Illinois Online Historical Newspapers Summary

Illinois is one of the states that does have a central online 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. Illinois does have several online newspapers available on that site. Illinois currently has its online availability from many different websites and a few of them house many newspapers. Many are free and many require a subscription. Below is a list of where the titles are stored and the link so that you can access them. 

There are over 8.000 newspapers that have been published in the Prairie State – certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are quite a few that are indeed available. So go for it – find your Illinois 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)

Illinois Historical Newspapers

Free Sites:

Statewide Collections:

Chronicling America – Illinois Newspapers 

Google News Archive

Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection

Farm, Field and Fireside Collection – University of Illinois 

Illinois Civil War Newspapers

  • Cairo City Weekly Gazette
  • Cairo War Eagle
  • Daily Illinois State Journal
  • Daily Whig and Republican
  • Illinois Daily State Journal
  • Illinois State Journal
  • Illinois State Register
  • Jonesboro Weekly Gazette
  • Quincy Daily Whig and Republican
  • Rock Island Argus
  • The Jonesboro Gazette

County and Library Collections:

Adams County
Quincy Historical Newspaper Archive

  • Daily Evening Call
  • Daily Quincy Herald
  • Daily Whig and Republican
  • Quincy Daily Whig
  • Quincy Daily Whig and Republican
  • Quincy Herald
  • Quincy Herald and Argus
  • Quincy Herald Whig
  • Quincy Morning Whig
  • Quincy Weekly Whig
  • Quincy Whig
  • Quincy Whig and Republican
  • Quincy Whig-Journal
  • The Daily Quincy Herald
  • The Quincy Daily Herald
  • The Quincy Daily Journal
  • The Quincy Daily Whig
  • The Quincy Evening Call
  • The Quincy Herald
  • The Quincy Journal
  • The Quincy Morning Whig
  • The Quincy Weekly Herald
  • The Quincy Whig

Camp Point Public Library

  • The Camp Point Journal
  • Golden New Era

Quincy Public Library

  • Quincy Daily Whig
  • Quincy Herald Whig
  • Quincy Morning Whig
  • The Daily Quincy Herald
  • The Quincy Daily Journal

Brown County
Brown County Public Library 

  • Brown County Democrat 
  • Brown County Democrat Message
  • Brown County Republican 
  • Democrat Message 
  • Examiner
  • Illinois Weekly Message 
  • The Brown County Democrat Message

Bureau County

Neponset Public Library

  • Buda Plain Dealer
  • Centennial Parade
  • The Neponset Messenger

Walnut Public Library District

  • The Sentinel Leader
  • Walnut Leader
  • West Salem Advocate
  • Williamsfield Times

Carroll County

Lanark Public Library

  • Carroll County Gazette
  • Carroll County Herald
  • Carroll County Mirror
  • Carroll County Mirror And Herald
  • Carroll County Mirror Democrat
  • Carroll County Review
  • Carroll County Weekly Mirror
  • Daily Mirror Democrat
  • Home Intelligencer
  • Prairie Advocate
  • Savanna Times-Journal
  • The Carroll County Republican
  • The Lanark Gazette
  • The Lanark News-Gazette
  • The Stockton Herald

Cass County
Beardstown Houston Memorial Library

  • Illinoian Star 
  • The Illinoian-Star 
  • Illinoian Star Daily 
  • Cass County Star Gazette
  • Morning Enterprise 
  • Beardstown Daily Illinoian Star
  • Beardstown Semi-Weekly Illinoian 
  • Central Illinoian 
  • Tri-Weekly Beardstown Enterprise 
  • Evening Star
  • Beardstown Illinoian 
  • Alton Spectator 
  • Illinoian Democrat 
  • Quincy Herald Whig And The Quincy Journal 
  • Weekly Enterprise 
  • Barrington Review
  • Democrat News
  • Beardstown Chronicle And Illinois Military Bounty Land Advertiser 
  • Weekly Transcript 
  • Centreville News 
  • Daily Register 
  • Batavia Bulletin Record 
  • Edgewater Uptown News
  • Beardstown Gazette 
  • Beardstown Democrat 
  • Alton Daily Telegraph
  • Alton Telegraph
  • Alton Weekly Telegraph
  • Beardstown Enterprise 
  • Cass County Messenger 
  • Gazette
  • Beardstown Champion
  • Labor News Review 
  • Bennington Banner
  • Cincinnati Commercial 
  • Times 
  • Cass County Democrat 
  • Reporter 
  • Edinburg Herald 
  • Rochester Weekly Item
  • Star of the West
  • Steeleville Ledger 
  • Taylorville Journal 
  • Western Argus 
  • News And Record 
  • Daily Alton Telegraph 
  • Mt. Auburn Tribune
  • Palmyra Courier  
  • Alton Telegraph And Democratic Review 
  • Avon Sentinel 
  • Calhoun Herald 
  • Campaign Republican 
  • Quincy Herald 
  • Weekly Central Illinoian 
  • Western Cumberland Presbyterian
  • Alton Telegraph And Madison County Record 
  • Illinois State Journal 
  • Alton Telegraph And Madison Record 

