JOPLIN, Mo. —
The National Digital Newspaper Program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress, will help tremendously in your search for ancestors.
The program provides free online copies of historic newspapers in digitized form. Its goal is to digitize all newspapers published in all states and territories between 1836 and 1922. Institutions such as libraries, museums and historical societies apply for grants to digitize 100,000 newspaper pages a year. After receiving a grant, each institution selects the newspapers from its state archives.
The institutions are encouraged to start with newspapers that have ceased publication and lack active ownership. Since the program started in 2009, millions of newspaper pages have been digitized.
The Missouri State Historical Society has digitized 300,000 pages; the Kansas State Historical Society has digitized 200,000 pages; and the Oklahoma Historical Society has completed 200,000 pages. Some states, such as Arkansas, still have not digitized any pages. Others, such as Tennessee and Kentucky, have very few.
Because hundreds of thousands of pages are constantly being added, this is a great site to check regularly. Digitized copies of the historic newspapers are online at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
When the site opens, select a state where your ancestors lived and enter the time frame that you want to check. You will then receive thumbnail images of newspaper pages in that state that contain the surname or term that you entered. Because the name or term will be highlighted, you will not need to read the whole page.
The name of the newspaper, the place where it was published and the publication date will be listed at the bottom of each thumbnail image. That information will help you quickly determine the images that will most likely contain pertinent information.
For example, several men named Aaron Quick may have lived in different areas of Missouri, but you are only interested in the Aaron Quick who lived in Ozark County. Consequently, you will want to concentrate on newspapers in that county and surrounding counties.
To select a thumbnail image, place the mouse cursor on it and click. When the next screen opens, click on the plus sign to enlarge the page. The keyword can be found on the larger image by scrolling down the page or placing the cursor on the page and moving the page around. Usually, copies of the digitized newspapers are also found at the website of the institution that does the digitization. To find those sites, enter the name of the state and "digitized newspapers" in the search box.
Suggestions or queries? Contact Frankie Meyer, 509 N. Center St., Plainfield, IN 46168 or email frankiemeyer@yahoo.com.
Lifestyles
Related Photos
-
Frankie Meyer
Discussion
Frankie Meyer: Digitized newspapers great for finding information
- Lifestyles
-
-
Host with the most: Jerry Springer to host live version of legendary game show
The talk-show host will star in "The Price is Right Live" starting this week at Welk Resort in Branson. The show is a stage adaptation of the classic game show and features all of the same games, from the opening price-guessing to the Showcase Showdown -- and the Big Wheel.
-
No desire to retire: Stafford still singing
In his 24th season headlining his own show at The Jim Stafford Theatre, the guitarist, comedian and storyteller said he is still going strong. Stafford said he doesn't consider performing on stage work.
-
The Departed kicks off casino's Dirt Road Live series
The Departed will perform Wednesday at the casino. It is the first band in the casino's lineup for Dirt Road Live, a series of five red dirt bands getting radio airplay.
-
Summer JLT workshops to include auditioning
Registration continues for children's summer workshops at Joplin Little Theatre, where students will learn about the magic of dramatic arts -- and get some advance work on audition opportunities for shows later in the season.
- Parents' planner (May 23-29)
-
Sarah Coyne: Stay calm to beat boredom
Part of me wants to cram it full of activities and summer-bucket-list ideas, with reading schedules and math practice. But that's only the part that's afraid of what might happen to the moods of some bored kids on hot days.
-
No need for camping trip to enjoy roasted s'mores, hot dogs
Campfire treats can be enjoyed even when the campsite is just in the backyard. S'mores and hot dogs can be easily prepared with a simple, small cooking fire in a corner of your yard. And kids can help take part in the fun by cooking their own servings.
-
Cheryle Finley: Vidalia onion worthy of its own festival
Vidalia onions, the state vegetable of Georgia, are grown in season during late spring and early summer. First grown near Vidalia, Ga., in the 1930s, these onions are becoming more popular each year.
-
Amanda Stone: Do-it-yourself popsicles can be made from fruit, yogurt
It all started with a little white lie involving the blasted ice cream truck. I may have led my innocent toddler to believe that it is a music truck.
-
Benji Tunnell: Outside of the theater, movies are still entertaining
Every once in a while, I like to take a break from the weekly movie grind and explore some other entertainment avenues. Being a movie geek, I often gravitate toward film-related stuff.
- More Lifestyles Headlines
-
