Arkansas is one of the states that does not have a single central online state 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 currently, Arkansas has been adding quite a few newspapers on that site. There are several free online newspapers available on other sites and there are 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 almost 2,000 newspapers that have been published in the Natural State – certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are several that are indeed available. So go for it – find your Arkansas 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 2023; recently added links are in BOLD)
Arkansas Historical Newspapers
Free Sites:
Statewide Collections:
Chronicling America – Arkansas
- Ashdown, Little River County, Ark., 1897-current – The Little River news.
- Brinkley, Ark., 1883-current – The Brinkley argus.
- Carlisle, Ark., 1905-current – The Carlisle independent.
- Conway, Ark., 1901-1982 – The log cabin Democrat. [volume]
- Conway, Ark., 1908-current – The log cabin Democrat. [volume]
- Conway, Faulkner County, Ark., 189?-1901 – The Conway log cabin.
- De Queen, Ark., 1897-current – De Queen bee. [volume]
- Dermott, Ark., 1910-1977 – The Dermott news.
- Des Arc, Ark., 1854-186? – Des Arc citizen.
- Des Arc, Ark., 186?-1861 – The Des Arc weekly citizen.
- Des Arc, Ark., 1860-1861 – The constitutional union.
- Des Arc, Ark., 1861-1861 – Des Arc semi-weekly citizen.
- Des Arc, Ark., 1866-1867 – Des Arc citizen.
- Des Arc, Ark., 1867-187? – Des Arc weekly citizen. [volume]
- Forrest City, Ark., 1871-1919 – The Forrest City times. [volume]
- Green Forest, Ark., 1890-1971 – The Green Forest tribune.
- Harrison, Boone Co., Ark, 1876-1938 – The Harrison times.
- Helena, Ark., 1840-1874 – Southern shield. [volume]
- Helena, Ark., 1891-1907 – The reporter. [volume]
- Hot Springs, Ark., 1900-current – The Sentinel=record.
- Huttig, Ark., 1907-1955 – The Huttig news.
- JAH-ville [Colony], Fowler, Mo., 1891-19?? – World’s cresset. [volume]
- Judsonia, Ark., 1???-1922 – Judsonia weekly advance.
- Judsonia, Ark., 1922-200? – White County record. [volume]
- Little Rock [Ark., 1862-186? – True Democrat bulletin.
- Little Rock [Ark.], 1851-1852 – Arkansas democratic banner. [volume]
- Little Rock [Ark.], 1862-1863 – True Democrat. [volume]
- Little Rock, A.T. [Ark.], 1830-1837 – The Arkansas advocate. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1843-1851 – The Arkansas banner. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1852-1857 – The true Democrat. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1857-1862 – Arkansas true Democrat. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1861-1861 – The daily true Democrat.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1869-18?? – The Arkansas freeman. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1882-1??? – The Arkansaw traveler.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1884-1884 – Little Rock ladies’ journal.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1884-1884 – Rural and workman and “Ladies’ Little Rock journal.”
- Little Rock, Ark., 1884-1886 – Arkansas ladies’ journal.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1886-18?? – Southern ladies’ journal.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1888-1??? – Woman’s chronicle.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1889-1??? – The American guide. [volume]
- Little Rock, Ark., 1891-19?? – Arkansas echo.
- Little Rock, Ark., 1941-1959 – Arkansas State press. [volume]
- Malvern, Ark., 1916-current – Malvern daily record. [volume]
- Marianna, Ark., 1917-current – The courier-index.
- McCrory, Ark., 1901-1910 – Woodruff County news. [volume]
- McCrory, Ark., 1915-1922 – The Home news.
- Mena, Ark., 1896-1898 – The Mena weekly star. [volume]
- Mena, Ark., 1898-1904 – The Mena star.
- Mena, Ark., 1904-1977 – The Mena weekly star.
- Monticello, Ark., 1870-1920 – The Monticellonian. [volume]
- Newark, Ark., 1901-1959 – The Newark journal.
- Newport, Ark., 1901-1929 – Newport daily independent.
- Newport, Ark., 1901-1929 – Newport weekly independent.
- Ozark, Ark., 1911-1916 – The Spectator.
- Ozark, Franklin County, Ark., 1916-1917 – The Ozark spectator.
- Ozark, Franklin County, Ark., 1917-current – The spectator.
- Paragould, Ark., 1???-1911 – The Daily soliphone.
- Paragould, Ark., 1918-1950 – Paragould soliphone.
- Paragould, Greene County, Ark., 1907-1918 – The weekly soliphone.
- Pine Bluff, Ark., 1893-1942 – Pine Bluff daily graphic.
- Pine Bluff, Ark., 1895-1902 – Semi=weekly graphic.
- Pine Bluff, Ark., 1900-19?? – Pine Bluff weekly herald. [volume]
- Prescott, Ark., 1???-190? – The times-picayune.