Clark County
Marshall Public Library

  • Clark County Daily Chronicle 
  • Clark County Democrat 
  • Clark County Herald 
  • Clark County Telegraph 
  • Daily Clark County Herald 
  • Eastern Illinoisan 
  • Flag of Our Union 
  • Illinois State Democrat 
  • Independent Choice
  • Macomb Daily Journal 
  • Macomb Eagle 
  • Marion Evening Post 
  • Marion Independent 
  • Marion Intelligencer 
  • Marion Monitor
  • Marshall Advocate 
  • Marshall Choice 
  • Marshall Herald
  • Marshall Independent
  • Marshall Independent Choice 
  • Marshall Messenger 
  • Marshall Telegraph 
  • Martinsville Gazette
  • Martinsville Planet
  • Mascoutah Anzeiger
  • Mascoutah Herald 
  • Mason City Banner
  • Mason City Banner Times 
  • Mason City Journal 
  • Massac Journal Republican 
  • Massac Journal 
  • Mattoon Commercial Star 
  • M’Donough Democrat
  • M’Donough Independent
  • M’Donough Independent And Democratic Review
  • Medora Messenger 
  • Menard Time
  • Metamora Sentinel 
  • Metropolis Democrat 
  • Metropolis Register
  • Metropolis Times
  • Metropolis Weekly Sentinel
  • Middletown Ledger 
  • MTHS Lion
  • MTHS Weekly News
  • Our Flag 
  • Review Dispatch
  • Semi-Weekly Eastern Illinoisan 
  • The Acorn
  • The Altamont News
  • The Annualette
  • The Clark County Herald 
  • The Eastern Illinoisan 
  • The Egyptian Press 
  • The Guardian
  • The Hornet
  • The Illinois By-Stander
  • The Illinois Granger 
  • The Illinois State Democrat
  • The Leader 
  • The Macomb Journal 
  • The Manteno News 
  • The Marion Daily Republican
  • The Marion Flag 
  • The Marion Post
  • The Marion Weekly Flag
  • The Maroa Times 
  • The Marshall Herald
  • The Marshall Messenger
  • The Marshall Republican 
  • The Marshall Weekly Messenger
  • The Mason City Times
  • The Massac Journal
  • The Massac Journal Republican 
  • The Mattoon Journal
  • The Mattoon Star 
  • The McLeansboro Times
  • The Metamora Herald
  • The Metropolis City Item 
  • The Metropolis Herald 
  • The Metropolis Register
  • The Metropolitan
  • The Milford Herald 
  • The Minonk News
  • The Moline Review 
  • The MTHS News
  • The Neoga News
  • The Paris Republican
  • The People’s Friend 
  • The Promulgator
  • The Reporter
  • The Terre Haute Tribune Star
  • The Union Eagle 
  • The Westfield Review
  • The Woodford County Argus 
  • The Woodford Sentinel
  • West Union Shopper Gazette
  • Woodford Co. Visitor

Cook County
Bellwood Public Library

  • Franklin Park Star Sentinel
  • Maywood Star Sentinel
  • Melrose Park Star Sentinel
  • Northlake Star Sentinel
  • Proviso Star Sentinel
  • Star Sentinel
  • The Star – Progress
  • The Star Progress
  • West Proviso Herald

Forest Park Public Library

  • Forest Park Review
  • Review and Forest Parker 
  • Forest Parker
  • Village Free Press

