West Virginia Online Historical Newspapers Summary

West Virginia is one of the states that does not have a single central online state repository for searching historical newspapers, but they use the Library of Congress Chronicling America site as their main site for searching old newspapers. There are many 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 1,100 newspapers that have been published in the Mountain State – certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are several that are indeed available. So go for it – find your West Virginia 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 January 2024; recently added links are in BOLD)

West Virginia Historical Newspapers

Free Sites:

Statewide Collections:

Chronicling America – West Virginia Newspapers

• Belington, W. Va., 1912-1927 – Belington progressive.
• Bluefield, W. Va., 1906-1911 – Bluefield evening leader.
• Bramwell, W. Va., 1890-???? – Flat Top monitor.
• Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.], 1855-1856 – Star of the Kanawha Valley.
• Ceredo, Va., 1857-1861 – Ceredo crescent.
• Ceredo, W. Va., 1885-1939 – Ceredo advance.
• Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.], 1844-1948 – Spirit of Jefferson.
• Charles Town, W. Va., 1885-1890 – West Virginia Democrat.
• Charleston, Va. [W. Va.], 1856-1861 – Kanawha Valley star.
• Charleston, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-186? – The guerilla.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1864-1877 – The West Virginia journal.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1874-1874 – The temperance star.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1894-189? – The Charleston advocate.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1901-1913 – The advocate.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1906-1915 – The labor argus.
• Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.], 1827-1832 – Virginia free press & farmers’ repository.
• Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.], 1832-1916 – Virginia free press.
• Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1851-1861 – Cooper’s Clarksburg register.
• Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1861-186? – The Ohio twenty-second.
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1874-1926 – The Clarksburg telegram.
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1901-1926 – The daily telegram.
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1914-1927 – The Sunday telegram.
• Elkhorn, W. Va., 1883-???? – McDowell progress.
• Fairmont, W. Va., 1904-1914 – The Fairmont West Virginian.
• Fairmont, W. Va., 1914-1974 – The West Virginian.
• Gauley Bridge, W. Va., 1863-1863 – The knapsack.
• Grantsville, W. Va., 1883-1984 – The Calhoun chronicle.
• Harper’s Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.], 1821-1824 – Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume]
• Harpers Ferry, W. Va., 1887-1902 – Harper’s Ferry sentinel.
• Harpers Ferry, W. Va., 1903-1907 – Harper’s Ferry times.
• Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.], 1824-1828 – The ladies’ garland. [volume]
• Hinton, W. Va., 1882-???? – The Hinton Republican.
• Huntington, W. Va., 1871-1874 – Huntington independent.
• Huntington, W. Va., 1872-1905 – The Huntington argus.
• Huntington, W. Va., 1874-1921 – Huntington advertiser.
• Huntington, W. Va., 1911-1915 – The Socialist and labor star.
• Keystone, W. Va., 1904-1941 – The McDowell times.
• Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.], 1861-1861 – The Kingwood chronicle.
• Kingwood, W. Va., 1877-1946 – West Virginia argus.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1853-1854 – The Greenbrier era.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1854-1861 – Greenbrier weekly era.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1859-1980 – Greenbrier independent.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-18?? – The Yankee. [volume]
• Logan, W. Va., 1889-1903 – The Logan County banner.
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1826-1833 – Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser.
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1833-1855 – Martinsburg gazette.
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1861-1861 – The American union.
• Martinsburg, Va., 1802-1810 – Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer.
