Historic Newspapers: The Wild West
The term "wild west" conjures many things in the mind—criminal outlaws like Billy the Kid or Jesse James, the California Gold Rush, or the folklore associated with the American frontier. We welcome you to browse our Wild West newspaper inventory or learn more about American Wild West newspapers at our main Wild West page.
Found 652 Results
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Item #724668DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER, Black Hills, (South Dakota) July 28, 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 of the Old West, and only rarely do such issues come to light. It attracted larger-than-life Old West figures including Wyatt... Read full description -
Item #724605ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Nov. 7, 1879 The top of pg. 2 has column heads: "RIDDLED BY RANGERS" "A Pitched Battle in Which Two Robbers Were Killed" "The Aged Mother of the James Boys Interviews". The interview with Jesse James' mother takes almost a full column.
Eight pages, slightly irregular at the spine, very nice condition. -
Item #724601THE SUN, New York, Dec. 21, 1879 Page 7 contains a wonderful, lengthy, and very detailed article with several column heads: "THE JAMES BOYS OF TEXAS" "A Visit to the Home of the Elder Of the Terrible Brothers" "The Visitor's Grim Reception at the Pistol's Mouth--'Hold Up Your... Read full description -
Item #722563THE MONTEREY DEMOCRAT, Salinas City, Monterey County, California, Oct. 2, 1880
* Rare publication
* Old Wild West
An early title from the county seat of Monterey County, just south of San Francisco. Very typical of newspapers from the era with a nice mix of news of the day and advertisements, some illustrated.
Gregory's... Read full description -
Item #720643LA GRANDE DAILY CHRONICLE, Union County, Oregon, Nov. 6, 1899
* Very rare publication
Although the term "rare" can be tossed around by some rather casually, it truly applies to this newspaper.
There are no holdings of this newspaper in any American institution. One library has microfilm issues only.
Four... Read full description -
Item #720274BIKUBEN, 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, printed entirely in the Danish language.
There was a large number of Scandinavian emigrants that settled Utah in the last half of the... Read full description -
Item #719766NEW YORK HERALD, July 23, 1873
* Jesse James-Younger Gang
* Rock Island Pacific Railroad
* First train robbery in American West
The top of page 7 has column heads on the first train robbery by Jesse James and the James Gang, although the men were not identified at the time of this report.
They include: "A DREADFUL CRIME"... Read full description -
Item #719062ILLUSTRATED 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 well is a print captioned: "Lynching In San Francisco".
In 1851, San Francisco was a city in... Read full description -
Item #718081NEW 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 report from Little Rock, Arkansas. Through research, this particular robbery may have been one of the very first stagecoach holdups by... Read full description -
Item #717660LAS 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 tears & some edge chipping, very fragile & must be handled very carefully.
AI notes: The city is known for its rich history, with over 900... Read full description -
Item #716892THE 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, 1775 thru July, 1776, containing the Declaration of Independence in its final issue.
It was the only American magazine to print the... Read full description -
Item #716160DEADWOOD 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 days of the Old West, and only rarely do such issues come to light. It attracted larger-than-life Old West figures including Wyatt... Read full description -
Item #716135THE 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 who would go on to publish the famous newspaper Tombstone Epitaph. and more.
Also on the front page is a lengthy article:... Read full description -
Item #716134THE 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: "The Apache Outbreak in New Mexico".
Also on the front page are reports from the Tombstone Nugget, including: "The Mormon... Read full description -
Item #715883BLACK 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 & Dodge City--one of the more famous of all the towns from the rough & tumble days of the Old West, and only rarely do such issues... Read full description -
Item #715723DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, July 5, 1852 This is a very early newspaper from California, just 14 months after statehood was achieved.