Forest Park Village Free Press

  • Village Free Press

Gail Borden Public Library

  • Barry Weekly Adage
  • Belletristisches Journal
  • Belleville News-Democrat
  • Belleviller Post Und Zeitung
  • Belleviller Volksblatt
  • Blandinsville Star-Gazette
  • Camp Register
  • Chicago Daily Tribune
  • Chicago Printing And Advertising News
  • Chicago Times
  • Chicagos American
  • East Logan County Booster
  • Elgin Advocate
  • Elgin Business Mirror
  • Elgin Chronicle
  • Elgin Daily Frank
  • Elgin Daily Leader
  • Elgin Daily News
  • Elgin Deutsche Zeitung
  • Elgin Every Saturday
  • Elgin Gazette
  • Elgin Morning Frank
  • Elgin Uhr
  • Elgin Weekly Frank
  • Every Saturday
  • Fox River Courier
  • Frankfort Phoenix Advertiser
  • Freeport Weekly Bulletin
  • Galesburg Nonpareil
  • Henry News Republican
  • Hillsboro Democrat
  • Human Rights
  • Illinois State Gazette And Jacksonville News
  • Illinois Weekly Palladium
  • Jubilaums-Ausgabe
  • Kane County Democrat
  • Kane County Journal
  • Lady Elgin
  • Lebanon Advertiser
  • Lemont Advertiser
  • Liberia Herald
  • McLean Register
  • Minooka Phoenix Advertiser
  • Mokena Phoenix Advertiser
  • Montgomery County Herald
  • Mount Vernon Free Press
  • Salt
  • Second District Democrat
  • Sharps Daily Statesman
  • Shoaffs Family Gazette
  • Stark County Democrat
  • The Advance Guard
  • The Bloomington Daily Argus
  • The Bloomington Press
  • The Bradford Republican
  • The Breese Journal
  • The Charleston Courier
  • The Christopher Progress
  • The Daily Alaska Empire
  • The Democratic Union
  • The Elgin Advocate
  • The Elgin Courier
  • The Elgin Daily Courier
  • The Elgin Daily Dial
  • The Elgin Daily News
  • The Elgin Democrat
  • The Elgin Dial
  • The Elgin Evening Advocate
  • The Elgin Evening Dial
  • The Elgin Morning Dial
  • The Elgin Times
  • The Elgin Weekly Dial
  • The Elgin Weekly Gazette
  • The Elizabeth Times
  • The Eureka Journal
  • The Evening Chronicle
  • The Family Intelligencer
  • The Freeport Journal
  • The Hillsboro Journal
  • The Informer
  • The Investigator
  • The Kansas Weekly Journal
  • The Litchfield Journal
  • The Macomb Daily By-Stander
  • The Marengo News
  • The McKendree Review
  • The Moline Independent
  • The Montgomery News
  • The National Standard
  • The Patriot
  • The Ridge
  • The Sciota Sentinel
  • The Sheldon Journal
  • The State Capital
  • The Sunday Morning Dial
  • The Union Monitor
  • The Valley Chronicle
  • The Weekly Gazette
  • The Weekly Magnet
  • The Weekly Pantagraph
  • The Weekly Transcript
  • The Whig
  • Towanda Booster
  • Weekly Signal
  • Western Christian
  • Worth Jubilee

Midlothian Public Library

  • Midlothian-Bremen Messenger
  • Midlothian Bremen Messenger 
  • Bremen Township News Record 
  • Bremen Township Rooster 
  • Posen Times
  • Midlothian Messenger 
  • Bremen Messenger
  • Town Topics
  • The Star Herald
  • Ad-Visor

Park Ridge Library (in library)

  • Park Ridge Advocate 
  • Park Ridge Herald 
  • Park Ridge Herald Advocate 
  • Park Ridge Times Herald 

River Forest Public Library

  • Forest Leaves 
  • Oak Leaves 
  • River Forest Forest Leaves 

Riverside Public Library

  • Riverside Citizen
  • Riverside News
  • Riverside News North Riverside Citizen
  • Riverside Times
  • Suburban Life
  • Suburban Life Citizen
  • The Citizen
  • The Riversider
  • The Landmark

Crawford County

Robinson Public Library District

  • Annapolis News
  • Crawford Press
  • Duncanville Courier
  • Flat Rock Journal
  • Hutsonville Herald
  • Oblong Ledger
  • Oblong Oracle
  • Palestine Enterprise
  • Palestine Monitor
  • Palestine News
  • Palestine Pearl
  • Palestine Register
  • Palestine Reporter
  • Palestine Republican
  • Palestine Review
  • Palestine Semi Weekly Register
  • Palestine Weekly News-Bulletin
  • Palestine Weekly Register
  • Patoka Register
  • Progressive Teacher
  • Robinson Constitution
  • Robinson Daily News
  • The Crawford County Argus
  • The Palestine News
  • The Robinson Argus
  • Wabash Pearl
  • West York Advance

DeKalb County
Hinckley Historical Society

  • Country Courier
  • Hinckley Review
  • Review
  • Waterman Leader
  • The Hinckley Review

Shabbona-Lee-Rollo Historical Museum

  • Compton Record 
  • Dekalb County Express 
  • Evening Times 
  • Lee County Times 
  • Paw Paw News
  • Shabbona Express 

DeWitt County
Farmer City Public Library

  • Farmer City Journal
  • Farmer City Journal And Mansfield Express
  • Leroy Journal 
  • Public Reaper 
  • Peoples Press 
  • Forreston Weekly Journal
  • De Witt County Tribune 
  • Forreston Journal 
  • Weekly Reaper 
  • Weekly Transcript 
  • Wayne County Record 
  • Clinton Tribune 
  • Daily Independent
  • Farmer City Republican 
  • Standard Atlas of DeWitt County 
  • Chicago Tribune 
  • Wayne County Press 
  • Southern Illinois Journal 
  • Chicago Daily Tribune 
  • Times 
  • Advance 
  • Chicago Times 
  • Western Plowman and South and West 
  • Egyptoglyph 
  • Journal 
  • Fairfield Independent Press 
  • South End Reporter 
  • Farmer City Weekly Republican
  • Fairfield Weekly Democrat 
  • Independent Press
  • Forreston Herald 
  • War Democrat 
  • Wayne County Herald
  • Farmington Bugle 
  • Fernwood News 
  • Weekly Journal 
  • Peoples Journal 
  • Sun 
  • Fairbury Journal 
  • Freeport Daily Journal
  • Press and Tribune 
  • Fairfield Weekly News 
  • Lebanon Advertiser 
  • Blooming Press 
  • DeWitt County Observer 
  • Farmer City Reporter 
  • Greenup Press 
  • Hennepin Journal 
  • Normalite 
  • Prairie Pioneer 
  • Fisher Reporter 
  • Jacksonville Tribune 
  • Illinois Gazette 
  • Murphysboro Daily Independent 
  • Galena Sentinel 
  • Riverside Press 
  • Illinois Patriot 
  • Restitution 
  • Danville Republican And Chronotype 
  • Greenville Advocate 
  • Leroy Free Press
  • Brown County Democrat
  • Daily Republican Era