• Martinsburg, Va., 1863-186? – Weekly gazette. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1865-1871 – The New era. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1869-1906 – Martinsburg statesman.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1873-1875 – Martinsburg weekly independent.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1875-1900 – Martinsburg independent.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1881-1920 – Martinsburg herald.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1882-19?? – Pioneer press.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1886-1887 – Martinsburg gazette.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1887-1887 – Martinsburg daily gazette.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1891-1896 – The World.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1906-1921 – Martinsburg statesman-democrat.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1907-1913 – Evening journal.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1912-1921 – The World. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1913-1920 – Martinsburg W Va evening journal.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1920-1977 – Martinsburg journal.
• Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.], 1810-1825 – Martinsburgh gazette.
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1849-1855 – Monongalia mirror.
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1855-1859 – American union.
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1863-1864 – The Morgantown monitor.
• Morgantown, W. Va., 18??-???? – The University daily.
• Morgantown, W. Va., 1876-1904 – The new dominion.
• Morgantown, W. Va., 1897-1906 – Daily new dominion.
• Parkersburg (W. Va.), 1886-18?? – The Parkersburg press.
• Parkersburg, W. Va., 1881-1886 – West Virginia freeman.
• Parkersburg, W. Va., 1886-18?? – The freeman.
• Philippi, W. Va., 1861-18?? – The old flag.
• Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-1862 – The Eleventh Ohio.
• Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-1909 – The weekly register.
• Point Pleasant, W. Va., 1909-1939 – The Point Pleasant register.
• Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.], 1858-1860 – The family visitor.
• Romney, Va. [W. Va.], 1830-1896 – South Branch intelligencer.
• Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.], 1790-1798 – The Potowmac guardian, and Berkeley advertiser. [volume]
• Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.], 1849-1955 – Shepherdstown register.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1894-1902 – West Virginia daily oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1896-1901 – Sistersville oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1902-1905 – Sistersville daily oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1905-1907 – Sistersville daily review.
• Thomas, W. Va., 1905-1913 – La sentinella del West Virginia.
• Volcano, W. Va., 1871-1879 – The Volcano lubricator.
• Volcano, W. Va., 1879-188? – West Virginia walking beam.
• Weston, W. Va., 1868-1874 – The democrat.
• Weston, W. Va., 1875-current – The Weston Democrat.
• Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.], 1829-1831 – Wheeling compiler.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-1808 – The Wheeling repository.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1828-1829 – Virginia statesman.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1839-1849 – Wheeling times and advertiser.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1852-1859 – Wheeling daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1859-1865 – Daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1863-1864 – The daily register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1864-1878 – The Wheeling daily register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1865-1903 – The Wheeling daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1878-1935 – Wheeling register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1882-1934 – Wheeling Sunday register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1901-1916 – Deutsche Zeitung. [volume]
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1903-1961 – The Wheeling intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1907-192? – Wheeling majority.
• Williamson, W. Va., 1907-1911 – The Williamson enterprise.
• Williamson, W. Va., 1911-1913 – The Progressive West Virginian.

