West Virginia Online Historical Newspapers

There are over 1,100 newspapers that have been published in the Mountain State - certainly not all of them are searchable online. But there are several that are indeed available. So go for it - find articles about the events, history, and people that capture the stories of West Virginia. 

Please note that I have not always entered the dates that are included in the collections, as I suspect they will change as more items are digitized. Also I suspect that some of these links may change over time - so if there is a dead link - please use your favorite search engine to find their new location. 

(Updated July 2021; recently added links are in BOLD)

Statewide Collections:
Chronicling America – West Virginia Newspapers

• Bluefield, W. Va., 1906-1911 – Bluefield evening leader.
• Bramwell, W. Va., 1890-???? – Flat Top monitor
• Ceredo, Va., 1857-1861 – Ceredo crescent.
• Ceredo, W. Va., 1885-1939 – Ceredo advance. [volume
• Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.], 1844-1948 – Spirit of Jefferson.
• Charles Town, W. Va., 1885- – 1890 – West Virginia Democrat. [volume.
• Charleston, Va. [W. Va.], 1856-1861 – Kanawha Valley star.
• Charleston, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-186? – The guerilla.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1864-1877 – The West Virginia journal.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1874-1874 – The temperance star.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1894-189? – The Charleston advocate.
• Charleston, W. Va., 1901-1913 – The advocate. [volume]
• Charleston, W. Va., 1906-1915 – The labor argus.
• Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.], 1827-1832 – Virginia free press & farmers’ repository.
• Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.], 1832-1916 – Virginia free press.
• Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1851-1861 – Cooper’s Clarksburg register.
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1874-1926 – The Clarksburg telegram.
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1901-1926 – The daily telegram
• Clarksburg, W. Va., 1914-1927 – The Sunday telegram.
• Fairmont, W. Va., 1904-1914 – The Fairmont West Virginian.
• Fairmont, W. Va., 1914-1974 – The West Virginian.
• Gauley Bridge, W. Va., 1863-1863 – The knapsack.
• Grantsville, W. Va., 1883-1984 – The Calhoun chronicle.
• Hinton, W. Va., 1882-???? – The Hinton Republican.
• Huntington, W. Va., 1871-1874 – Huntington independent. [volume]
• Huntington, W. Va., 1872-1905 – The Huntington argus. [volume]
• Huntington, W. Va., 1874-1921 – Huntington advertiser. [volume]
• Huntington, W. Va., 1911-1915 – The Socialist and labor star.
• Keystone, W. Va., 1904-1941 – The McDowell times.
• Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.], 1861-1861 – The Kingwood chronicle. [volume]
• Kingwood, W. Va., 1877-1946 – West Virginia argus.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1853-1854 – The Greenbrier era.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1854-1861 – Greenbrier weekly era.
• Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1859-1980 – Greenbrier independent.
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1826-1833 – Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume]
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1833-1855 – Martinsburg gazette. [volume]
• Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.], 1861-1861 – The American union.
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1873-1875 – Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1875-1900 – Martinsburg independent. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1881-1920 – Martinsburg herald. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1882-19?? – Pioneer press. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1907-1913 – Evening journal. [volume]
• Martinsburg, W. Va., 1913-1920 – Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume]
• Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.], 1810-1825 – Martinsburgh gazette. [volume]
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1849-1855 – Monongalia mirror.
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1855-1859 – American union.
• Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.], 1863-1864 – The Morgantown monitor.
• Philippi, W. Va., 1861-18?? – The old flag.
• Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.], 1862-1909 – The weekly register.
• Point Pleasant, W. Va., 1909-1939 – The Point Pleasant register.
• Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.], 1858-1860 – The family visitor.
• Romney, Va. [W. Va.], 1830-1896 – South Branch intelligencer.
• Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.], 1849-1955 – Shepherdstown register.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1894-1902 – West Virginia daily oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1896-1901 – Sistersville oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1902-1905 – Sistersville daily oil review.
• Sistersville, W. Va., 1905-1907 – Sistersville daily review.
• Thomas, W. Va., 1905-1913 – La sentinella del West Virginia.
• Volcano, W. Va., 1871-1879 – The Volcano lubricator.
• Volcano, W. Va., 1879-188? – West Virginia walking beam.
• Weston, W. Va., 1868-1874 – The democrat.
• Weston, W. Va., 1875-current – The Weston Democrat.
• Weston, W. Va., 1875-current – The Weston Democrat.
• Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.], 1829-1831 – Wheeling compiler. [volume]
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-1808vThe Wheeling repository. [volume]
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1839-1849 – Wheeling times and advertiser.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1852-1859 – Wheeling daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1859-1865 – Daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1863-1864 – The daily register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1864-1878 – The Wheeling daily register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1865-1903 – The Wheeling daily intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1878-1935 – Wheeling register.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1903-1961 – The Wheeling intelligencer.
• Wheeling, W. Va., 1882-1934 – Wheeling Sunday register.