Douglas County

Arthur Public Library District

  • Arthur Graphic Clarion

DuPage County
Addison Public Library

  • Press and Tribune 
  • Addison Press

St. Charles Public Library

  • Elgin Daily Courier
  • Kane County Chronicle
  • Savanna Times-Journal
  • St Charles Chronicle
  • St Charles Leader
  • St Charles Patriot
  • St Charles Weekly Argus
  • St. Charles Patriot And Fox River Advocate
  • The Saint Charles Review
  • The St. Charles Chronicle
  • The Valley Chronicle
  • Valley Chronicle

Effingham County

Effingham Public Library

  • Teutopolis Press Gazette

Fulton County

Easley Pioneer Museum

  • Camp Ellis News

Hancock County
Warsaw Public Library 

  • Daily Warsaw Bulletin 
  • Daily Warsaw City Bulletin 
  • Hamilton Pilot 
  • Hancock County Journal 
  • Hancock County Journal Pilot 
  • Hancock County Pilot 
  • Hancock Democrat 
  • Hancock Eagle Extra 
  • Hancock New Era 
  • The Mississippi Pilot 
  • Warsaw Bulletin 
  • Warsaw City Bulletin 
  • Warsaw Commercial Journal 
  • Warsaw Express 
  • Warsaw Message 
  • Warsaw Signal 
  • Warsaw Signal Extra
  • Warsaw Weekly Express 
  • Western World 

Henry County
Cambridge Library

  • Cambridge Chronicle
  • Cambridge Democrat
  • Chronicle
  • Daily Chronicle
  • Fair Budget
  • Fulton County
  • Henry County Chronicle
  • Henry County Dial
  • Henry County Gazette
  • Prairie Chief

Clover Public Library District

  • Wrova Reporter 
  • Galva News
  • Woodhull Dispatch
  • The Woodhull Dispatch

Galva Public Library

  • The Galva News
  • Galva Weekly News 
  • The Galva Standard
  • Galva News 
  • Galva Semi-Weekly News 

Geneseo Public Library

  • Geneseo Republic
  • The Geneseo Republic
  • The Henry County News 
  • Geneseo Republic And Henry County News
  • The Union Advocate
  • Henry County News
  • The Sun
  • Geneseo Weekly Sun 
  • The Geneseo Journal 
  • The Geneseo News
  • The Geneseo Enterprise 
  • Republic
  • The Henry County Arena
  • The People’s Union Mission
  • Geneseo Daily Arena
  • The Standard

Kewanee Public Library District

  • Daily Independent 
  • Independent 
  • Kewanee Advertiser 
  • Kewanee Courier 
  • Kewanee Daily Star Courier 
  • Kewanee Independent 
  • Kewanee Star Courier 
  • Kewanee Weekly Star Courier 
  • Star Courier
  • Atkinson Annawan News
  • The Star Courier

Western District Library (Orion)

  • Orion Vidette 
  • The Orion Times 
  • The Liberator And Times 
  • Orion Times 
  • The New Orion Times 
  • Orion Gazette 
  • Gazette 

Kane County
Town and Country Public Library District 

  • Elburn Enterprise 
  • Elburn Herald 
  • Elburn Weekly Record 

Kankakee County

Kankakee Public Library

Lake County

Lake Forest Illinois

  • The Lake Forester
  • The Lake Forester and Lake Forest News
  • The Lake Forester and Lake Bluff News

LaSalle County
Earlville Library

  • The Earlville Leader
  • The Earlville Post
  • Earlville Leader 
  • The Earlville Gazette 
  • Earlville Gazette 
  • LaSalle County Gazette Express

Reddick Public Library District

  • Daily Republican Times
  • Ottawa Republican
  • Ottawa Republican Times
  • Ottawa Weekly Republican
  • The Daily Times

