Historical Digital Newspaper Collections

Free Web Resources

California Digital Newspaper Project

This digital collection contains various California newspapers published since 1846.  Full-text digital scans are available for selected issues of The California Star (1/9/1847 – 6/14/1848), California Star & Californian (11/18/1848 – 12/23/18), Daily Alta California (12/10/1849 – 6/2/1891), and San Francisco Call (4/1/1890 – 12/31/1913).  Searchable by keyword, title, place, subject, publishing year, and holding institution.  Maintained by the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

Chronicling America: Historical American Newspapers

This digital collection contains newspapers published in the United States from 1690 to the present.  Search and view old newspapers from 1900 to 1910 from several states and Washington D.C.  Full-text digital scans are available for selected issues of The Morning Call (4/1/1890 – 3/4/1895), San Francisco Call (3/5/1895 – 12/8/1913), and San Francisco Call and Post (12/9/1913 – 12/31/1913).  Maintained by the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

SFPL Resources (Requires library card)

New York Times Historical

This database contains full-text digital scans of the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times from September 18, 1851 to 2009.  Considered by some to be “the national paper of record,” this newspaper covers articles capturing the social, political, and current events during the late 19th and early 20th century in New York and throughout the nation.  Includes specialized search options for obituaries, birth notices, classified ads, editorials, and more.

San Francisco Chronicle Historical

This database contains full-text digital scans of the San Francisco Chronicle from 1865 to 1922.  Covers news articles capturing the social, political, and current events during the late 19th and early 20th century in San Francisco.  Includes specialized search options for obituaries, birth notices, classified ads, editorials, and more.