Connecticut has a sizable state repository for searching older historical newspapers, and currently they use the Library of Congress Chronicling America site as another site for searching old newspapers, although there are a few newspapers available on that site. There are quite a few free online newspapers on other sites and collections available on subscription sites. Below is a list of where the titles are stored and the link so that you can access them.
There are over 2,000 newspapers that have been published in the Constitution State - certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are several that are indeed available. So go for it - find your Connecticut 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.
(Updated November, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
Free Sites:
Statewide Collections:
Chronicling America - Connecticut
- Bridgeport, Conn., 1810-1920 - Republican farmer.
- Bridgeport, Conn., 1866-1917 - The Bridgeport evening farmer.
- Bridgeport, Conn., 1901-190? - Connecticut workman.
- Bridgeport, Conn., 1906-1908 - La Tribuna del Connecticut. [volume]
- Bridgeport, Conn., 191?-1948 - La sentinella = The sentinel. [volume]
- Bridgeport, Conn., 1918-1924 - The Bridgeport times and evening farmer.
- Hartford, Conn., 188?-190? - The weekly examiner.
- Hartford, Conn., 1881-188? - The examiner.
- Hartford, Conn., 1894-189? - Hartford labor.
- Hartford, Conn., 1908-192? - The labor standard.
- Hartford, Conn., 193?-193? - The Connecticut craftsman.
- Hartford, Conn., 194?-194? - Connecticut chronicle.
- Hartford, Conn., 194?-1947 - Hartford chronicle.
- Hartford, Conn., 1949-19?? - New England bulletin.
- New Britain, Conn., 1890-1976 - New Britain herald.
- New Haven [Conn.], 1848-1894 - Morning journal and courier.
- New Haven, Conn., 1883-1891 - Workmen's advocate.
- New Haven, Conn., 1894-1907 - The daily morning journal and courier.
- New Haven, Conn., 1903-193? - L'indipendente.
- New Haven, Conn., 1907-1913 - The morning journal-courier.
- New Haven, Conn., 191?-1921 - The Connecticut labor press.
- New Haven, Conn., 1921-1925 - The Connecticut labor news.
- Newtown, Conn., 1877-1877 - The bee.
- Newtown, Conn., 1877-current - The Newtown bee.
- Norwich, Conn., 1849-18?? - American mechanic and home journal.
- Norwich, Conn., 1867-186? - The Liberty bell and workingmen's advocate.
- Norwich, Conn., 1895-2011 - Norwich bulletin.
- Norwich, CT., 1836-1837 - Mechanics', operatives', and laborers' advocate.
- Ridgefield, Conn., 1892-189? - The Connecticut citizen.
- Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., 1871-1970 - Connecticut western news.
- Stafford Springs, Conn., 18??-1883 - Tolland County press.
- Stafford Springs, Conn., 1883-1935 - The Press.
- Stamford, Conn., 1906-190? - The Stamford American.
- Waterbury [Connecticut], 1900-1903 - Waterbury Democrat. [volume]
- Waterbury [Connecticut], 1903-1917 - Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume]
- Waterbury, Conn., 1887-1895 - Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume]
- Waterbury, Conn., 1895-1897 - Waterbury Democrat. [volume]
- Waterbury, Conn., 1897-1900 - Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume]
Google News Archive
- Branford - The Branford News
- Branford - The Branford Opinion
- Bridgeport - Bridgeport Morning News
- Bridgeport - Bridgeport Herald
- Bridgeport - Sunday Herald
- Bristol - The Bristol Herald
- Georgetown - The Redding Pilot
- Hartford - The Hartford Times
- Hartford - Hartford Weekly Times
- Hartford - The Catholic Press
- Hartford - Greater Hartford News
- Meriden - The Morning Record
- Meriden - The Morning Record and Journal
- Meriden - Meriden Record
- Meriden - Meriden Weekly Republican
- Meriden - Meriden Morning Record
- Meriden - The Meriden Daily Journal
- Meriden - Meriden Morning Record and Republican
- Meriden - Meriden Daily Republican
- Meriden - The Journal
- Meriden - Meriden Journal
- Meriden - Record-Journal
- Meriden - Wallingford Edition