Lawrence County
Lawrence Public Library

  • American Banner
  • Birds Review
  • Campaign Republican
  • Clay County Herald
  • Clay County Tribune
  • Clay County Union
  • Daily Advocate
  • Daily News
  • Daily Record
  • Democratic Herald
  • Elks New Home Booster
  • Fulton Advocate
  • Fulton Banner
  • Fulton Democrat
  • Fulton Gazette
  • Fulton Republican
  • Golden Era
  • Hamilton County Express
  • Hamilton County Herald
  • Hamilton Democrat
  • Hamilton Express
  • Hamilton Sucker
  • Herald
  • Illinois Christian Advocate
  • Illinois Gazette
  • Illinois Public Ledger
  • Illinois Son of Temperance
  • Kickapoo Press
  • Knox County Republican
  • Knox Republican
  • La Harpe Leader
  • La Rose Vidette
  • La Salle Journal
  • Lacon Herald
  • Lacon Intelligencer
  • Lake County Times
  • Lake Forest Era
  • Lake Villa Advocate
  • Lake Zurich Independent
  • Lake Zurich News
  • Lawrence County Courier
  • Lawrence County Democrat
  • Lawrence County Journal
  • Lawrence County News
  • Lawrence County Press
  • Lawrenceville Banner
  • Lawrenceville Republican
  • Le Roy Eagle
  • Le Roy Exchange
  • Le Roy Free Press
  • Le Roy Weekly Exchange
  • Lebanon Journal
  • Lebanon Leader
  • Lena Daily Star
  • Lerna Weekly Eagle
  • Lewistown Democrat
  • Lewistown Lance
  • Lewistown News
  • Lewistown Union
  • Lincoln Evening Star
  • Lincoln Herald
  • Lincoln Times
  • Lincoln Weekly Herald
  • Litchfield Advocate
  • Litchfield Union Monitor
  • Little Rock Press
  • Local Reporter
  • Lockport Telegraph
  • Logan Courier
  • Lomax Herald
  • Louisville Ledger
  • Louisville Ledger Democrat
  • Louisville Visitor
  • Louisville Weekly Democrat
  • Lyons Herald
  • Mammoth
  • Marshall County Democrat
  • Marshall County Sentinel
  • McLeansboro Times
  • Montgomery Democrat
  • Mouser
  • Quill
  • Rural Republican
  • Sentimentalist
  • Star
  • Star Spangled Banner
  • Sumner Advocate
  • Sumner Democrat
  • Sumner Press
  • Voice of the People
  • Wauconda Independent
  • Weekly Herald
  • Western Globe
  • Wheeling Independent

Logan County
Atlanta Public Library and Museum  

  • Argus 
  • Atlanta Argus 
  • Atlanta Argus And The Armington Helper 
  • Atlanta Argus Lens
  • Atlanta Daily Argus
  • McLean County News 
  • McLean Lens 

Madison County

Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library

  • Die Union
  • Edwardsville Intelligencer
  • Highland Bote
  • Highland Bote Und Schutzen-Zeitung
  • Highland Journal
  • Highland Leader
  • Highland News Leader
  • Highland Union
  • Square News
  • The Gazette-Democrat
  • The Highland News Leader
  • The Hillsboro Journal
  • Weekly Telephone

Marshall County
Henry Public Library

  • Henry News-Republican 
  • Henry News Republican 
  • Henry Republican 
  • The Henry Republican 
  • Marshall County Republican 
  • Henry Current News 
  • Henry Weekly Courier 
  • Marshall County Telegraph
  • Henry Courier

McDonough County

McDonough County Genealogical Society

  • Blandinsville Gazette
  • Blandinsville Star Gazette
  • Colchester Independent
  • Macomb Daily Journal
  • Macomb Weekly Journal
  • The Adair Weekly Beacon
  • The Bardolph News
  • The Bushnell Record
  • The Industry Press
  • The Macomb Journal
  • The McDonough News

McHenry County
Harvard Diggins Library

  • Harvard Herald
  • Harvard Herald Independent 
  • The Harvard Herald and Independent
  • Harvard Independent 
  • The Harvard Independent 
  • The Harvard Herald
  • The News Bulletin

McHenry County Newspapers

  • Daily Sentinel-Richmond Edition
  • Hole In The Wall
  • Home Circle
  • Marengo Journal
  • Marengo News
  • Marengo Republican
  • Marengo Republican-News
  • McHenry Star
  • McHenry Star News
  • Nu Vue News
  • Richmond Gazette
  • Richmond Nu Vue News
  • Richmond Recorder
  • The McHenry Plaindealer
  • The Patrons Advocate
  • The Woodstock American
  • The Woodstock Republican
  • The Woodstock Sentinel
  • Union News
  • Woodstock Daily Sentinel

