Newspapers can be invaluable sources of information for your genealogical research. They do not only contain articles about births, marriages, and deaths, but also provide background information about the town that your ancestor lived in. In addition, early newspapers in small towns often had columns for local news, and taking the time to read through these columns will often yield much entertainment as well as information about the daily life of your ancestor. Even if the town that your ancestor lived in did not have a newspaper, try looking at newspapers from surrounding towns. They often had sections devoted to other towns.
The Archives has many newspapers from around the UP and a few issues of Lower Peninsula newspapers on microfilm. They are organized by Upper Peninsula counties and Lower Peninsula counties.
Below is a list of newspapers possessed by the NMU Archives. There may be missing days, weeks, or even years within the date ranges and the quality of the microfilm may be poor.
UPPER PENINSULA COUNTIES:
Alger
- Alger County: Alger County Republican, 1888-1891; Alger County Democrat, 1891-1892
- Grand Marais: The Grand Marais Herald, 1899-1910; Voyageurs’ Harbor, 1977
- Munising: Munising Republican, 1898-1906; Munising News, 1898-1939; Lake Superior Breeze, 1906-1907; Cloverland Farmer, 1916-1923; Illustrated Wright’s Weekly, 1923-1928
Baraga
- Baraga: The Baraga Review, 1899; Baraga County Republican, 1900; Baraga County Herald, 1929-1932
- L’Anse: L’Anse Sentinel, 1890-1982
Chippewa
- Sault Sainte Marie: The Evening News: Mackinac Bridge Edition, 1957
Delta
- Escanaba: Escanaba Tribune, 1869-1877; Iron Port, 1877-1888; Delta, 1886-1890; Semi-weekly Iron Port and Calumet, 1891; Semi-weekly Iron Port, 1891-1892; Weekly Iron Port, 1892-1896; Iron Port, 1896-1910; Escanaba Daily Mirror, 1906-1924;
- Gladstone: Gladstone Delta, 1901-1918; Delta County Reporter, 1917-1918; Delta County Reporter and the Gladstone Delta, 1918-1922; Delta Reporter, 1922-1930
Dickinson
- Iron Mountain: Menominee Range, 1889-1891; Iron Range, 1891-1892; Range Tribune, 1892-1898; Daily Tribune, 1897-1899; Iron Mountain Press, 1897-1917
- Norway: Norway Current, 1908-1933
Gogebic
- Bessemer: Bessemer Herald, 1946
- Ironwood: Ironwood News Record, 1913-1919; Ironwood Times, 1913-1920
Houghton
- Calumet: Copper Country Evening News, 1896-1907; Calumet News, 1908-1937; Evening New-Journal, 1883-1943
- Hancock: Hancock Evening Journal, 1901-1909; The Evening Copper, 1904; Evening Journal, 1909; Evening Copper Journal, 1909-1916
- Houghton: Mining Gazette, 1862-1863; Portage Lake Mining Gazette, 1864-1897; Daily Mining Gazette, 1899-1920; Michigan Tech Lode, 1972-1983
- Laurium: Il Minatore Italiano, 1908-1928
- Sidnaw: Sidnaw Journal, 1899; Sidnaw Record, 1899-1900
Mackinac
- Saint Ignace: Saint Ignace News, 1887-1897; Saint Ignace Democrat, 1888; Saint Ignace Republican, 1893; Republican News, 1910-1933; Saint Ignace Enterprise, 1913-1933; Republican News and Saint Ignace Enterprise, 1933-1959
Marquette
- Ishpeming: Iron Home, 1874; Iron Ore: The Weekly Agitator, 1879-1886; Iron Ore, 1886-1951; Reflector, 1951-1953; Iron Ore and Reflector, 1951-1952
- Marquette: Lake Superior News and Miners Journal, 1846; Lake Superior News and Mining Journal, 1847-1849; Lake Superior Journal, 1850-1860; Lake Superior Mining Journal, 1865; Lake Superior News and Journal, 1865; Marquette Mining Journal, 1868-present; Marquette Evening News, 1907-1908; The Sunday Sun, 1977-1978; Marquette Monthly, 1987-2013
- Marquette County: Aurora Newsletter (LGBT news), 1990-1996; The Local Truth (United Steel Workers of America Locals 4950 (Empire Mine) and 4974 (Tilden Mine)), 1996-2001
- Negaunee: Negaunee Iron Herald, 1873-1968
