This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/GW.2ADE/960.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Recent Obituaries (and all the news articles) from the Fresno Bee, from about 1986 forward are in digital format, and WERE offerred for $1.99 an article from a newspaper archive site. The Bee has pulled out of that company, but evidently is going to offer all articles from that date on again. I'll call and see what I can find out about the time frame. The articles were searchable and easy to use -- I was able to quickly locate my Father, Grandfather, and Grandmother's obituaries using their search functions. Nothing before 1986 is archived anywhere in any sort of electronic searching, at least that I know of, from the Bee. :( I'm unaware of any published index of obits before this date from local efforts, either. So ... it's microfilm time for most everything before 1986. The last I knew, the Bee's Research Desk charged by the hour for obituary or article searches, and it wasn't a pretty number. Sacramento's State Library and the main Fresno library has the Bee on microfilm from it's start in the early 1920's. Earlier newspapers in the area are sporadic, but quite a few *are* on microfilm from the first 1860's efforts on. Those early newspapers can be a real trip trying to find an obit. Sandra has a heart of gold for all her hard work at this on everyone's behalf. [You do good, Sandra. :) ] deb