McLean County

Crumbaugh Library

  • Amerikanski Slovenec
  • Brown County Democrat
  • Chicago Daily Tribune
  • Chicago Times
  • Daily Republican-Era
  • Danville Republican And Chronotype
  • Der Mascoutah Anzeiger
  • Farmer City Journal
  • Greenville Advocate
  • Harvey News Bee
  • Harvey Tribune
  • Hebron Herald
  • Hennepin Record
  • Henry Times
  • Heyworth Star
  • Hinckley Review
  • Hindsboro News
  • Homer Enterprise
  • Hoopeston Chronicle Herald
  • Hoopeston Evening Times
  • Hume Record
  • Illiana Farmer
  • Illinois Gazette
  • Illinois Valley Tradesman
  • Industry Press
  • Jacksonville Daily Journal
  • Jacksonville Tribune
  • Jersey County News
  • Johnston City Progress
  • Kankakee Gazette
  • Lawrence County News
  • Lebanon Journal
  • LeRoy Eagle
  • LeRoy Free Press
  • LeRoy Laconic
  • LeRoy Weekly News
  • Lewistown News
  • Lincoln Courier-Herald
  • London Times
  • Mansfield Daily Express
  • Marion Evening Post
  • Markham Tribune
  • Marshall Herald
  • Mason City Banner Times
  • Mattoon Daily Herald
  • McLean Lens
  • Medora Messenger
  • Metropolis Gazette
  • Milford Herald News
  • Millstadt Enterprise
  • Morgan County News
  • Morton News
  • Mt Pulaski Weekly News
  • Murphysboro Daily Independent
  • Peoples Press
  • Rinehart Real Estate News
  • South End Reporter
  • The County Republican
  • The Daily News Herald
  • The Daily Register
  • The Farm
  • The Leader
  • The Lena Star
  • The LeRoy Journal
  • The Liberty Bee
  • The Liberty Press
  • The Macomb Daily Bystander
  • The Manito Community Express
  • The News Bulletin
  • The News Times
  • The Prairie Post
  • The Press Tribune
  • The Progressive Era
  • The Quill
  • The Rail-Splitter
  • The Restitution
  • The Western Plowman And South And West
  • Tri-Town News
  • Williamson County News

Heyworth Public Library District

  • Heyworth Natural Gas
  • Heyworth Reporter
  • The Heyworth Star

Ogle County
Byron Public Library

  • Airship Log
  • Altamont News
  • Alton Daily Times
  • Arcola Record
  • Arlington Heights Herald
  • Arthur Graphic Clarion
  • Atwood Herald
  • Avon Sentinel
  • Barrington Review
  • Belleville Daily News Democrat
  • Belleville Morning Record
  • Belleville News Democrat
  • Benld Enterprise
  • Berwyn Beacon
  • Bethany Echo
  • Blandinsville Star Gazette
  • Bloomington Commonwealth and the Sunday Record
  • Bloomington Record
  • Boone County Courier
  • Broadlands News
  • Brookfield Enterprise
  • Brookport Independent
  • Buda Plain Dealer
  • Bushnell Market Reporter
  • Byron Express
  • Byron News
  • Byron Record
  • Byron Times
  • Byron Tribune
  • Carlyle Democrat
  • Casey Banner Times
  • Casey Daily Reporter
  • Centralia Daily Democrat
  • Cerro Gordo News
  • Chadwick Clarion
  • Chapin News
  • Chenoa Clipper
  • Chester Press
  • Community Courier
  • Daily Advocate
  • Greene County Farm Bureau News Letter
  • Journal Illinois Sportsman
  • McLean County Farm and Home Bureau News
  • Prairie State Tribune
  • Tempo
  • Times
  • Verdurette

Polo Public Library 

  • Ogle County Press 
  • Tri County Press 
  • Tri-County Press 

Peoria County
Brimfield Public Library

  • The Brimfield News
  • The Princeville Telephone
  • The Telephone
  • The Brimfield Gazette

Peoria Heights Public Library

  • The Heights Herald 

Pike County

Griggsville Historical Society

  • The Independent Press
  • The Independent Press
  • The Pike County Republican

Randolph County

Coulterville High School

  • The Republican
  • The Coulterville News

Rock Island County

Rock Island County Historical Society

  • De Nieuwe Wereld
  • Gazette van Detroit
  • Gazette van Moline
  • Our Sunday Visitor
  • East Moline Enterprise
  • East Moline Herald
  • Reynolds Press

Moline Public Library

  • Moline Daily Dispatch 
  • Daily Dispatch
  • Moline Daily Journal
  • Daily Journal 
  • Evening Mail 
  • Sunday Mail 
  • Moline Evening Mail And Journal 
  • Moline Sunday Mail And Journal
  • Moline Mail And Journal 
  • Moline Independent 
  • Moline Review
  • Review Dispatch 
  • Moline Review Dispatch 
  • Moline Weekly Journal 
  • Weekly Mail 
  • Moline Weekly Mail 
  • Moline Workman 
  • The Daily Dispatch
  • The Dispatch

Sangamon County

Lincoln Library Springfield

  • Chicago Record-Herald
  • Daily Courier
  • Illinois State Democrat
  • Lincoln Daily Courier
  • Lincoln Herald
  • News-Record
  • Petersburg Observer
  • Pleasant Plains Advocate
  • Springfield Evening News
  • Springfield News-Record
  • The Lincoln Courier
  • The Lincoln Daily Courier
  • The Lincoln Times Courier
  • The Menard Index
  • The Menard Weekly Index
  • The Petersburg Observer
  • The Public Patron
  • The Rochester Weekly Item
  • The Springfield Evening News
  • The Springfield News
  • The Tri City Register
  • The Weekly Enterprise
  • Courier Daily Courier
  • The Chicago Record-Herald
  • The Evening News
  • The Illinois State Journal
  • The Lincoln Herald
  • The Lincoln Weekly Herald
  • The Menard County Axis