Ontonagon
- Ewen: Cloverland Press, 1919-1925, 1932-1942
- Ontonagon: Ontonagon Herald, 1890-1924; The Valley Independent, 1906
Schoolcraft
- Manistique: Schoolcraft County Pioneer, 1880-1885; Semi-Weekly Pioneer, 1885-1886, 1892-1895; Manistique Tri-weekly Pioneer, 1887-1892; Sunday Morning Star, 1890-1891; Saturday Morning Star, 1891; Weekly Tribune, 1893; Manistique Tribune, 1893, 1896; Manistique Democrat, 1895-1896; Manistique Courier, 1896-1899; Manistique Pioneer-Tribune, 1896-1971; Courier-Record, 1919-1920
- Schoolcraft: The Orange Visitor, 1881; The Grange Visitor, 1884
LOWER PENINSULA:
Allegan
- Allegan County: Allegan County Democrat, 1879
- Martin: The Martin Review, 1916
Bay
- Bay City: Bay City Democrat, 1921
Berrien
- Buchanan: Michigan Independent, 1885
- Niles: Niles Daily Republican, 1880
Branch
- Quincy: Quincy Times, 1877, 1880; Branch County Democrat, 1880
Calhoun
- Albion: Albion Mirror, 1879
- Battle Creek: Battle Creek Journal, 1864
- Camp Custer: Custer Life, 1918-1919
- Marshall: The Democratic Expounder, 1879
Cass
- Cassopolis: National Democrat, 1875
Charlevoix
- Charlevoix: Charlevoix Courier, 1904
Clinton
- DeWitt: DeWitt Motor, 1896
Eaton
- Eaton: Eaton Bugle, 1845
Emmet
- Harbor Springs: The Standard, 1896
- Mackinaw City: Mackinaw Witness, 1892-1899
- Petoskey: The Daily Resorter, 1892
Genesee
- Flint: Genesee Republican, 1846; Saturday Evening Red Ribbon Journal, 1877
Hillsdale
- Hillsdale: Hillsdale Democrat, 1881
- Jonesville: Hillsdale County Gazette, 1841
- Litchfield: Litchfield Gazette, 1880, 1908
- Montgomery: The Montgomery Record, 1930
Huron
- Bad Axe: Bad Axe Democrat, 1911
- Huron County: The Huron Censer, 1881; Huron County Independent, 1916
- Ubly: The Ubly Courier, 1911
Ingham
- Lansing: The Independent, 1870; The Torpedo, 1884; Michigan Republican, 1921
- Mason: Ingham Herald, 1845-1846
- Williamston: Williamston Enterprise, 1880
Ionia
- Belding: The Daily Bee, 1903
- Hubbardston: The Advertiser, 1880
- Ionia: Ionia Journal, 1843; Ionia Gazette, 1859
- Muir: Grand River Herald, 1877
Jackson
- Brooklyn: Brooklyn Exponent, 1881
- Grass Lake: Grass Lake News, 1880
- Jackson: The Evening Courier, 1885-1886; The Industrial News, 1892, 1901; Jackson Sunday Patriot, 1910
Kent
- Grand Rapids: Grand River Times, 1837; Grand Rapids Enquirer, 1850; The Workman, 1885
- Sparta: Sparta Sentinel, 1881
Lenawee
- Blissfield: Blissfield Advance, 1879
- Deerfield: Deerfield Record, 1881
- Tecumseh: The Tecumseh Herald, 1879
Livingston
- Brighton: Brighton Citizen, 1880; Brighton Weekly Argus, 1881
- Livingstone: Livingstone Democrat, 1857
Macomb
- Macomb: Macomb Statesman, 1837
- Romeo: Romeo Weekly Observer, 1872
Manistee
- Manistee: Manistee Independent, 1880
Midland
- Coleman: Coleman Advocate, 1885
Monroe
- Dundee: Dundee Reporter, 1879; Dundee Ledger, 1881
- Milan: Milan Morning Sun, 1881
- Monroe: Monroe Commercial, 1879; Monroe Monitor, 1880; Monroe Index, 1881
Montcalm
- Fenwick: The Fenwick News, 1903
- Greenville: Daily News, 1879
Oakland
- Pontiac: The Pontiac Jacksonian, 1869; Living Issues, 1893
- South Lyon: South Lyon Herald, 1879; The Excelsior, 1881
Otsego
- Otsego County: Otsego County Herald, 1878
Ottawa
- Grand Haven: Ottawa Clarion, 1858
Presque Isle
- Onaway: Onaway Inter-Lake, 1905
Saginaw
- Saginaw: The Saginawian, 1879; The Exponent, 1907
Saint Clair
- Fort Gratiot: The Weekly Enterprise, 1881
- Saint Clair: Saint Clair Republican, 1879
Saint Joseph
- Centreville: Crusader, 1879
- Three Rivers: The Daily Commercial Hustler, 1910
Sanilac
- Croswell: Croswell Democrat, 1881
Shiawassee
- Bancroft: Bancroft Bulletin, 1880
- Byron: Byron Centre Review, 1903
- Durand: Durand Express, 1888-1895; Durand Evening Express, 1900;