- Meriden - Sunday Record-Journal
- New London - The Day
- Norwalk - Connecticut Sunday Herald
- Norwalk - The Sunday Hour
- Norwalk - The Hour
- Norwalk - The Evening Hour
- Norwalk - The Norwalk Hour
- Ridgefield - The Ridgefield Press
- Wilton - The Wilton Bulletin
Newspapers of Connecticut 1821-1929
- Banner and banquet (1870-1871, 1873)
- Berlin news (1892)
- Berlin weekly news (1891-1892)
- The Castigator (Middletown, Conn.) (1840)
- Charter oak (Hartford, Conn. : 1838) (1838-1843)
- Charter oak (Hartford, Conn. : 1846) (1846-1848)
- Collinsville Star (1858-1860)
- Connecticut eastern news (East Lyme, Conn.) (1894-1897)
- The Connecticut fifth (1862)
- Connecticut organ (1854)
- Connecticut press (Hartford, Conn.) (1856-1862)
- The Connecticut war record (1863-1865)
- Coventry local register (1876 & 1883)
- Daily advertiser and farmer (Bridgeport, Conn.) (1861)
- Daily Norwalk Gazette and Saturday’s Norwalk Record (1890-1891, 1893-1896)
- Daily palladium (New Haven, Conn. : 1859) (1862)
- East Haddam journal (1859-1861)
- East Lyme star (1866-1867)
- The Elm leaf (East Hartford, Conn.) (1863-1865, 1870-1871)
- The Evening farmer (Bridgeport, Conn.) (1865)
- Evening gazette (Norwalk, Conn.) (1896-1899)
- Fairfield County times (1879)
- Free soil advocate (1848)
- The Free soil pioneer (1848)
- Griswold Atom (1947)
- The Harrisonian (1840)
- The Home Guard news (1918)
- The Hopevale spectator (Hebron, Conn.) (1893)
- Housatonic Republican (Canaan, Conn.) (1857-1860)
- Independent (Canaan, Conn.) (1858)
- Jewish ledger (Springfield, Mass. : Hartford ed.) (1935 & 1938)
- The Knapsack (Hartford, Conn.) (1873-1875)
- Law and order (1893)
- Litchfield Republican (Litchfield, Conn. : 1847) (1847-1855)
- Local register (Coventry, Conn.) (1897)
- Meriden daily monitor (1872)
- Meriden literary recorder (1865-1870)
- Meriden recorder (1863-1865)
- Middlesex explorer (1856)
- National issue (1886)
- New Britain times (1859-1860)
- New-England examiner (1834)
- New Haven Daily Palladium (1862)
- New London chronicle (1862-1869)
- New-London daily star(1859-1860, 1862-1868)
- New Milford journal (1873-1874)
- New republic (1895-1896)
- Niantic herald (East Lyme, Conn.) (1888)
- The North and South (New Britain, Conn.) (1858)
- The North and South, and New Britain journal (1858-1859)
- Norwich spectator (Norwich, Conn. : 1829) (1829-1830)
- People (Danbury, Conn.) (1878)
- The People (New London, Conn.) (1821)
- Plainville News (Plainville, Conn. : 1874) (1874, 1877)
- Plainville News (Plainville, Conn. : 1889) (1889, 1897, 1907)
- The Rising star (Canton, Conn.) (1858)
- Riverside intelligence (Essex, Conn.) (1888)
- The Rockville republican (Vernon, Conn.) (1860)
- The Simsbury echo (1887-1888)
- The Simsbury siftings (1887)
- The Slaves cry (1844)
- The Soldiers' record (1868-1871)
- The Southington news (1919)
- The Southington news, Northampton valley times (1907)
- Southport times (Fairfield, Conn.) (1879-1881)
- Stafford news letter (1859 & 1865)
- State guard (1855-1856)
- The State Guard News (1918-1919)
- State temperance journal (Meriden, Conn.) (1868-1870)
- State temperance journal (New London, Conn.) (1866-1867)
- State temperance journal and home visitor (1868)
- State temperance journal and Meriden weekly Republican (1868)
- Sunday herald (Waterbury, Conn.) (1889-1896)
- Temperance gem (1878)
- Thompsonville press (1880-1897, 1899-1922)
- Tolland County gazette (1854-1855, 1859-1860)
- Tolland County herald (1864-1865)
- Tolland County news (1865)
- Tolland County press (1871, 1873, 1875-1876)
- The Tolland County press and Stafford news letter (1867)
- Tolland County record (1861)
- The True citizen (1862-1866)
- Twenty-sixth (Camp Parapet, La. and New London, Conn.) (1863-1865)
- Ultimatum (New London, Conn.) (1837, 1838, 1842)
- Veterans journal and State Guard news (1919-1920)
- Voter (1909-1911)
- Weekly phoenix (Southington, Conn.) (1893)
- The West Hartford press (1929)
- Wethersfield farmer (Wethersfield, Conn. : 1886) (1886)