Page 1 contains news and ads, with almost the entirety of pages 2, 3 & 4 are taken up with advertisements. This reflects the tremendous growth of Northern California... Read full description -
Item #715704SAN 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 of the harbor in the masthead. All four pages have various news tidbits of the day, including local, regional, and national reports.... Read full description -
Item #715703NEW 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 Of The Indian Chief Cochise" with the text reading simply: "Cochise, the famous Apache chief, died on the 9th of June." (see)
... Read full description -
Item #714454ST. 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 President's Message" being the annual state-of-the-union address of Chester A. Arthur. Near the... Read full description -
Item #712889DAILY EVENING HERALD, Stockton, California, Nov. 22, 1870 The city, founded in 1849, is named after Robert F. Stockton and it was the first community in California to have a name not of Spanish or Native American origin. During its early years, Stockton was known by several names including "Tuleburg" "Fat City" and... Read full description -
Item #712864THE DAILY TIMES, San Bernardino, California, Feb. 27, 1879 An early newspaper from what is now known as the 'Inland Empire' in Southern California. Typical news and ads of the day from when it was still the Wild West.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, news agent's stamp in the masthead, very small mended hole in the masthead,... Read full description -
Item #712765THE OREGON STATE JOURNAL, Eugene City, July 3, 1875
* Rare Old West publication
Today Eugene is the second largest city in Oregon. A typical newspaper of the day with news, interesting tidbits, and a wealth of advertisements. Page 2 has: "Emigration From Kansas To Oregon" and a long list of: "Oregon Items"
Four pages, never... Read full description -
Item #712750THE 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 page is taken up with a report headed: "Indignation Meetings in the Settlements", beginning: "Determined not to be behind their... Read full description -
Item #712749THE 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 state-of-the-state address, signed by the acting govrernor, S. A. Mann.
But the most notable contgent is much reporting on the:... Read full description -
Item #712737THE 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 Northwestern California. It was founded in late 1849 during the California gold rush & was first known as "The Forks" for its... Read full description -
Item #712669SALT LAKE DAILY TRIBUNE & UTAH MINING GAZETTE, March 7, 1872 The first 26 issues of this newspaper were titled "Mormon Tribune", followed by the "Salt Lake Tribune" then the above title from 1871.
Various news items of the day, mostly from the West.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, irregular at some margins does not affect any text, good... Read full description -
Item #712624ST. 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 Broken Up--Free Fight at a Picnic--The Daily Record".
Inside includes: "El Paso's Ways - The Peculiarities of a Now... Read full description -
Item #712360SRPSKO JEDINSTVO, "The First And the Only Slavonian Weekly In Montana", Aug. 25, 1900
* Extremely rare publication
* In Slavic and English Languages
Little is known about this unusual newspaper other than the Library of Congress noting this very issue, volume 3, numb er 16, August 25, 1900. Their information is... Read full description -
Item #712324NEW YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE, Aug. 21, 1867 The years following the Civil War were years of expansion west, causing the inevitable conflict with the Native American tribes. Such reports were not uncommon in period newspapers. This is one such issue.
The front page has: "The Indian War" with some nice accounts taking... Read full description -
Item #711304THE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS, Nebraska, March 17, 1883
* Home of the Cornhuskers
We seldom encounter Nebraska newspapers from during the Wild West era, but here is one. Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and this issue is dated from just 16 years after statehood.
Gregory's 'Union List of American Newspapers' notes that the only institution holding any... Read full description -
Item #710865THE NAPA REGISTER, Napa City, California, Oct. 15, 1873
* Rare old West publication
* From the wine country
Although in the heart of the wine region, for which this city is famous today, its beginnings were centered more on the California Gold Rush of 1849. This city became a refuge for miners during the first severe winter of... Read full description -
Item #710041DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA, San Francisco, June 1, 1867
* Rare old West publication
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 merged and in 1849 the combined enterprise was called the "Alta California", becoming a daily in July. It became the... Read full description -
Item #710033THE PIONEER, San Jose, California, Aug. 2, 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 graphic we have seen, featuring three vignettes: one of settlers traveling, one of a bear, and another of a detailed mining scene.... Read full description -
Item #709985THE RECORD, Moore, Oklahoma, March 6, 1903 This is actually a "territorial" newspaper, as Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907, one of only 3 of the contiguous 48 to join the union in the 20th century (New Mexico & Arizona the other two).
This newspaper apparently only lasted a year, with no institutional holdings outside of Oklahoma.
... Read full description -
Item #709975THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, Nov. 11, 1879 The front page has two reports which are interesting to read some 140 years later: "The Future of Southern California" which notes near the beginning: "It has been customary in some quarters to underrate the southern counties of California. It has been urged... Read full description -
Item #709966THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, July 24, 1877 Over three columns of the front page are taken up with a fine account of the Pittsburgh Railroad Strike of 1877, part of the larger Great Railroad Strike which resulted in over 100 deaths including women & children. The incidents followed repeated reductions in wages and sometimes increases... Read full description -
Item #709964STANISLAUS COUNTY WEEKLY NEWS, Modesto, California, Oct. 14, 1881 An early newspaper from this city in North-central California which when it began in 1868 was the first newspaper in Modesto. In 1881 the population of the town was less than 1000.