- Prescott, Ark., 1877-187? – Prescott clipper.
- Prescott, Ark., 190?-current – The Nevada County picayune.
- Prescott, Ark., 1905-1974 – The Nevada news. [volume]
- Prescott, Ark., 1907-1941 – The Prescott daily news.
- Prescott, Ark., 1908-1921 – Daily picayune.
- Prescott, Nev. County, Ark., 1878-1885 – The Nevada picayune.
- Prescott, Nev. County, Ark., 1885-1??? – Nevada County picayune.
- Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark., 1915-1929 – The Pulaskian.
- Rison, Ark., 1888-current – Cleveland County herald.
- Russellville, Ark., 1875-1898 – The Russellville Democrat. [volume]
- Springdale, Ark., 1887-1990 – The Springdale news. [volume]
- Stuttgart, Ark., 18??-19?? – Stuttgart Germania.
Google News Archive
- Dewitt – Dewitt Era-Enterprise
- Arkansas Gazette
- Arkansas Democrat
- Arkansas Traveler
- Northwest Arkansas Times
- Grapevine
Online Arkansas Newspapers – some have archives, some do not
- Batesville Guard Online
- El Dorado News Times
- Hot Springs Internet News
- Hot Springs Sentinel-Record
- Jonesboro Sun
- Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)
- Morning News of Northwest Arkansas
- North Little Rock Times Online
- Northwest Arkansas News Online – Benton County Daily Record
- Northwest Arkansas Times
- Picayune Times
- Southwest Times Record
- Texarkana Gazette
County and Library Collections:
Sebastian County
Fort Smith Public Library
- Arkansas Developer
- Belle Grove School Journal
- Daily News Record
- Daily Southwest American
- Entertainment Fort Smith
- Evening Call
- Fort Smith Bulletin
- Fort Smith Daily Herald
- Fort Smith Daily Time and Herald
- Fort Smith Elevator
- Fort Smith Enterprise
- Fort Smith Herald
- Fort Smith Herald and New Elevator
- Fort Smith New Era
- Fort Smith News Record
- Fort Smith Southwest American
- Fort Smith Standard
- Fort Smith Times Record
- Fort Smith Tri Weekly Bulletin
- Fort Smith Tri Weekly Herald
- Fort Smith Weekly Herald
- Fort Smith Weekly New Era
- News Record
- Ouachita Conference Journal
- South West Independent
- Southwest American
- Southwest Times Record
- Sun
- Thirty Fifth Parallel
- Times Record
- Tri Weekly Fort Smith Herald
- War Times
- Weekly New Era
- Western Independent
- Wheelers Daily Independent
- Wheelers Independent
- Wheelers Western Independent
- The Quapaw Quarter Chronicle
- Quapaw Quarter Association
Student Collections:
Arkansas Baptist College – Little Rock
Arkansas State University – Jonesboro
Arkansas Tech University – Russellville
Bentonville High School – Bentonville
Black River Technical College – Pocahontas
Central Baptist College – Conway
Commonwealth College – Mena
Harding University – Searcy
Henderson State University – Arkadelphia
Hendrix College – Conway
John Brown University – Siloam
Little Rock Central High School – Little Rock
Lyon College – Batesville
Northwest Arkansas Community College – Bentonville
Ouachita Baptist University – Arkadelphia
Philander Smith College – Little Rock
Southern Arkansas University – Magnolia
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
University of Arkansas – Little Rock
University of Central Arkansas – Conway
University of the Ozarks – Clarksville
Williams Baptist University – Walnut Ridge
Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:
Independent Voices – Alternative Newspapers
- BAD Times
- Black Americans for Democracy News
- Hard Labor
- Ozark Feminist Review
- The Ozark Feminist
- Times – Black Americans for Democracy
- Up and Coming
American Prison Newspapers, 1800-2020
- Cummins Journal
- Long Line Writer
- Newsletter (Arkansas Department of Correction, Cummins Unit)
- Prison Views
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942
- Berryville – Champlain Champion (Company 3789)
- Bigflat – Mountaineer (Company 1741)
- Blue Mountain – Blue Mountain Log (Company 768) (AA)
- Calico Rock – Camp Hedges Echo (Company 743)
- Calico Rock – Hedges Hillbilly (Company 743)
- Crystal Springs – Crystal (Company 741)
- Crystal Springs – Crystal Glazer (Company 741)
- Dierks – Pine Tree Blurb (Company 1705)
- Forrest City – Ridge Rambler (Company 4734)
- Forrest City – Ridge Ramblings (Company 4734)
- Fort Douglas – Haw Creek Ripples (Company 1701)
- Friendship – Friendship Press (Company 4731)
- Hamburg – Camp Hamburg (Company 4731)
- Hamburg – Hamburg Press (Company 1705)
- Hardy – Hardy Mountaineer (Company 1741)
