Historic Newspapers: The Old West

LOVELAND REPORTER, Colorado, Feb. 19, 1891  

* Rare Larimer County publication 
* Death f William T. Sherman w/ print

This paper was founded in 1880, only a few years after Loveland itself was… more

COMMERCIAL HERALD & MARKET REVIEW, San Francisco, Jan. 29, 1880  The focus of this newspaper seems to be on the mining industry, not surprising given the era. The issue is mostly taken up with… more

THE CONTRA COSTA GAZETTE, Martinez, California, April 24, 1875  An early newspaper from Northern California, just east of San Francisco on the bay. It published in Pacheco until 1873 when it was… more

GUNNISON REVIEW-PRESS, Colorado, March 11, 1884 

* Rare Old West publication
* Woodstock, Colorado avalanche 
* Gunnison County ghost town 

An uncommon title from this boom mining town in the… more

ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Jan. 15, 1884 

* William F. "Buffalo Bil" Cody death 
* Wild old West show fame 
* "Died with his boots on"

 Page 3 has a classic article  from the Old West with over half a… more

SAN DIEGO DAILY UNION, California, Jan. 3, 1872  

* Rare & early from Southern California

Very early from San Diego--a volume 2 issue--when the population was just 2,300, with a nice engraving of the… more

NEW YORK TIMES, Rotogravure section only, April 7, 1935 

* Adolph Hitler & Hermann Goering
* German - Nazi air force revealed

 This rotogravure section has a front page pictorial regarding the newly… more

DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER, Black Hills, (South Dakota) July 26, 1889

* Rare publication
* Famous wild West town
* "Wild Bill" Hickok fame

This city would arguably be--along with Tombstone & Dodge City--one… more

ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Nov. 7, 1879 

* Zerelda Samuel interview 
* Mother of Jesse & Frank James 
* Notorious Missouri outlaws 

 The top of pg. 2 has column heads: "RIDDLED BY RANGERS" "A Pitched… more

THE SUN, New York, Dec. 21, 1879  

* Jesse James Gang w/ Frank

Page 7 contains a wonderful, lengthy, and very detailed article with several column heads: "THE JAMES BOYS OF TEXAS" "A Visit to the Home… more

ARIZONA CITIZEN, Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [Arizona Territory] July 3, 1875  

* Very rare old Western publication

Many years ago we had a reasonable inventory of this title, but today this issue is… more

BIKUBEN, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 2, 1907

* Danish language publication 
* Church of Latter-Day Saints 
* Mormons - Mormonism - LDS

Here is a quite unusual and scarce newspaper from Utah,… more

ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, England, Nov. 15, 1851  Pages 3 and 4 contain an article on a famous case involving the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance, headed: "Californian Lynchings". Included as… more

NEW YORK TIMES, Jan. 17, 1874  

* Arkansas stagecoach robbery - holdup
* Jesse James & Younger gang ? - outlaws

The front page includes: "Stage Robbery by Masked Highwaymen" being a brief… more

LAS VEGAS DAILY OPTIC, New Mexico (Territory), Feb. 19, 1898 

* Very early for this state

An uncommon territorial newspaper from 14 years before statehood
Four pages, large folio size, edge… more

THE PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE, Philadelphia, February, 1775 

* Pre American Revolutionary War 
* Thomas Paine - first time as editor 

This is a very rare magazine, published only from January,… more

DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER, Black Hills, (South Dakota) June 1, 1889  This city would arguably be--along with Tombstone & Dodge City--one of the more famous of all the towns from the rough & tumble days… more

VELASCO DAILY TIMES, Texas, March 1, 1892  A rare title as it existed for less than six months.
Velasco was a town in Texas that was later annexed by the city of Freeport. Founded in 1831, Velasco is… more

FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, April 4, 1885   The front page has 4 prints with the caption: "Kansas - The Proposed Invasion of Oklahoma - Scenes at the Boomers' Camp at Arkansas City" plus… more

THE PIONEER, San Jose, California, Aug. 9, 1879  The masthead notes: "Devoted To The Interests Of The Pioneers of California And the Resources of the Golden State."
The masthead is one of the more… more

THE STOCK EXCHANGE, San Francisco, California, May 26, 1875  The top of the back page has a great map headed: "Map And Description of the Comstock Lode & Adjoining Districts, Virginia City,… more

VELASCO DAILY TIMES, Texas, Feb. 28, 1892  

* Rare Southwestern "Boomtown" publication
* Possibly the first time offered anywhere 

A rare title as it existed for less than six months.
Velasco was a town… more

SAN DIEGO BULLETIN, California, Feb. 13, 1872  

* Volume 1 Number 1 issue
* Southern California first 

This is the first issue published of the daily paper, the volume 1, number 1 issue. It was… more

TOMBSTONE PROSPECTOR, Arizona, Nov. 20, 1889  

* Very rare wild West publication
* Gunfight at the O.K. Corral fame
* The Wham Paymaster Robbery trial

We have had a few other newspapers from the iconic… more

DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER, Black Hills, (South Dakota) July 23, 1889  This city would arguably be--along with Tombstone & Dodge City--one of the more famous of all the towns from the rough & tumble… more

THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, May 4, 1877  Among the front page articles: "Arizona" "Agent Clum Completely Successful in Hunting up the Renegade Apaches--Latest Sonora News". Clum is John Clum… more

THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, Oct. 21, 1879  The top of the first column is headed: "The Indian War" "Present Situation of Affairs in Colorado" which has two reports, and this is followed by:… more

SEYMOUR WEEKLY CRESSET, Seymour, Baylor County, Texas, June 9, 1887  A very rare newspaper which is believed to have existed for ten years, from 1879 to 1889, however records are not clear.… more

PANHANDLE INTERSTATE, Lipscomb, Texas, Aug. 30, 1889  A very rare newspaper, as Gregory's "Union List of American Newspapers" believes it existed from 1887 to 1893, however, only one American… more

ALPINE SIGNAL, Markleeville, California, July 4, 1879 

* Very rare old West publication

 A very rare title that lasted less than one year, and only one institution has scattered issues. This is a… more

BLACK HILLS DAILY PIONEER, Deadwood, Black Hills, March 3, 1878  

* Rare publication
* Famous wild West town
* "Wild Bill" Hickok fame

This town would arguably be--along with Tombstone &… more

DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, May 29, 1851  The very first title in the Golden State was the "Californian" begun in 1846, followed the next year by the "California Star". These two titles… more

DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, July 5, 1852  

* Very early Old West title (rare)
* California gold rush era
* Printed on "necessity paper"

This is a very early newspaper from California, just 14… more

SAN DIEGO DAILY UNION, California, Sept. 23, 1871 

* Rare & early from Southern California

Very early from San Diego--a volume 2 issue--when the population was just 2300, with a nice engraving… more

NEW YORK TIMES, June 15, 1874 

* Tribal Chief Cochise death (1st report)
* Chiricahua Apaches - Indians

The very bottom of the front page has a very brief and discrete report headed: "Death… more

WEEKLY TRINITY JOURNAL, Weaverville, California, Aug. 14, 1875  A rare issue from this town in Northwest California.
Weaverville is a historic California Gold Rush town. Located at the foot of the… more

THE LOWER LAKE BULLETIN, Lower Lake, California, March 9, 1889 

* Very rare publication on "necessity paper"
* Koi Nation of the Lower Lake Rancheria
* Lake County - Clear Lake region 

 Not only is this… more

KERENS ENTERPRISE, Texas, Aug. 29, 1889  

* One of a kind ? Navarro County

An exceedingly rare newspaper, in fact this is the only issue recorded anywhere according to Gregory's "Union List of… more

MIDLAND GAZETTE, Texas, Feb. 7, 1890 

* Very rare Southwest publication

This is the volume 1, number 35 issue of a title we've never offered previously. Quite rare, as Gregory's "History &… more

THE OVERTON RECORD, Texas, Oct. 31, 1889  

* Very rare Southwest publication
* Jesse James & the Ford Brothers 

Overton only had one newspaper thru 1936 and this was it. It is not known how long this… more

THE HOUSTON AGE, Texas, July 3, 1889  This is one of the earlier Houston newspapers we've offered. Typical news and ads of the day.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, a few minor archival mends at… more

THE LADONIA NEWS, Texas, Sept. 13, 1889  This is the first of this title we have offered, from this small town of less than 600 pop. just northeast of Dallas.
Gregory's "Union List of American… more

ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCAT, Dec. 5, 1883 

* Mormons and polygamy
* President Chester A. Arthur
* Outlaw Frank James trial

Over half of the front page and page of pg. 2 are taken up with: "The… more

DAILY EVENING HERALD, Stockton, California, Nov. 22, 1870   

* Wild Old West
* Rare publication 

The city, founded in 1849, is named after Robert F. Stockton and it was the first community in… more

RENO EVENING GAZETTE, Nevada, March 20, 1879  

* Wild Old West
* Rare publication

An early issue from this famous gambling city in Northern Nevada near Lake Tahoe.
Gold was discovered in nearby Virginia… more

THE DESERET NEWS, Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 2, 1870  

* Mormons - Mormonism 
* Utah polygamy argument

This newspaper was published 26 years before Utah became a state.
Most of the front… more

THE DESERET NEWS, Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 19, 1870  This newspaper was published 26 years before Utah became a state.
Included is the lengthy: "Governor's Message" reading much like a… more

THE MOUNTAIN MESSENGER, Downieville, California, August. 6, 1881  

* Rare Old West title
* Gold mining town
* Sierra County

Downieville is a very small town at 3,000 ft. elevation in… more

SALT LAKE DAILY TRIBUNE & UTAH MINING GAZETTE, March 7, 1872 

* Mormons - Mormonism
* Rare publication

The first 26 issues of this newspaper were titled "Mormon Tribune", followed by the "Salt Lake… more

ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Missouri, Aug. 20, 1883  The front page has: "Criminal Calendar - Additional Particulars of the Tragedy at Estancia Ranchm NB.M. - Frank James Trial--A Gang of Burglars… more