Schuyler County
Rushville Illinois

  • Rushville Times
  • Schuyler Citizen
  • Rushville Times and Schuyler County Herald
  • Jersey County Journal
  • Prairie Telegraph
  • Rushville Journal

Stark County
Bradford Public Library District

  • Bradford Republican
  • Bradford Stark County Republican
  • Stark County Republican
  • Bradford Independent
  • Bradford Weekly Independent
  • Bradford Daily Revivalist 
  • Cambridge Chronicle

Toulon Public Library

  • Goreville Record
  • Molly Daily Stark
  • Molly Tri Weekly Stark
  • Prairie Times
  • Red Bud Pilgrim
  • Stark County News
  • Stark County Sentinel
  • Stark County Union
  • The Piatt County Republican
  • The Sunday Herald
  • Tri Weekly Call

Wyoming Public Library District

  • Daily Post-Herald
  • Marion Semi-Weekly Leader
  • The Daily Post-Herald
  • The Post-Herald
  • The Wyoming Post
  • The Wyoming Post And Bradford Chronicle
  • The Wyoming Post-Herald
  • Wyoming Post-Herald

St. Clair County
Freeburg Area Library District

  • Freeburg Tribune 

New Athens District Library

  • Journal Messenger 
  • Journal Press 
  • New Athens Journal 
  • New Athens Journal Press 
  • Whistle 

Tazewell County
Morton Public Library

  • Tazewell News
  • Tazewell County News
  • Morton Times News
  • The Morton News
  • Morton Courier
  • Cauldron
  • Courier
  • The Tazewell News

Whiteside County
Sterling Public Library

  • Daily Gazette
  • Evening Gazette
  • Fulton Journal
  • Republican and Gazette
  • Sauk Valley Sunday
  • Sterling Daily Gazette
  • Sterling Daily Gazette And Daily Standard
  • Sterling Daily Standard
  • Sterling Evening Gazette
  • Sterling Gazette
  • Sterling Republic
  • Sterling Semi Weekly Gazette
  • Sterling Standard
  • Telegraph
  • The Daily Gazette

Erie Illinois Public Library 

  • Erie Independent 
  • Review 

Will County
Plainfield Public Library

  • Enterprise 
  • The Enterprise
  • The Enterprise Advantage

Winnebago County
Talcott Free Library

  • Rockton Herald
  • The Rockton Herald
  • Rockton-Roscoe Herald 
  • North Suburban Herald 
  • Rockton Roscoe Herald 
  • Herald

Woodford County
Illinois Prairie District Public Library

  • Herald
  • Hornet
  • Illinois State Democrat
  • Marshall Messenger
  • Marshall Telegraph
  • Marshall Weekly Messenger
  • Mascoutah Anzeiger
  • Mascoutah Herald
  • Mason City Banner
  • Mason City Banner Times
  • Mason City Journal
  • Mason City Times
  • Massac Journal
  • Massac Journal Republican
  • Mattoon Commercial Star
  • Mattoon Journal
  • Mattoon Star
  • Medora Messenger
  • Menard Time
  • Metamora Herald
  • Metamora Sentinel
  • Metropolis City Item
  • Metropolis Democrat
  • Metropolis Herald
  • Metropolis Register
  • Metropolis Times
  • Metropolis Weekly Sentinel
  • Metropolitan
  • Middletown Ledger
  • Milford Herald
  • Minonk News
  • Moline Review
  • Promulgator
  • Review Dispatch
  • Roanoke Review
  • Semi Weekly Eastern Illinoisan
  • Varna Leader
  • Washburn Leader
  • Woodford Co Visitor
  • Woodford County Argus
  • Woodford Sentinel

Algonquin Area Local Newspapers

  • Algonquin Countryside
  • Algonquin Township Life
  • Cardunal Free Press
  • Courier News
  • Daily Herald
  • Lake in the Hills Countryside
  • Northwest Herald

Cook County Memorial Public Library District Newspapers

  • Lake County Independent
  • Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun
  • Libertyville Independent
  • Lake County Register

Elgin Area Newspapers

Flora Public Library Digital Newspapers 

  • Southern Illinois Journal & Weekly Journal
  • Southern Illinois Journal
  • Southern Illinois Record
  • Flora Record
  • Flora Journal Record

Highland Park Local Newspapers

  • Highland Park News
  • Highland Park Press
  • Sheridan Road News-Letter
  • Highland Park News-Letter
  • North Shore News-Letter

Libertyville Local Newspapers

  • Waukegan Weekly Sun
  • Libertyville Independent
  • Independent Register
  • Southwest News Sun (Waukegan)
  • Waukegan News Sun
  • Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun
  • Lake County Independent
  • Libertyville Review
  • Libertyville Independent Register

Wilmette Public Library Newspapers

  • Wilmette Life
  • Lake Shore News
  • The Wilmette Beacon
  • Wilmette Local Newspapers
  • Chicago Tribune
  • Evanston Press
  • Wilmette Bulletin
  • Evanston Review
  • The Inter Ocean
  • Lake Shore New
  • Chicago Sun Times

Student Collections:

Antioch Community High School – Antioch

Augustana College – Rock Island 

Benedictine University – Lisle

Bradley University – Peoria

Columbia College – Chicago

DePaul University – Chicago

Eastern Illinois University – Charleston

Elmhurst University – Elmhurst

Glenbard West High School – Glen Ellyn

Governors State University – University Park

Granite High School – Granite City

Illinois Central College – East Peoria

Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago

Illinois State University – Normal

Illinois Wesleyan University – Bloomington

Illinois Woman’s College – Jacksonville

Joliet Junior College – Joliet

Lake Forest College – Lake Forest

Lake Land College- Mattoon

Loyola University – Chicago

Marist High School – Chicago

Millikin University – Decatur

Mundelein College – Chicago

New Trier High School – Winnetka

Niles Township High School – Skokie

Niles West High School – Skokie

North Central College – Naperville

North Park University – Chicago

Northeastern Illinois University – Chicago

Northwestern University – Evansville

Northern Illinois University – De Kalb

Saint Viator High School – Arlington Heights

Saint Xavier University – Chicago

South Suburban College – South Holland

Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville

University High School, Midway – Chicago

University of Chicago – Chicago

University of Illinois – Urbana

University of St. Francis – Joliet

Vienna High School – Vienna

Western Illinois University – Macomb

Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:

Independent Voices – Alternative Newspapers

  • 2 3 Many
  • A Four-year bummer
  • Action Bulletin
  • Ad Hoc Bulletin (Marxist-Lenninist
  • Arsenal: Surrealist Subversion
  • Black Maria
  • Blazing Star
  • But We Didn’t Know
  • CWLU News
  • Dull Brass
  • Feminist Voice
  • Fight Back!
  • GI News
  • Great Lakes Torpedo
  • Harass the Brass
  • Inside-Out
  • Kaleidoscope Chicago
  • Korea free press
  • Lavender Woman
  • Living Hand
  • Logistic, The
  • Milk Quarterly
  • Mother-country
  • Movement for Democratic Military
  • Navy Times Are Changin’
  • Operation County fair Newsletter
  • Other Half, The
  • Rag, The
  • Rising Up Angry
  • Secret Storm
  • Seed, The
  • Spokeswoman, The
  • Student Mobilization Committee to end the War in Vietnam
  • Vet Cong
  • Veteran, The (Chicago)
  • Veterans stars And stripes For Peace
  • Vietnam GI
  • Vietnam GI (Stateside Edition)Y
  • Vietnam Veterans Against the War
  • Voices of the Women’s Liberation Movement
  • War Bulletin
  • Wildcat
  • Winter soldier

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942

Illinois Swedish Language Newspapers

Small Town Papers

Old Fulton Postcards

Newspaper Abstracts – Illinois

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

Other Free Sites:

Antioch

Barrington

Belleville

Chicago

Decatur

Downers Grove

Galesburg

Granite City

Huntley

Hyde Park

Jacksonville

Joliet

Lake Forest

Macomb

McHenry

Mt. Carroll

Niles

Nokomis

Oak Lawn

Oak Park

Peoria

Proviso

River Forest

Rockford

Skokie

Springfield

Urbana

Winnetka

Subscription or Pay Sites:

Ancestry.com:

There are currently 103 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Ancestry – Illinois Newspapers

Genealogy Bank:

There are currently 643 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – Illinois Newspapers

Newspaper Archive:

There are currently 851 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archive – Illinois

Newspapers.com:

There are currently 819 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com – Illinois 

And Finally:

You also need to check out the University of Illinois Newspapers Database site, which can tell you what is happening in the state with regard to all the newspapers that are listed in the database and whether they are available via paper, microfilm, and/or online. 

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 Illinois Collection Links in 24 Genealogy Categories, go to the By Location Page, click on Illinois, and then click on the category of interest.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

12 replies on “Illinois Online Historical Newspapers Summary”

Badly needed are online access to newspapers from Will County, particularly covering Braidwood cica 1870 to 1920
A useful addition to Chicago newspapers online would be the Chicago Record-Herald (1901-1914) and its predecessors. I used bound hard copies from the Stanford University libraries some years ago and found it had materials not found elsewhere.
Also valuable would be full online access to the run of German-language newspaper in Chicago, Abendpost, which has a lot of useful information of historical and genealogical interest not found in the English language papers. Currently I am only aware of microfilm issues at Newberry and the Chicago Public Library. That is a dying technology, so I hope funds can be found to make this paper available on the web.

I’m looking for new articles from 1939 on my great grandfathers murder. He was working in a bar and broke up a fight between his cousin and another man and through his cousin out of the bar. The cousin came back with a gun to shot the man he was fighting with but killed my great grandfather instead. I believe this was in Aurora, IL or at lease the trail was, in fall (October- November 1939). My grandmother remembers sitting in the courtroom and getting Christmas presents from the town. His name is John Arthur Reed. The articles my grandmother had are missing .

Thank You for listing everything together. One day I hope to see a paper from Vermilion County in your list. Danville and area seem to be a black hole for publications.

Leave a Reply to Fairly CuriousN California Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *