Best website for newpapers, research, etc...
 

What are the best websites for doing research in regards to late 19th century and early 20th century newspapers? I am mostly looking for New York newspapers, but would also like access to as many other local newspapers where Major League baseball was played - National Association, American Association, American League, National League, etc., which are generally the larger cities of the time.

I do not mind paying for a subscription if it makes sense.

Thanks in advance, Kevin

Hi Kevin:

I use both newspapers.com and newspaperarchive.com, they both have strengths and weaknesses. I think they're both, like, ten bucks a month.

There's also ancestry.com, which often has newspaper articles digitized that you can hunt through.

A lot of smaller, older towns have historical societies that have researchers that can help you; they have access to libraries that sometimes have tons of newspapers on microfiche that they can dig into if you give them enough time.

-Al

I use newspaperarchives.com, it's $29.95/month for unlimited article downloads. It's a useful resource but is limited to smaller publications; no NY Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Texas is a virtual black hole unless you're looking for info on West Texas.

Augmented with The Library of Congress Newspaper Archives, and SmallTownPapers.com and you've got a decent cross-section of publications. As mentioned before local historical societies are always an excellent resource...

I believe harpweek.com sells the complete digitalized Harper's Weekly

I have been using la84.org to research an obscure Indiana minor league season. To my surprise, there are many articles I have found here. Under Periodicals, then Magazines, there is a checkbox for Sporting Life (1885-1917). All scans I have seen are very readable, unlike some websites. The scans are PDF's, so you could save them for reference later on.

They also have Baseball Magazine (1908-1920) you could search, I have not searched this section as these were published after my research time frame.

Best of all it's free.


Hope this helps,
James

Search engines
 

www.genealogybank.com is very useful. I can also get Proquest online thru a local library database. It has the Times, but also some other cities like Baltimore, Louisville, and Cincy that come in handy in the 1800's.


I find New York World and Brooklyn Daily Eagle to have the best coverage in the 1880's and 90's. Sporting Life is full of news, but beware it has a slant and is not always accurate.

If you join SABR you get "free" access to Sporting News and Sporting Life.

Thanks for all of the responses. I will definitely check out these links.

I am a member of SABR, so I do utilize their resources.

Chicago Tribune archive search. Just type in a date and a keyword, i.e. October 9th, 1908 Cubs.

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/results/

Just curious if anyone would know a good resource to find a digital copy of the front page of the Boston Globe from September 29, 1960.

I signed up for newspapers.com, but unfortunately they do not cover this time period for the Boston Globe.

Any help would be most appreciated - thanks!
Scott