Tennessee Online Historical Newspapers Summary

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(This page's most recent update is March 2025)

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​Tennessee is one of the states that does not have a 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 many of Tennessee’s free online newspapers are available on the Library of Congress 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 over 2,500 newspapers that have been published in the Volunteer 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 Tennessee 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. 

(Recently added links are in BOLD)

Tennessee Historical Newspapers

Free Sites:

Statewide Collections:

Chronicling America – Tennessee Newspapers

Note: The Links for Chronicling America go to the new Version 2.0

Google News Archive

Tennessee State Library and Archives (available in library only)

  • Chattanooga Daily Gazette 1864-1865
  • Chattanooga Daily Rebel 1862-1863
  • Chattanooga Advertiser 1844-1862
  • Jonesborough Whig, and Independent Journal 1839-1843
  • Memphis Appeal  1892-1899
  • Nashville Union 1845-1868
  • Maryville Republican 1876

County and Library Collections:

Carter County

Elizabethton Carter County Library

  • Spinnerette (1969-1996)
  • The Spinnerette (1964-1964)
  • The Watauga Spinnerette (1929-1954)
  • Watauga Spinnerette (1929-1929)

Coffee County

Coffee County Library

  • Coffee County’s News Leader (1994-1996)
  • Manchester Times (1921-2017)
  • The Independent (1994-1995)

Coffee County Lannom Library

  • The Apalachian (1867-1867)
  • The Bugle (1909-1910)
  • The Independent (1873-1873)
  • The Lynchburg Banner (1901-1917)
  • The Lynchburg Falcon (1907-1917)
  • The Lynchburg Sentinel (1913-1913)
  • The Moore County Hustler (1915-1916)
  • The News (2013-2021)
  • The Tullahoma News And Guardian (1949-2009)
  • The Tullahoma News (1946-2013)
  • Tullahoma Standard (1902-1902)
  • Tullahoma Times (1917-1917)

Chattanooga Newspapers

  • Chattanooga Commercial (1876-1885)
  • Chattanooga Daily American Union (1866-1866)
  • Chattanooga Daily Gazette (1864-1865)
  • Chattanooga Daily Press (1873-1873)
  • Chattanooga Daily Rebel (1863-1863)
  • Chattanooga Daily Times (1875-1911)
  • Chattanooga Evening News (1891-1891)
  • Chattanooga News (1891-1910)
  • Chattanooga Press (1893-1905)
  • Chattanooga Sunday Commercial (1886-1886)
  • Chattanooga Sunday News (1891-1891)
  • Chattanooga Times (1894-1894)
  • Chattanooga Weekly Press (1896-1896)
  • Commercial (1887-1887)
  • Crabtrees Saturday Press (1905-1906)
  • Daily American Union (1866-1866)
  • Daily Commercial (1887-1887)
  • Hamilton Gazette (1838-1838)
  • Republican Press (1893-1893)
  • South Pittsburg Hustler (1909-1912)
  • The Chattanooga Advertiser (1858-1858)
  • The Chattanooga Daily Times (1877-1877)
  • The Chattanooga Daily Times (1877-1877)
  • The Chattanooga Dispatch (1877-1877)
  • The Chattanooga Gazette (1886-1886)
  • The Chattanooga Star (1907-1907)
  • The Chattanooga Sunday Times (1890-1895)
  • The Daily Chattanooga Rebel (1864-1865)
  • The Daily Rebel (1863-1863)
  • The Daily Republican (1869-1869)
  • The Daily Times (1869-1895)
  • The Dakotian (1862-1864)
  • The Rebel (1862-1862)
  • The Southen Press (1871-1871)
  • The Times (1876-1876)
  • The Union and Dakotaian (1864-1871)
  • The Weekly Dakotian (1861-1861)

Marshall County

Marshall County Library

  • Lewisburg Gazette (1848-1848)
  • Lewisburg Tribune (1899-2011)
  • Marshall County Tribune (2005-2019)
  • Marshall Democrat (1847-1847)
  • The Marshall Gazette (1871-2005)
  • The Southern Messenger (1859-1861)
  • Tec News (1946-1962)