- Wethersfield farmer (Wethersfield, Conn. : 1889) (1889)
- Wethersfield weekly farmer (1886-1889)
- The Willimantic journal (1863-1865)
- Windsor herald (1886)
- Winsted sentinel (1907-1908)
County and Library Collections:
Fairfield County
Weston Library
- Weston Forum
- The Weston Forum
- Westport News
Hartford County
The Farmington Libraries
- Farmington Daily Herald
- Farmington Valley Herald
- Farmington Valley Herald And Journal
- Windsor Locks Journal
Litchfield County
Scoville Memorial Library
- Lakeville Journal
- Millerton News
- Winsted Journal
- Connecticut News
- Connecticut Western News
- Sharon News
- The Lakeville Journal
- Thomaston Express
- Express
- Thomaston Express And Terryville Eagle
- Connecticut Western
Middlesex County
East Hampton Public Library
- East Hampton News
- Oracle
New Haven County
Ansonia Historical Commission
- Evening Sentinel
- Ansonia Evening Sentinel
- Branford Review
- Branford Scrapbooks - New Haven Evening Register
- Branford Scrapbooks - New Haven Journal Courier
- Branford Review And East Haven News
- Branford Opinion
- Branford Opinion And Guilford Echo
- New Haven Journal and Courier
- Branford Gleaner
- Suburban Spokesman
- Branford Semi-Weekly Record
- Branford News
- The Branford Record
- East Haven News
- Guilford Echo
- Post
- North Haven Post
- The North Haven Post
- North Haven Citizen
Southington Library Historic Newspapers (1859 – 2009)
- Southington Observer
- Southington Phoenix
- Southington News
- Canal Line Times
- Cheshire Courier
- Southington Mirror
- Southington Press
- Southington Reporter
- Connecticut journal
- Southington Sentinel
- The Southington Citizen
West Hartford Library Newspapers
- West Hartford News
- West Hartford Metropolitan News
- Metropolitan News
- Metropolitan Shopping News
- West Hartford LIFE
Student Collections:
Amity Regional High School - Woodbridge Berlin High School - Berlin Central Connecticut State University - New Britain Charter Oak State College - New Britain Connecticut College - New London Fairfield University - Fairfield Glastonbury High School - Glastonbury Mitchell College - New London Northwest Catholic High School - West Hartford Post University - Waterbury Quinnipiac University - Hamden Sacred Heart University - Fairfield Sacred Heart University - Fairfield Southern Connecticut State University - New Haven Staples High School - Westport State Normal School at New Haven Trinity College - Hartford University of Bridgeport - Bridgeport University of Connecticut - Storrs
- Storrs Agricultural College Lookout (1896-1899)
- Connecticut Agricultural College Lookout (1899-1914)
- Connecticut Campus and Lookout (1915-1917)
- Connecticut Campus (1917-1955)
- Connecticut Daily Campus (1955-present)
Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:
Manchester Historical Society
- Manchester Evening Herald
Shelton Library System newspaper clipping scrapbooks
- Plumb Memorial Library Scrapbook (1923–1930) multiple newspapers
- Servicemen's Scrapbook of Shelton Men & Women Serving in World War (1943–1945)
Watertown Historical Society Collection
- The Post - 12-03-1881
- The Post Boy - 1887
- Watertown Journal - 1888-1891
- The Sunday Republican - 09-15-1918
- Watertown News - 1913-1929
- Watertown Argus - 1-22-1937
- Town Times - 1947-2000
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942
- Cobalt - Jenkins Journal (Company 181)
- Danbury - Squantz Reveille (Company 172)
- East Hampton - Camp Stuart Courier (Company 1194)
- East Hampton - Camp Stuart Courier (Company 1194)
- East Hampton - Stuart Gusher (Company 1194)
- East Hartland - Robinson Mountaineer (Company 180)
- East Hartland - Robinson Register (Company 180)
- East Hartland - Spectator (Company 180)
- East Hartland - Spectator Magazine (Company 180)
- East Hartland - Tunxis Press (Company 180)
- East Hartland - Tunxisonian (Company 180)
- Eastford - In Fernow (Company 183)
- Hampton - Camp Fernow News (Company 183)
- Hampton - Fernow Forum (Company 183)