Google News Archive

• Berkeley Springs – The Morgan Messenger
• Charles Town – Spirit of Jefferson Farmer’s Advocate
• Charles Town – The Spirit of Thanksgiving
• Charles Town – Farmers Advocate
• Elizabeth – Wirt County Journal
• Glenville – The Glenville Democrat
• Lewisburg – Mountain Messenger
• Marlinton – ​Pocahontas Times 
• Pennsboro – The Pennsboro News
• Petersburg – Grant County Press
• Point Pleasant – Point Pleasant Register 
• Spencer – The Times Record
• Spencer – Roane County Reporter
• St. Marys – The St. Marys Oracle
• St. Marys – ​Pleasants County Leader 
• Sutton – Braxton Citizens’ News
• Wellsburg – The Brooke County Review
• Westwood – The Preston County Journal
• Williamson – Williamson Daily News

Library of Virginia – Virginia Chronicle – West Virginia Newspapers

• Alleghany Rattler (Lewisburg, W. Va., 1950)
• American Union (Martinsburg, VA [W. Va.], 1861)
• American Union (Morgantown, VA [W. Va.], 1855-1859)
• Bluefield Evening Leader (Bluefield, W. Va., 1906-1910)
• Calhoun Chronicle (Grantsville, W. Va., 1893-1923)
• Ceredo Advance (Ceredo, W. Va., 1885-1915)
• Ceredo Crescent (Ceredo, VA, 1857-1860)
• Cooper’s Clarksburg Register (Clarksburg, VA [W. Va.], 1851-1858)
• Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1859-1865)
• Daily Register (Wheeling, W. Va., 1863-1864)
• Democrat (Weston, W. Va., 1868-1874)
• Family Visitor (Pruntytown, VA [W. Va.], 1860)
• Greenbrier Era (Lewisburg, VA [W. Va.], 1854)
• Huntington Advertiser (Huntington, W. Va., 1874-1876)
• Huntington Argus (Huntington, W. Va., 1872-1885)
• Huntington Independent (Huntington, W. Va., 1873-1874)
• Kanawha Valley Star (Charleston, VA [W. Va.], 1858-1861)
• McDowell Times (Keystone, W. Va., 1936-1941)
• Monongalia Mirror (Morgantown, VA [W. Va.], 1852-1855)
• Safety News (Omar, W. VA, 1953)
• Shepherdstown Register (Shepherdstown, VA [W. Va.], 1849-1890)
• Sistersville Daily Review (Sistersville, W. Va., 1905)
• Sistersville Oil Review (Sistersville, W. Va., 1898)
• South Branch Intelligencer (Romney, VA [W. Va.], 1837-1896)
• Spirit of Jefferson (Charles Town, VA [W. Va.], 1844-1867)
• Virginia Free Press & Farmers’ Repository (Charlestown, VA [W. Va.], 1830-1832)
• Virginia Free Press (Charlestown, VA [W. Va.], 1832-1896)
• Virginia Statesman (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1828-1829)
• Volcano Lubricator (Volcano, W. Va., 1871-1874)
• Weekly Register (Point Pleasant, VA [W. Va.], 1862-1908)
• West Virginia Argus (Kingwood, W. Va., 1877-1916)
• West Virginia Democrat (Charles Town, W. Va., 1887-1888)
• West Virginia Journal (Charleston, W. Va., 1866)
• West Virginia Record (Omar, W. VA, 1928)
• West Virginia Walking Beam (Volcano, W. Va., 1879-1880)
• Weston Democrat (Weston, W. VA, 1875-1880)
• Wheeling Compiler (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1829-1830)
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1852-1859)
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, W. Va., 1865-1868)
• Wheeling Daily Register (Wheeling, W. Va., 1864-1878)
• Wheeling Intelligencer (Wheeling, W. Va., 1911-1915)
• Wheeling Register (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1878-1897)
• Wheeling Repository (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1807-1808)
• Wheeling Sunday Register (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1882-1897)

County and Library Collections:

Hancock County

Weirton Area Museum

• Weirton Steel Bulletin

Mercer County
Mercer County – Princeton Public Library

• Princeton Times

Mineral County

West Virginia Newspapers – Potomac State College Mary Shipper Library​

• Bluefield Daily Telegraph
• Danville Progress
• Elk Garden News
• Fayette Journal
• Frankfort Beacon
• Grant County Press
• Hardy County News
• Keyser Tribune
• Martinsburg Evening Journal
• Mineral County Gazette
• Mineral Daily News
• Mineral Daily News and Keyser Tribune
• Mineral Daily News Tribune
• Mineral Daily News Tribune and Echo
• Mineral Daily News Tribune and Mountain Echo
• Mineral News Tribune and Echo
• Moorefield Examiner
• Moundsville Daily Echo
• Mountain Echo
• News Tribune and Echo
• News Tribune and Mountain Echo
• Pasquino
• Piedmont Herald
• Potomac State Pasquino
• South Branch Intelligencer
• The Belington Progressive
• The Braxton Central
• The Braxton Democrat
• The Clarksburg Exponent
• The Evening Press
• The Firecracker
• The Follansbee Review
• The Glenville Pathfinder
• The Hampshire Review
• The Hampshire Review And The South Branch Intelligencer
• The Hardy County News
• The Herald
• The Independent
• The Jackson Herald
• The Kingwood Chronicle
• The Lincoln Republican
• The Moorefield Examiner
• The Mountain Echo
• The Preston County Journal
• The Siren
• The Weekly Examiner
• The West Virginia Advocate
• The West Virginia News
• Tribune
• Virginia Argus and Hampshire Advertiser
• Wheeling Evening Standard
• The Brown County Press
• The News Democrat
• The Ripley Bee

Ohio County
Ohio County – Ohio County Public Library

• Daily Intelligencer
• Intelligencer And Wheeling News Register
• Sunday News Register
• The Intelligencer
• The Intelligencer And The Wheeling News Register
• The Wheeling Register
• The Wheeling Sunday Register
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
• Wheeling Daily Register
• Wheeling Intelligencer
• Wheeling News Register
• Wheeling News Register And The Intelligencer
• Wheeling Register
• Wheeling Sunday Register

