Wisconsin Online Historical Newspapers Summary

Wisconsin 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, Wisconsin has a few newspapers available on that site. There are some 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 3,400 newspapers that have been published in the Badger 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 Wisconsin 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 July 2023; recently added links are in BOLD)

Wisconsin Historical Newspapers

Free Sites:

Statewide Collections:

Chronicling America – Wisconsin Newspapers

Google News Archive

Archive of Wisconsin Newspapers (Wisconsin residents only)

  • Amery Free Press (1932-1949 & 2005-current)
  • Baraboo News Republic (1858-1886 & 2005-current)
  • Barron News-Shield (1876-19630
  • Beaver Dam Argus (1864-1866)
  • Beaver Dam, Dodge County Citizen (1859-1869)
  • Belleville Recorder (1887-1923)
  • Benton Advocate (1894 – 1900)
  • Benton Mining Times (1901 – 1959)
  • Black River Falls, Badger State Banner (1868-1926)
  • Black River Falls, Banner Journal (1926-1976 & 2005-current)
  • Black River Falls, Jackson County Banner (1867-1868)
  • Black River Falls, Jackson County Journal (1889 – 1926)
  • Black River Falls, Melrose Chronicle (1896 – 1924)
  • Brodhead Independent (1861-1900)
  • Cadott Sentinel – 12/27/2012
  • Columbus Republican (1872-1874)
  • Evansville Badger (1898-1906)
  • Evansville Enterprise (1895-1911)
  • Evansville Review (1899-1932 & 2005-current)
  • Evansville Tribune (1899-1908)
  • Florence Mining News (1881-1894 & 2005-current)
  • Fort Atkinson, Daily Jefferson County Union (1870-1918 & 2005-current)
  • Hartland News and Dairyman (1894-1920)
  • Kiel, Tri-County Record (1918-1974)
  • Marinette and Peshtigo Eagle (1871-1896)
  • Mukwonago Chief – (1889-1926 & 2005 to 2017)
  • New Glarus Post (1912-1933)
  • New London Press/Republican/Times (1879-1906)
  • Pittsville, Yellow River Pilot – (1897-1904)
  • Prairie du Chien Leader (1857-1860)
  • Prairie du Chien Union (1864-1896)
  • Prairie du Chien, Courier Press (1852-1922 & 2005-current)
  • Random Lake Times (1918-1975)
  • Random Lake, The Sounder (1975-current)
  • Rib Lake Herald (1902-1920)
  • Stanley Republican (1965-1984 & 2005-current)
  • Union Grove Enterprise (1879-1904)
  • Watertown Democrat (1854-1869)
  • Waupun Times (1857-1903)

County and Library Collections:

​Barron County
Rice Lake Public Library

  • Rice Lake Chronotype
  • Rice Lake Chronotype And The Rice Lake Times
  • Rice Lake Chronotype And Rice Lake Independent
  • Barron County Chronotype 
  • Rice Lake Times
  • The Barron County Chronotype
  • The Chronotype 
  • The Rice Lake Chronotype 

Chippewa County
Chippewa Falls Public Library

  • Chippewa Falls Democrat
  • Chippewa Herald
  • Chippewa County Independent
  • Chippewa Union And Times
  • Daily Independent 
  • Independent
  • Chippewa Journal Tribune

G.E. Bleskacek Family Memorial Library

  • The Bloomer Advance
  • Bloomer Workman

Columbia County
Kilbourn Public Library

  • Wisconsin Dells Events 
  • Kilbourn Weekly Events 
  • Mirror Gazette 
  • Dells Events 
  • Wisconsin Mirror 
  • The Kilbourn Weekly Illustrated Events
  • Kilbourn City Guard
  • Mirror 
  • Illustrated Events 
  • Kilbourn City Mirror 
  • The Telegraph Courier 

Dane County

Madison West High School

  • West High Times

Dunn County
Menomonie Public Library

  • Dunn County News
  • Dunn County Lumberman

Forest County
Crandon Public Library

  • Forest Republican
  • Forest Echo
  • Northern Citizen
  • Forest Leaves
  • North Crandon Reporter
  • Forest County Chief
  • Forest County Spy

Jefferson County
Irving Young Memorial Library

  • Whitewater Register
  • The Whitewater Register
  • The Whitewater Gazette
  • The Whitewater Press
  • The Gazette
  • The Whitewater Chronicle
  • Whitewater Gazette
  • Whitewater Press
  • The Weekly Gazette
  • The Chronicle-Extra

Juneau County
Elroy Public Library

  • County Line 
  • County Line Connection 
  • Elroy Chronicle 
  • Elroy Head Light 
  • Elroy Kendall Wilton Tribune Keystone 
  • Elroy Leader 
  • Elroy Leader Tribune 
  • Elroy Tribune 
  • Elroy Tribune And Plain Talker 
  • Elroy Union 
  • Juneau County Argus 
  • Juneau County Chronicle 
  • Juneau County Plain Talker
  • Keystone Reporter 
  • Messenger of Juneau County 
  • Plain Talker 
  • Trail Communities Messenger 
  • Tribune 
  • Tribune Keystone 
  • Wisconsin Statesman

Sawyer County

Lac Courtes Oreilles Ojibe Community College

  • Anishinabe Aki
  • Bimikawe
  • Chippewa Sun
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Community Journal
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Elders Corner
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Journal
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Journal American
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Journal Times
  • Lac Courte Oreilles News
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Newspaper
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Times
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Today
  • Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal News and Report
  • News From Indian Country, The Journal
  • Ojibwe Times
  • Rez Times the magazine
  • Sawyer County Times
  • The Journal, News from Indian Country
  • The Times, Lac Courte Oreilles
  • We Sa Mi Dong
  • Wisconsin Rez Times

Algoma Public Library Newspaper Archives

  • Ahnapee Record
  • Algoma Herald
  • Algoma Press
  • Algoma record
  • Algoma Record Herald

Brandon Public Library (library card required)

  • Brandon Times

Door County Library Newspaper Archive

  • Door County Advocate 1862-1897 
  • Door County Advocate 1918-June 1979
  • Door County Democrat 1893-1918 
  • Door County News 1914-1939  
  • Port Light 1943-1945
  • The Advocate 1897-1912   
  • The Democrat 1892-1895  
  • The Expositor 1873-1877  
  • The Expositor Independent 1877-1880  
  • The Independent 1886-1890  
  • The Republican 1890-1892   
  • The Sturgeon Bay Advocate 1912-1918 
  • Weekly Expositor Independent 1880-1886  

Lake Geneva Public Library Newspaper Indices

New London Public Library

Oconto County Newspapers

  • Enquirer
  • Farmer-Herald
  • Gillett Times
  • Herald
  • Lena Enterprise
  • Maple Valley Educator
  • Militiaman
  • Oconto County Chronicle
  • Oconto County Reporter
  • Oconto County Reporter Enterprise
  • Oconto County Reporter Enterprise-Enquirer
  • Oconto County Times-Herald
  • Oconto Falls Herald
  • Oconto Lumberman
  • Oconto Pioneer
  • Suring Sun
  • Union Farmer-Herald

Waukesha County Freeman Digital Archives 

  • Cutover Land Bulletin (1846–1922)
  • Daily Freeman (1883–1890)
  • The Daily Freeman and Republican (1890)
  • The Evening Journal (1890)
  • The Republican (1887)
  • The Republican-Freeman (1888–1898)
  • Waukesha County Democrat (1854–1875)
  • Waukesha Daily Freeman (1882–1955)
  • Waukesha Democrat (1848–1852)
  • The Waukesha Freeman (1846–1945)
  • Waukesha Freeman (1882–1883)
  • Waukesha Freeman and Republican (1890)
  • The Waukesha Journal (1889–1891)
  • The Waukesha Plaindealer (1865–1873)

Student Collections:

Appleton High School – Appleton

Beloit College – Beloit

Carroll University Student Newspaper Collection – Waukesha

Concordia University – Mequon

Eau Claire High School

Edgerton High School – Edgerton

Eisenhower High School – New Berlin

James Madison Memorial High School – Madison

Lakeland University – Sheboygan

Lawrence University – Appleton

Madison Area Technical College – Madison

Madison Central High School – Madison

Marian University – Fond du Lac

Milwaukee-Downer College – Milwaukee

Northland College – Ashland

Marquette University – Milwaukee

Milton College – Milton

Oconto High School – Oconto

Ripon College – Ripon

St. Catherine’s High School – Racine

St. Norbert College – De Pere

University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

University of Wisconsin – Green Bay

University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

University of Wisconsin – Madison

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh

University of Wisconsin – Platteville

University of Wisconsin – River Falls

University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

University of Wisconsin – Stout

University of Wisconsin – Superior

University of Wisconsin – Whitewater

Viterbo University – La Crosse

Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:

UW-Stout Area Research Center Newspaper Index

  • Barron County News-Shield
  • Boyceville Press
  • Chetek Alert
  • Colfax Messenger
  • Cumberland Advocate
  • Dunn County News
  • Dunn County Pictorial Messenger
  • Durand Courier Wedge
  • Durand Weekly Times
  • Knapp News
  • Menomonie Nordstern
  • Menomonie Shopper
  • Menomonie Times
  • Pepin County Courier
  • Pepin County Mirror
  • Rice Lake Chronotype
  • Rice Lake Leader
  • Turtle Lake Bugle
  • Turtle Lake Times

Independent Voices – Alternative Newspapers

  • Amazon, The
  • Bread & Roses
  • Camp McCoy Defense Committee
  • Connections
  • Conscription Newsletter
  • Draft Call, The
  • Draft News
  • Draft Resistance Clearing House
  • IT
  • Madison Kaleidoscope
  • Margins
  • NCC Worklist
  • Quixote
  • Sanity (Madison)

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942​

Western Wisconsin Civilian  Conservation Corps Camp Newsletters

  • Fairchild – The Globe Trotter, 1935-1937
  • Fairchild – The Reveille, 1934-1937
  • Fifield – Riley Creek Rag, 1935-1937
  • Fifield – Sailor Lake Log, 1935
  • Fifield – The Life of Riley, 1939
  • Glen Flora – The Rusketeer, 1935-1937
  • Hayward – Northern Pine Whisper, 1935-1936
  • Loretta – Chippewa Camp Chatters, 1935
  • Loretta – Loretta Ledger, 1937
  • Loretta – Woodland Echoes, 1934-1935
  • Nelson – The Scatter Gun, 1935-1937
  • Nelson- The Duck Call, 1940
  • Perkinstown – The Camp Perkinstown Log, 1935
  • Perkinstown – The Chequamegon Forester, 1940
  • Perkinstown – The Perkinstown Pepper Pot, 1936-1937
  • Perkinstown – The Rookie Times, 1938-1940
  • Phillips – The Roundup, 1937
  • Phillips – The Voice of 1610, 1934-1935
  • Westboro – Mondeaux Plague, 1934
  • Westboro – Mondeaux-Vous, 1935-1936
  • Westboro – The Camp Jump River News, 1935-1936
  • Westboro – The Daily Astonisher, 1934
  • Westboro – The New Muskie, 1936
  • Winter – The Moose Call, 1935-1937

Small Town Papers

Old Fulton Postcards

Civil War Newspaper Articles, 1860-1865 (clippings)

Wisconsin Name Index

Wisconsin Obituaries, Local History and Biography Articles 1836-1948 (clippings)​

Newspaper Abstracts – Wisconsin

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

Other Free Sites:

Appleton

Beloit

Delavan

Eau Claire

Green Bay

La Crosse

Madison

Milwaukee

Oneida

Superior

Williams Bay

Wisconsin Rapids

Subscription or Pay Sites:

Ancestry.com:

There are currently 178 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Ancestry – Wisconsin Newspapers

Genealogy Bank:

There are currently 247 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – Wisconsin Newspapers

Newspaper Archive:

There are currently 834 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspaper Archives – Wisconsin

Newspapers.com:

There are currently 320 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Newspapers.com – Wisconsin 

And Finally:

You also need to check out the Wisconsin Historical Society site, which can tell you what is occurring in the state with regard to newspaper projects. If you are a Wisconsin state resident, check out Badger Link for newspaper resources as well.

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

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

8 replies on “Wisconsin Online Historical Newspapers Summary”

This was a typo Mark. Thanks for calling this typo out. I will fix it. A bit terse on your part but nevertheless you are correct.

Will other newspapers from 1975 to the present be available online in the future? For example, the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh) currently has 1875-1975. will they eventually have 1976 to the present?

Hi there! I realize it’s been a while since the last post on this page, but I wanted to let anyone who comes here know that the link for the Oconto County Newspapers is no longer valid.
But the good news is I found a valid one! Go here: http://ocnews.co.oconto.wi.us/
And a big THANK YOU to Kenneth for posting all these links! I have a lot of family from Door County, and Wisconsin in general, and have found lots of information that cannot be found in the NewspapersArchive site. 🙂 Happy Digging!

the Milwaukee Journal / Sentinel can be accessed free with a Milwaukee Library Card through NewsBank on the library’s web site – the online description say they cover from 1990 and later – when you go to the site they actually cover from the 1880’s
https://www.mpl.org/databases/all/66

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