- Hardy – Hardy Mountaineer (Company 3782)
- Heber Springs – Camp Heber Educator (Company 3782)
- Heber Springs – Camp Heber Heights (Company 3782)
- Heber Springs – Camp Heber Heights (Company 3782)
- Heber Springs – Camp Heber Heights News (Company 3782)
- Heber Springs – Camp Heber News (Company 3782)
- Hope – 4754 (Company 4754)
- Hope – Alton Proverb (Company 4754)
- Hope – Alton Proverb (Company 4754)
- Jonesboro – Banner (Company 3783)
- Jonesboro – Billy Goat Banner (Company 3783)
- Jonesboro – Gully Fighter (Company 3783)
- Jonesboro – Jonesboro Journal (Company 3783)
- Magnolia – Veterans Soil Saver (Company 3798)
- Mulberry – Shores Lake Journal (Company 1708)
- Oark – Oark Bark (Company 3742)
- Oark – Oark Bark (Company 3742)
- Oark – Oark Log (Company 3742)
- Oark – Oark Log (Company 3742)
- Oden – Buck Knob Lookout (Company 768) (AA)
- Oden – Knobber (Company 1731)
- Ozone – Airs Of Ozone (Company 1708)
- Ozone – Echoes Of Ozone (Company 1708)
- Ozone – Ozone Digest (Company 3742)
- Rosston – Camp Rosston News (Company 3790) (AA)
- Sheridan – Hurricane (Company 3779)
- Smackover – Oil Rambler (Company 3790)
- Solgohachia – Camp Solgo News (Company 3789)
- Solgohachia – Cedar News (Company 3789)
- St. Charles – 1741 Tabloid (Company 1741)
- St. Charles – Quack Quack (Company 3791)
- Stella – Smackover Camp Informer (Company 3790)
- Stella – Voice Of The Hill (Company 3790)
- Thornton – Iowan (Company 1753)
- Walcott – Camp Crowley Chronicle (Company 1729)
- Waldron – Dutch Creek Journal (Company 1707)
- Waldron – Vox Treemen (Company 1707)
- DeWitt Era-Enterprise DeWitt, Arkansas
- Arkansas Catholic – Little Rock
Newspaper Abstracts – Arkansas
For Obituary Indexes, transcriptions, and other death/obituary information from historic newspapers, please check out the Obituaries page.
Other Free Sites:
Camp Pike
Denson
Dyess
Fayetteville
Fort Chaffee
Little Rock
- Arkansas Gazette/Democrat-Gazette (Index only)
- Arkansas State Gazette
- Arkansas State Gazette and Democrat
- Arkansas Weekly Mansion
- Arkansas Times
- Arkansas Baptist News
- Farkle Finger
- Trench and Camp
- Arkansas Farmer
McGehee
Rohwer
Stuttgart
Subscription or Pay Sites:
Ancestry.com:
There are currently 21 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Ancestry – Arkansas Newspapers
Genealogy Bank:
There are currently 230 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – Arkansas
Newspaper Archive:
There are currently 57 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archives – Arkansas
Newspapers.com:
There are currently 212 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com – Arkansas
And Finally:
You also need to visit the Arkansas Digital Newspaper Program, which can tell you what is occurring in the state with regard to newspaper projects. They also have nice searchable databases 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.
For all Free Arkansas Links, click on the category of interest:
Newspapers
Yearbooks
Births
Marriages
Deaths
BMD Records
Alumni Records
Cemetery Records
Church Records
Coroner Records
Criminal Records
Digital Archives
Directories
Divorce Records
Immigration Records
Institutional Records
Military Records
Mortuary Records
Naturalizations
Obituaries
Photos
Probate and Wills
Research Toolkit
School Records
Tax Records
Voter Records
8 replies on “Arkansas Online Historical Newspapers Summary”
E O Elley Short in Sebastian Co., Ark with wife Minnine & daughters in 1910 Census. I was told he was a telegraph operator for a mine and died July 1914 probably mine union fights associated. I haven’t found his obituary. E O was born 1882. There is a Henry Short on the mine memorial. [ E O’s dad was William Henry Short b 1869 in 7 Itawamba, MS. & went to Van Zandt Co, TX … E O was oldest.]
Ark vital records didn’t find him listed. Thanks for any help. Joy B
Atkins Chronicle broken link
Under Arkansas Online Historical Newspapers Summary and the section “Online Arkansas Newspapers – some have archives, some do not”, the link for the Gurdon Times (Gurdon) is incorrect.
Thanks – that has been fixed
Wish someone would digitize the De Valls Bluff Democrat from De Valls Bluff, Prairie, AR.
I would like to see more of Logan County Arkansas papers in Ancestor Hunters.
Unfortunately, Lela, I have no control over what gets digitized… or not. Wish I did.
I would like to see more of Morrilton news papers