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 February 2023; recently added links are in BOLD)

Wisconsin Historical Newspapers

Free Sites:

Statewide Collections:

Chronicling America – Wisconsin Newspapers

• Ashland, Ashland County, Wisconsin, 1916-1916 – The Ashland chronicle.
• Baraboo, Wis., 1884-1911 – The Baraboo news.
• Baraboo, Wis., 1912-197? – Baraboo weekly news.
• Chicago, Ill., 1867-1878 – Pokrok. [volume]
• Dodgeville, Wis., 1862-current – Dodgeville chronicle.
• Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis., 1893-1896 – Eagle River Democrat.
• Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis., 1896-1927 – Vilas County news.
• Eagle River, Wis., 1890-1927 – Eagle River review. [volume]
• Edgerton, Wis., 1877-1950 – The Wisconsin tobacco reporter.
• Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis., 1857-1923 – Wood County reporter.
• Hurley, Wis., 1904-191? – La Nostra terra.
• Hurley, Wis., 191?-1913 – Our land = La Nostra terra.
• Hurley, Wis., 1913-1950 – Iron County news.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1850-1854 – Kenosha telegraph.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1855-1855 – Kenosha tribune and telegraph.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1855-1856 – Tribune and telegraph.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1856-1859 – Kenosha tribune & telegraph.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1859-1860 – The Kenosha telegraph and tribune.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1860-1888 – The Kenosha telegraph.
• Kenosha, Wis., 1888-1946 – The Telegraph-courier.
• La Crosse, Wis., 1856-1921 – Nord stern. [volume]
• Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis., 1907-1927 – Ladysmith news-budget.
• Ladysmith, Wis., 1905-1905 – The Ladysmith news.
• Ladysmith, Wis., 1905-1906 – The Ladysmith news and Ingram news.
• Ladysmith, Wis., 1906-1907 – Ladysmith news.
• Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.], 1843-1844 – Grant County herald. [volume]
• Lancaster, Wis., 1844-1845 – Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume]
• Lancaster, Wis., 1846-1849 – Wisconsin herald. [volume]
• Lancaster, Wis., 1850-1968 – Grant County herald. [volume]
• Madison, Wis., 1916-1925 – The Wisconsin weekly blade.
• Manitowoc, Wis., 1859-1932 – The Manitowoc pilot.
• Manitowoc, Wis., 1866-1878 – The Manitowoc tribune.
• Milwaukee, Wis., 1861-1890 – Der Herold.
• Milwaukee, Wis., 1881-1901 – Zgoda = Unity. [volume]
• Milwaukee, Wis., 1890-1898 – Milwaukee Herold.
• Milwaukee, Wis., 1906-1912 – Der Sonntagsbote.
• Milwaukee, Wis., 1912-1922 – Der Sonntagsbote und der Seebote.
• Mineral Point, Wis., 1847-1854 – Wisconsin tribune.
• Mineral Point, Wis., 1854-1858 – Mineral Point tribune.
• Mineral Point, Wis., 1859-1868 – Mineral Point weekly tribune.
• Mineral Point, Wis., 1869-1938 – Mineral Point tribune.
• Mineral Point, Wis., 1877-1938 – Iowa County democrat.
• Neenah, Wis., 1892-1920 – Danskeren. [volume]
• New York Mills, Minn., 188?-1934 – Uusi kotimaa.
• Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis., 1912-1916 – The Odanah star.
• Prescott, Wis., 1861-1871 – Prescott journal. [volume]
• River Falls, Pierce County, Wis., 1857-1861 – The River Falls journal.
• River Falls, Pierce County, Wis., 1872-2019 – River Falls journal. [volume]
• River Falls, Pierce County, Wis., 1894-1933 – The River Falls times. [volume]
• Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.], 1840-1850 – Southport telegraph.
• Superior, Wis., 1870-1912 – The Superior times.
• Viroqua, Wis., 1865-1955 – Vernon County censor.
• Wabeno, Wis., 1898-1925 – Northern Wisconsin advertiser.
• Washburn, Wis., 1896-1976 – The Washburn times.
• Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., 1906-1908 – Watertown weekly leader.
• Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., 1908-1909 – Weekly Watertown leader.
• Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., 1909-1911 – Watertown leader.
• Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., 1912-1917 – Watertown weekly leader.
• Watertown, Wis., 1860-1906 – Watertown republican.
• Watertown, Wis., 1917-1919 – The Watertown news.
• Wausau, Wis., 1896-1940 – Wausau pilot.
• Wauwatosa, Wis., 1900-1948 – Wauwatosa news.

Google News Archive

• Blair – The Blair Press

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 

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

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

• New London Press
• New London Press-Republican
• New London Republican
• Press Star

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

• Noctiluca

Beloit College – Beloit

• Round Table
• The Round Table

Carroll University Student Newspaper Collection – Waukesha

• Carroll College Student
• Carroll Echo
• Perspective
• New Perspective
• The Carroll Screamer (1903)
• The Pioneer Press (1925)
• The Voice (1962-1963)
• The Union (1967)
• The Flyer (1971-1972)
• The P (1990-1992)
• The Forum (1992-1993)
• Testify (2000-2003)
• The Paper (2003-2005)
• Amorphous (2004)
• Blueman’s Daughter (2004)
• The Alternate Perspective (2008)

Concordia University – Mequon

• The Courier
• The Quill
• The Beacon

Eau Claire High School

• The Kodak

Edgerton High School – Edgerton

• The Crimson

Eisenhower High School – New Berlin

• Paw Print

James Madison Memorial High School – Madison

• Sword and Shield

Lakeland University – Sheboygan

• Mirror

Lawrence University – Appleton

• Lawrentian

Madison Area Technical College – Madison

• Clarion

Madison Central High School – Madison

• Madison Mirror

Marian University – Fond du Lac

• The Sabre Voice

Milwaukee-Downer College – Milwaukee

• The Snapshot
• Snapshot-Kodak
• The Downer Dial
• The Dial

Northland College – Ashland

• News
• Northland student life

Marquette University – Milwaukee

• Marquette Tribune

Milton College – Milton

• Milton College Review

Oconto High School – Oconto

• The Okato

Ripon College – Ripon

• Ripon College bulletin

St. Catherine’s High School – Racine

• The Shield

St. Norbert College – De Pere

• St. Norbert Times

University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

• Spectator

University of Wisconsin – Green Bay

• Inside UW-Green Bay News

University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

• Alumnus Collection
• The Catalyst
• Leaping La Crosse News
• Racquet 

University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

• UWM Post

University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh

• ​Advance Titan

University of Wisconsin – Platteville

• Exponent

University of Wisconsin – River Falls

• Student Voice

University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

• The Pointer

University of Wisconsin – Stout

• Stoutonia

University of Wisconsin – Superior

• The Peptomist  1920-1974
• The Promethean 1975-May 2006
• The Stinger, 2006-2007

University of Wisconsin – Whitewater

• The Royal Purple

Viterbo University – La Crosse

• ​Lumen

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​

• ​​Blackwell – 604 News (Company 604)
• Blackwell – Birch Barker (Company 604)
• Blackwell – Burning Log (Company 604)
• Blackwell – Camp Blackwell Reveille (Company 604)
• Brule – Brule Review (Company 629)
• Brule – Northener (Company 629)
• Brule – Topnotch (Company 629)
• Brule – Wannegan (Company 629)
• Camp Douglas – Inkwell (Company 3670)
• Camp McCoy – Headquarters Star (Company 0)
• Crandon – Six Forty Niner (Company 649)
• Danbury – Riverside Low-Down (Company 626)
• Drummond – Pigeon Log (Company 640)
• Eagle River – Wa-Wa-Ta (Company 641)
• Elcho – Eagle (Company 657)
• Elcho – The Elcho Eagle (Company 657)
• Elcho – Woodchopper (Company 657)
• Fairchild – Globe Trotter (Company 2618)
• Fifield – Life Of Riley (Company 642)
• Fifield – Riley Creek Rag (Company 642)
• Fifield – Riley Creek Rag (Company 642)
• Hayward – Northern Pine Whisper (Company 647)
• Highland – Highlander (Company 625)
• LaValle – Hilltop (Company 2668)
• Loretta – Loretta Ledger (Company 648)
• Loretta – Woodland Echoes (Company 648)
• Manitowish – Camp Mercer Monitor (Company 660)
• Manitowish – Camp Mercer Monitor (Company 660)
• Manitowish – The Mercer Monitor (Company 660)
• Marengo – Tattler (Company 638)
• Merrill – Nu-Mud-Nus (Company 2616)
• Milwaukee – Estabrook Echoes (Company 1699)
• Milwaukee – Skipper’S Scandals (Company 1699)
• Mountain – Bear Paw Scratchings (Company 635)
• Onalaska – Pioneer (Company 601)
• Phelps – Warvet (Company 1680)
• Richland Center – Camp Richland Center Journal (Company 1699)
• Richland Center – Weekly Journal (Company 1699)
• Soperton – Trump Lake Trumpeter (Company 643)
• St. Croix Falls – Dalles Lake Crier (Company 633)
• Three Lakes – Camp Pine River News (Company 646)
• Three Lakes – Pine River News (Company 646)
• Tomahawk – Tommy Hawk (Company 1608)
• Townsend – Boot Lake Echo (Company 2619)
• Trempleau – Camp Perrot Zephyr (Company 2606)
• Trempleau – Marsh Camp News (Company 2606)
• Wabeno – Camp Himley Lake (Company 1655)
• Wabeno – Himley Lake Ripples (Company 1655)
• Wabeno – Himley Lake (Company 1655)
• Wausau – Rib Mountaineer (Company 3649)
• West Salem – The Pioneer News (Company 601)
• West Salem – The Sunset (Company 601)
• West Salem – The Sunset (Company 601)
• Winter – Moose Call (Company 2617)
• Wyalusing – State Park Eagle (Company 2672)
• Wyalusing – State Park News (Company 2672)

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

• The Blair Press Alma Center Blair, Wisconsin
• The Blair Press Taylor Blair, Wisconsin
• Edgerton Reporter – Edgerton
• Kenosha News — Kenosha

Old Fulton Postcards

• Kaukauna WI Times
• Kaukauna WI Times 1900

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 historic newspapers, please check out the Obituaries page.

Other Free Sites:

Appleton

• Appleton Review
• Week-end review

Beloit

• The Stumbllingstone

Delavan

• Delavan Republican
• Wisconsin Times

Eau Claire

• Reform

Green Bay

• The Compass

La Crosse

• Catholic Life – 2015-present
• Wisconsin Labor Advocate 
• La Crosse Tribune (transcriptions)

Madison​

• Gallistella Breezes
• Wisconsin Farmer
• Catholic Herald

Milwaukee

• GPU News 
• Gazeta Wisconsińska (1893-1895)
• Kaleidoscope​
• Catholic Herald
• Milwaukee Catholic Herald
• The United States Miller

Oneida

• Kalihwisaks

Superior

• Catholic Herald, Superior – 2013-present

Williams Bay

• Bay Leaves

Wisconsin Rapids

• Consolidated Papers, Inc. – Consolidated News

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 246 publications available on this site. See all the titles at Genealogy Bank – Wisconsin Newspapers

Newspaper Archive:

There are currently 833 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.