Sullivan County

Kingsport Public Library

  • Tec News (1946-1962)

Student Collections:

Austin Peay State University – Clarksville

Baptist Health Sciences University – Memphis

Belmont University – Nashville

Bethel University – McKenzie

Bryan College – Dayton

Christian Brothers University – Memphis

Cumberland University – Lebanon

East Tennessee University – Johnson City

Fisk University – Nashville

Freed-Hardeman University – Henderson

Harpeth Hall School – Nashville

Johnson University – Knoxville

King University – Bristol

Knoxville College – Knoxville

Lane College – Jackson

Lee University – Cleveland

LeMoyne-Owen College – Memphis

Lincoln Memorial University – Harrogate

Lipscomb University – Nashville

Maryville College – Maryville

Memphis University School – Memphis

Middle Tennessee State University – Murfreesboro

Milligan College – Elizabethton

Montgomery Bell Academy – Nashville

Rhodes College – Memphis

Southern Adventist University – Collegedale

Tennessee State University – Nashville

Tennessee Tech University – Cookeville

Tennessee Wesleyan College – Athens

Trevecca Nazarene University – Nashville

Tusculum University – Greeneville

Union University – Jackson

University of Memphis – Memphis

University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

University of Tennessee – Martin

University of Tennessee Junior College – Martin

University of Tennessee Southern – Pulaski

University of the South- Sewanee

Vanderbilt University – Nashville

Ward Belmont School – Nashville

Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:

Independent Voices – Alternative Newspapers

  • Chahta Anumpa – The Choctaw Times
  • Napalm
  • The Spread Eagle
  • The People’s Press

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942

Index to Early Memphis Newspapers

The Story of Marion County – Index

Southern School News Archive 

TNGenWeb Historical News Index

Small Town Papers

Old Fulton Postcards

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

Other Free Sites:

Chattanooga

Jackson

Gallatin

Knoxville

​Memphis

Murfreesboro

Nashville

Oak Ridge

​Somewhere

Subscription or Pay Sites:

Ancestry.com:

There are currently 26 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Ancestry – Tennessee Newspapers

Genealogy Bank:

There are currently 272 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – Tennessee Newspapers

Newspaper Archive:

There are currently 32 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archive – Tennessee

Newspapers.com:

There are currently 501 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com – Tennessee

And Finally:

You also need to check out the Tennessee Newspaper Digitization Project site, which can tell you what is happening in the state with regard to the newspapers that are available via microfilm.

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

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

Online Newspaper Research FAQs

Why is online newspaper research so challenging?

It’s challenging due to imperfect Optical Character Recognition (OCR), inconsistent indexing, variations in spelling and nicknames, differing journalistic styles over time, and the sheer volume of fragmented, often paywalled, collections. Finding what you need truly feels like a treasure hunt!

What can I do to overcome these OCR errors?

Many researchers utilizing online newspaper archives may not be aware that word searches are performed against a database generated by analyzing whether minute sections of the newspaper are black or white. It is the shape of the collected dots that may (or may not) look like a letter.

To improve search accuracy when encountering OCR errors, it is advisable to intentionally alter your search terms by substituting letters with similar shapes. For example, replacing a lowercase ‘b’ with an ‘h’, or a lowercase ‘e’ with a ‘c’.

What other techniques will produce better results?

In your search criteria, try entering abbreviations, nicknames, and portions of hyphenated words. Numerous other techniques can be found in The Ancestor Hunt’s “Newspaper Research Academy”, which can be accessed at https://theancestorhunt.com/academy.html

Are any Newspaper Databases Free?

Yes. Although some of the largest databases require a subscription, there are many that are free. The Ancestor Hunt has curated links to over 80,000 titles that can be searched for free in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. To use these links, go to its Newspaper Links Page,

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