Student Collections:

Alderson-Broaddus College – Philippi

• ​Battler Columns

Bethany College – Bethany

• Tower Online

Bluefield State College – Bluefield

• BSC News

Concord University – Athens

• ​The Concordian

Davis and Elkins Colege – Elkins

• Forward

Fairmont State University – Fairmont

• Maroon and White Alumni Publication

Glenville State College – Glenville

• The Tower
• The Mercury
• The Phoenix

Marshall University – Huntington

• Marshall University Parthenon

cots

Potomac State College – Keyser

• Pasquino

Shepherd University – Shepherdstown

• ​The Picket

University of Charleston – Charlestown

• The Comet

West Liberty University – West Liberty

• The Trumpet

West Virginia Schools for the Colored Deaf and Blind

• Newscaster

West Virginia State University – Institute

• Yellow Jacket

West Virginia University – Morgantown

• The Daily Athenaeum

West Virginia University Institute of Technology – Beckley

• News

West Virginia Wesleyan College Newspapers – Buckhannon

• Pharos
• Seminary Herald
• Seminary Collegiate 
• West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin: 1909-1966
• West Virginia Wesleyan College Alumni Magazine: 1936-1938
• Sundial: 1955-present​

Wheeling University – Wheeling

• WU News

Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942​

• Alpena – Panther Cry (Company 566)
• Clifftop – Camp Crazy Critics (Company 532)
• Clifftop – Camp Lee Traveler (Company 532)
• Glady – Laurel Leaf (Company 520)
• Hinton – Bluestone Outlet (Company 524)
• Hinton – Roosevelt (Company 524)
• Parsons – Hollow Stump (Company 518)
• Parsons – Parsons CCC Times (Company 518)
• Petersburg – Builder (Company 519)
• Petersburg – Builder (Company 519)
• Petersburg – North Fork News (Company 519)
• Richwood – Gold Brick (Company 525)
• Richwood – Puttin’ ‘Em In The Middle (Company 525)
• Richwood – Woodland News (Company 521)

​Small Town Papers

• Braxton Citizens News Sutton, West Virginia
• The Brooke County Review Wellsburg, West Virginia
• Charles Town Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• The Glenville Democrat Glenville, West Virginia
• Grant County Press Petersburg, West Virginia
• The Hinton News Hinton, West Virginia
• The Morgan Messenger Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
• Mountain Messenger Lewisburg, West Virginia
• The Pennsboro News Harrisville, West Virginia
• Pleasants County Leader St. Marys, West Virginia
• The Pocahontas Times Marlinton, West Virginia
• The Preston County Journal Kingwood, West Virginia
• Roane County Reporter Spencer, West Virginia
• Spirit of Jefferson Unavailable, West Virginia
• Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• The St. Marys Oracle St. Marys, West Virginia
• The Times Record Spencer, West Virginia
• Wirt County Journal Elizabeth, West Virginia
• Brooke County Review Wellsburg
• Hinton Daily News Hinton
• Leader Hinton

Old Fulton Postcards

• Fairmont WV West Virginian
• Fremont WV West Virginian
• Wheeling WV Daily Intelligencer

Southern School News Archive

Newspaper Abstracts – West Virginia

​​For Obituary Indexes, transcriptions, and other death/obituary information from historical newspapers, please check out the Obituaries page.​

Other Free Sites:

Harpers Ferry

• The Ladies Garland

Wheeling

• The Catholic Spirit
• The Daily Fair Journal

Subscription or Pay Sites:

Ancestry.com:

There are currently 30 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Ancestry – West Virginia Newspapers

Genealogy Bank:

There are currently 126 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – West Virginia Newspapers

Newspaper Archive:

There are currently 102 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archive – West Virginia

Newspapers.com:
​
There are currently 79 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com – West Virginia

And Finally:

You also need to visit the West Virginia Newspapers site, which can tell you what is occurring in the state with regard to newspaper projects. They also have a nice searchable database for microfilm-based collections throughout the state.

Please note – even more may be available via a local 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.

For more links for different states, provinces, and countries – please see the Newspaper Links page on this website.