- Killingworth - The Roosevelt Rambler (Company 171)
- New London - Thames Tattler (Company 190)
- Niantic - Camp Chapman Clarion (Company 177)
- Niantic - Camp Chapman News (Company 177)
- Niantic - Chapman Clarion (Company 177)
- Stafford Springs - Camp Graves News (Company 174)
- Stafford Springs - Nipmuck Sentinel (Company 174)
- Thomaston - Black Rocker (Company 175)
- Torrington - Camp Walcott Windbag (Company 176)
- Torrington - Mohawk Lookout (Company 173)
- Torrington - Walcott Warrior (Company 176)
- Torrington - Walcott Windbag (Company 176)
- Voluntown - Lonergan (Company 179)
- West Cornwall - Camp Cross Clarion (Company 182)
- West Cornwall - Cross Cut (Company 182)
- West Cornwall - Owl (Company 182)
- Winsted - Camp White Echo (Company 106)
- Winsted - Camp White Echo (Company 106)
- Winsted - Camp White Static (Company 106)
- Winsted - Camp White Transcript (Company 106)
- Winsted - Echo (Company 106)
- Winsted - Echo (Company 106)
- Winsted - Static (Company 106)
- Winsted - White Eagle (Company 106)
Independent Voices - Alternative Newspapers
- Living Hand
Old Fulton New York Postcards
- Bridgeport CT Connecticut Workman (1901)
- Bridgeport CT Evening Farmer (1909-1917)
- Bridgeport CT La Sentinella (1920-1930)
- Bridgeport CT La Tribuna (1906-1908)
- Canaan CT Western News (1884-1922)
- Fairfield CT Record (1894-1899 )
- Hartford CT Bulletin (1949)
- Hartford CT Chronicle (1946-1948)
- Hartford CT Connecticut Courant (1788-1820)
- Hartford CT Connecticut Craftsman (1932)
- Hartford CT Examiner (1881-1888)
- Hartford CT Labor Standard (1894-1922)
- Hartford CT Weekly Examiner (1890-91,1894,1901)
- New Britan CT Herald (1920)
- New Haven CT Connecticut Labor Press (1918-1920)
- New Haven CT Indipendente (1906,1916-17,1922,1936)
- New Haven CT Labor News (1922-1923)
- New Haven CT Labor Press (1921-1925)
- New Haven CT Morning and Courier (1880-1908)
- New Haven CN Morning Journal and Courier (1880-1889)
- New Haven CT Workmens Advocate ()
- Newtown CT Bee (1907-1909)
- Norwich CT American Mechanic (1849)
- Norwich CT Bulletin (1910-1922)
- Norwich CT Liberty Bell (1867)
- Norwich CT Mechanics Operatives Laborers Advocate (1836-1837)
- Norwitch CT Bulletin (1910-1922)
- Ridgefield CT Citizen ()
- Salisbury CT Western News (1883)
- Southport CT Chronicle ( 1867-1903 )
- Southport CT Fairfield Advertiser (1884-1890 )
- Southport CT Pequot Record (1890)
- Southport CT Times (1879-1881 )
- Stafford CT News Letter (1865)
- Stafford CT News Letter 1865 (1865)
- Stafford Springs CT Press (1883-1922)
- Stafford Springs CT Tolland County Press (1883)
- Stamford CT American (1906)
- Waterbury CT Evening Democrat (1877-1908)
- Wilton CT. Bulletin (1937 -2003
Small Town Papers
The Olden Times - Connecticut
Newspaper Abstracts - Connecticut
For Obituary Indexes, transcriptions, and other death/obituary information from historic newspapers, please check out the Obituaries page.
Other Free Sites:
Bethany Bridgeport Hartford New London Norwich Waterbury Wilton Windsor
Subscription or Pay Sites:
Ancestry.com:
There are currently 24 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Ancestry - Connecticut Newspapers
Genealogy Bank:
There are currently 291 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank - Connecticut Newspapers
Newspaper Archive:
There are currently 109 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archive - Connecticut
Newspapers.com:
There are currently 19 publications available at this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com - Connecticut.
And Finally:
You also need to visit the Connecticut Digital Newspaper Project site from time to time, which can tell you what is occurring in the state with regard to online newspaper availability.
Please note - even more may be available via a local or state library where a library card is required. 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 Newspaper Links page on this website.
For other Free Connecticut Links, click on the category of interest: