Newspapers can be a good source of information about our families. From obituaries to gossip columns, from news articles to advertisements they can provide us with special insight into the lives and times of our progenitors. But, locating them can be a chore. The lifespan of a newspaper can be roughly equivalent to that of a restaurant; some survive for years, while others bloom and die within a matter of months. So, how do you find copies of old newspapers, whether or not the newspaper itself has survived? One way is to contact the current newspaper operating in the city or county where your ancestors lived. Some of these maintain their own libraries of past issues of their publication, and in some cases, they have preserved copies of other newspapers in the area. Local libraries, archives or historical societies may have copies of old newspapers, either in paper form or on microfilm. For older newspapers, you will want to consult Winifred Gregory’s American Newspapers 1821-1936 – A Union List (published by H.W. Wilson Co., New York, 1937). This standard reference book lists newspapers by state and then city, with the name of the paper, a brief history of its publication, and an indication of where specific copies can be found. Some online resources to help you begin your research for newspapers: Abeshaus .. http://www.abeshaus.com/obituaries/default.asp Alabama Obituaries .. http://www.alabamagenealogy.org/obits.htm American Newspaper Repository .. http://home.gwi.net/~dnb/list.htm downloaded from: Everton Publishers, Newsline: (5 Dec 2002) Locating Newspapers Sally Rolls Pavia Sun City, AZ [email protected] List Owner: [email protected] “Happiness is not a destination, but a daily way of life.” All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus 2002 .