- Ovid: Ovid Register, 1879; Clinton and Shiawassee Union, 1881
- Owosso: Owosso Crusader, 1874; Shiawassee Republican, 1880
Tuscola
- Cass City: Cass City Chronicle, 1911, 1942
- Vassar: Tuscola County Reporter/Pioneer, 1857, 1892, 1899, 1903; Vassar Times, 1900, 1902; Tuscola County Pioneer Times, 1930; The Vassar Journal, 1931-1932
Washtenaw
- Manchester: Manchester Enterprise, 1879
- Saline: Saline Standard, 1878; Saline Observer, 1880
Wayne
- Bellville: Bellville Mirador, 1881
- Dearborn: Dearborn Independent, 1914-1921
- Detroit: Michigan Essay, or, the Impartial Observer, 1809; North-western Journal, 1829-1830; Detroit Journal and Michigan Advertiser, 1830-1832; Detroit Courier, 1830-1834; Democratic Free Press, 1833-1834; The Spy in Michigan, 1837; Spirit of ’76 and Theller’s Weekly Republican Advocate, 1839-1840; The Peninsular Freeman, 1851; Michigan Free Democrat, 1853; The Shrapnel, 186?; L’Impartial, 1869; Rose’s Nose, 1877; Truth for the People, 1877-1879; The Echo, 1879; Michigan Sun, 1879; The Public Leader, 1879; Every Saturday, 1880; Chaff, 1881; The Lever, 1881; Sunday Herald, 1881; The Center, 1886, Wayne County Courier, 1890; Detroit Journal, 1899-1902; Truth, 1901-1905; The Sunday Star, 1924; Detroit Weekend Mirror, 1932
- Wayne County: Wayne Pigeon Republican and Saint Joseph County Advertiser, 1840; Wayne County Review, 1879; Wayne County Tidings, 1879
OUTSIDE MICHIGAN/OTHER NEWSPAPERS:
- Chicago: The American Sheep Breeder and Wool Grower, 1903
NMU Newspapers
- Northern Normal News, 1919-1933
- Northern College News, 1933-1959
- Northern News,1959-1972
- Cogito, 1967
- Campus Mirror, 1969
- Peace, 1969
- Student Action, 1969
- Zaca, 1969-1970
- University Free Press, 1971
- Black and White Bi-Monthly, 1972
- Northern Michigan University Press, 1972
- Campus Review, 1972-1977
- North Wind, 1972-2013
- Northern News-Review, 1978-1987
Religious Newspapers
- Our Sunday Visitor (Episcopal), 1946-1971
- Hiawathaland (Northern Michigan Episcopal Diocese), 1952-present
- UP Catholic, 1971-1980
General UP Newspapers
- Upper Peninsula Farmer, 1913-1916
Native American Newspapers
- Au-Authm Action News: The People's Paper, 1992
- Bay Mills News: Gnoozhekaaning Bidajimowin (Bay Mills Indian Community), 1999-2007
- Beedaudjimowin: A Voice for First Nations, 1991
- The Circle: Native American News and Arts, 1999
- Indian Country Today: The Nations' Leading American Indian News Source, 2000-2006
- Kalihwisaks (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), 2000-2007
- Lac du Flambeau News (Lac du Flambeau Reservation, WI), 2000-2006
- Masinaigan (Odanah, WI), 1983-2002
- Menominee Tribal News (Menominee Tribe of Michigan and Wisconsin), 1990-1999
- News from Indian Country, 1996-2006Nishnawbe News (Marquette, MI), 1971-1982
- News from the Sloughs (Bad River Reservation, WI), 2001-2004
- New Voices: News from a Native Youth Perspective, 1999
- Ojibwe Akiing, 2000
- Ojibwe News, 1999
- Potawatomi Traveling Times (Forest County, WI), 2000-2001
- Red Cliff News, 2004
- Seminole Tribune (Seminole Tribe of Florida), 1990-1993
- Tekawennake: Six Nations-New Credit Reporter (Ohsweken, Ontario), 1987-1989
- Unity News: United National Indian Tribal Youth, 2003
- Win Awenen Nisitotung: Official Newspaper of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Sault Saint Marie, MI), 1994-2017
- Giikendaam Chiwiikwegamag (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, L’Anse, MI), 2005-2007
- The Tribal Observer (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan), 2006-2007
In addition to our available newspapers, the Escanaba Public Library's database has many indexed and searchable Escanaba newspapers for viewing.