Various news events of the day, local, regional and national, with a wealth of... Read full description -
Item #709883THE DAILY PEOPLE'S CAUSE, Red Bluff, California, March 18, 1876
* Rare old West publication
An interesting title from Northern California. Quite scarce as well, as we only have 3 issues. Various news of the day both local & national, with a wealth of advertisements as well.
Four pages, very nice condition.
background: The March 18, 1876, issue... Read full description -
Item #709872THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, Sept. 12, 1879
* Early old West publication
* Tombstone, Arizona growing
The front page has: "Arizona Items" which has reports from Tombstone, noting in part: "The Tombstone section is keeping hip ts reputation in cutting & shooting...Thos. Bridge, who was stabbed on August 10th while playing a game of... Read full description -
Item #708592THE DAILY STATE REGISTER, Carson City, Nevada, Nov. 8, 1872 Situated just east of Lake Tahoe at the western "elbow" of the state, this issue from its heyday during the mining era has various news, ads and notices on the front page, with much news on pages 2 and3.
Carson City is named for the famed mountain man Kit Carson & is... Read full description -
Item #708591THE DAILY STATE REGISTER, Carson City, Nevada, Nov. 16, 1872 Situated just east of Lake Tahoe at the western "elbow" of the state, this issue from its heyday during the mining era has various news, ads, and notices on the front page, with much news on page 2.
Carson City is named for the famed mountain man Kit Carson & is about... Read full description -
Item #707859DAILY DENVER TIMES, Colorado, Sept. 7, 1881
* Rare Old West publication
* Was a Western outpost
The Denver area, part of the Territory of Kansas, was sparsely settled until the late 1850s. In July, 1858, a small placer deposit yielded about 20 troy ounces of gold, the first significant gold discovery in the Rocky Mountain... Read full description -
Item #707851THE SAN BENITO ADVANCE, Hollister, California, Sept. 20, 1895
* Rare old West publication
This city of 41,000 is in the Monterey Bay area. The town wasn't founded until 1868 by William W. Hollister on the grounds of the former Mexican land-grant Rancho San Justo. At the time, Hollister was within Monterey County but since then San Benito... Read full description -
Item #707675THE NEW NORTHWEST, Portland, Oregon, Aug. 3, 1882 A great title for a newspaper from this part of the country in the 19th century.
Many of the articles are literary-related, with various illustrated ads as well. Eight pages, nice condition. -
Item #707353NEW YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE, Jan. 16, 1867 Page 3 has two reports concerning the controversial "Ironclad Oath" which essentially prevented political activity of ex-Confederates soldiers & supporters by requiring all voters & officials to swear they had never supported the Confederacy.
A case... Read full description -
Item #707351THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, April 11, 1877
* John D. Lee confession (execution)
* Mountain Meadows Massacre
Among the front page articles: "The Mormons--John D. Lee's Last Confession" which mentions in part: "...in regard to the last confession of John D. Lee, the Mountain... Read full description -
Item #707083ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, Denver, Colorado, New Year's Edition, January, 1881 This was Colorado's first newspaper, having begun in 1859, its first issue appearing 20 minutes ahead of its competitor, the 'Cherry Creek Pioneer'. During the 1870's with the arrival of the railroad & discovery of silver... Read full description -
Item #707082ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, Denver, Colorado, Jan. 18, 1881 This was Colorado's first newspaper, having begun in 1859, its first issue appearing 20 minutes ahead of its competitor, the 'Cherry Creek Pioneer'. During the 1870's with the arrival of the railroad & discovery of silver Denver's population boomed from 4,759 in 1870 to... Read full description -
Item #707064THE PLACER HERALD, Auburn, Placer County, California, Sept. 12, 1885
* Rare Old West publication
Placer mining in the Auburn area was very good, with the camp first becoming known as the North Fork Dry Diggings, later changed to Woods Dry Diggings. The area soon developed into a mining camp, and it was officially named Auburn in 1849.
... Read full description -
Item #706994THE NAPA REPORTER, Napa City, California, April 25, 1874
* Rare old West title
* Wine country
Although in the heart of the wine region, for which this city is famous today, its beginnings were centered more on the California Gold rush of 1849. This city became a refuge for miners during the first severe winter of mining &... Read full description
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Full Contact Information
