2002– ) 

Saint Clair County

• Port Huron Times Herald (2002- ) 

Wayne County

• Detroit Free Press (1831–1922) in image and (1999– ) in text 
• Detroit Free Press (1831–1922) 

Newspapers.com (by publication):

• Advocate - Ironwood  1891 - 1892
  
• The American Citizen - Ironwood  1893
  
• The Bessemer Herald - Bessemer  1894 - 1970 
  
• The Daily Advocate - Ironwood  1891 - 1892 
  
• The Daily Globe - Ironwood  1934 - 1998 
  
• The Daily Telegram - Adrian  1942 - 1976 
  
• The Democratic Expounder - Marshall  1891 - 1895 
  
• The Escanaba Daily Press - Escanaba  1909 - 1977 
  
• Escanaba Morning Press - Escanaba  1911 - 1921 
  
• The Evening News - Sault Sainte Marie  1936 - 1974 
  
• The Gogebic Advocate - Ironwood  1890 - 1892 
  
• Gogebic Iron Spirit - Bessemer  1890 - 1892 
  
• The Herald-Press - Saint Joseph  1946 - 1974 
  
• The Hillsdale Daily News - Hillsdale  1961 - 1976 
  
• The Hillsdale Standard - Hillsdale  1846 - 1869 
  
• The Holland Evening Sentinel - Holland  1948 - 1976 
  
• Interstate News-Record - Ironwood  1890 - 1891 
  
• Iron County Miner - Ironwood  1985 
  
• Ironwood Daily Globe - Ironwood  1919 - 1993 
  
• Ironwood News-Record - Ironwood  1892 - 1899 
  
• The Ironwood Times - Ironwood  1890 - 1946 
  
• Lake Superior Citizen - Ironwood 1894 
  
• The Ludington Daily News - Ludington  1930 - 1977 
  
• Marshall Evening Chronicle - Marshall  1894 - 1939 
  
• Marshall Expounder - Marshall  1899 
  
• The Marshall News - Marshall  1898 - 1899 
  
• The Marshall Statesman - Marshall  1890 - 1899 
  
• The News-Palladium - Benton Harbor  1896 - 1978 
  
• The Pick & Axe - Bessemer  1974 - 1977 
  
• The Semi-Weekly Palladium - Benton Harbor  1894 - 1895 
  
• South Haven Daily Tribune  - South Haven  1942 
  
• St Joseph Herald - Saint Joseph 2,330 pages 1868 - 1889 
  
• Traverse City Record-Eagle - Traverse City  1897 - 1977 
  
• The Wakefield News - Wakefield  1902 - 1977 
  
• The Weekly Press - Saint Joseph  1906 - 1909 
  

Links to Follow:

There are several ways to keep up with new collections as they are digitized and made available online. Two of my favorites:

• The Michigan Digital Newspaper Portal at Central Michigan University
  

• Historical Newspapers Online from the University of Pennsylvania
  

And Finally:

You also need to check out the Library of Michigan site, which can tell you what newspapers have been digitized and are available via microfilm.

Please note - even more are available via a local library where a library card is required (some of which are ProQuest subscriptions).  And of course there is always microfilm for those that have not been made available online as yet.

Good luck and happy hunting!

For more links for different states, provinces, and countries - please see the Newspapers! page on this website.

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