Google News Archive

• Berkeley Springs – The Morgan Messenger
• Charles Town – Spirit of Jefferson Farmer’s Advocate
• Charles Town – The Spirit of Thanksgiving
• Charles Town – Farmers Advocate
• Elizabeth – Wirt County Journal
• Glenville – The Glenville Democrat
• Lewisburg – Mountain Messenger
• Marlinton – ​Pocahontas Times 
• Pennsboro – The Pennsboro News
• Petersburg – Grant County Press
• Point Pleasant – Point Pleasant Register 
• Spencer – The Times Record
• Spencer – Roane County Reporter
• St. Marys – The St. Marys Oracle
• St. Marys – ​Pleasants County Leader 
• Sutton – Braxton Citizens’ News
• Wellsburg – The Brooke County Review
• Westwood – The Preston County Journal
• Williamson – Williamson Daily News

Library of Virginia – Virginia Chronicle – West Virginia Newspapers

• American Union (Martinsburg, VA [W. Va.], 1861)
• American Union (Morgantown, VA [W. Va.], 1855-1859)
• Calhoun Chronicle (Grantsville, W. Va., 1896)
• Ceredo Crescent (Ceredo, VA, 1857-1860)
• Cooper’s Clarksburg Register (Clarksburg, VA [W. Va.], 1851-1858)
• Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1859-1865)
• Daily Register (Wheeling, W. VA, 1863-1864)
• Democrat (Weston, W. VA, 1868-1874)
• Family Visitor (Pruntytown, VA [W. Va.], 1860)
• Greenbrier Era (Lewisburg, VA [W. Va.], 1854)
• Kanawha Valley Star (Charleston, VA [W. Va.], 1858-1861)
• Monongalia Mirror (Morgantown, VA [W. Va.], 1852-1855)
• Shepherdstown Register (Shepherdstown, VA [W. Va.], 1849-1890)
• Sistersville Daily Review (Sistersville, W. Va., 1905)
• Sistersville Oil Review (Sistersville, W. Va., 1898)
• Spirit of Jefferson (Charles Town, VA [W. Va.], 1844-1867)
• Volcano Lubricator (Volcano, W. Va., 1871-1874)
• Weekly Register (Point Pleasant, VA [W. Va.], 1862-1908)
• West Virginia Journal (Charleston, W. Va., 1866)
• West Virginia Walking Beam (Volcano, W. Va., 1879-1880)
• Weston Democrat (Weston, W. VA, 1875-1880)
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1852-1859)
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, W. VA, 1865)
• Wheeling Daily Register (Wheeling, W. VA, 1864-1878)
• Wheeling Register (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1878-1888)
• Wheeling Sunday Register (Wheeling, VA [W. Va.], 1882-1888)

County and Library Collections:
Mercer County
Mercer County – Princeton Public Library

• Princeton Times

Mineral County
Mineral County – Potomac State College Mary Shipper Library​

• Elk Garden News
• Frankfort Beacon
• Grant County Press
• Hardy County News
• Keyser Tribune
• Mineral County Gazette
• Mineral Daily News
• Mineral Daily News and Keyser Tribune
• Mineral Daily News Tribune
• Mineral Daily News Tribune and Echo
• Mineral Daily News Tribune and Mountain Echo
• Mineral News Tribune and Echo
• Moorefield Examiner
• Mountain Echo
• News Tribune and Echo
• News Tribune and Mountain Echo
• Pasquino
• Piedmont Herald
• Potomac State Pasquino
• South Branch Intelligencer
• The Firecracker
• The Hampshire Review
• The Hardy County News
• The Herald
• The Moorefield Examiner
• The Mountain Echo
• The Siren
• The Weekly Examiner
• The West Virginia Advocate
• Tribune
• Virginia Argus and Hampshire Advertiser
• Wheeling Evening Standard

Ohio County
Ohio County – Ohio County Public Library

• Daily Intelligencer
• Intelligencer
• Intelligencer And Wheeling News Register
• Intelligencer Wheeling News Register
• The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register
• The Intelligencer And Wheeling News-Register
• Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
• Wheeling Intelligencer
• Wheeling News-Register
• Wheeling Register
• Intelligencer Wheeling News Register

Student Collections:
Alderson-Broaddus College – Philippi

• ​Battler Columns

Bethany College – Bethany

• Tower Online

Bluefield State College – Bluefield

• BSC News

Concord University – Athens

• ​The Concordian

Davis and Elkins Colege – Elkins

• Senator

Fairmont State University – Fairmont

• Maroon and White Alumni Publication

Glenville State College – Glenville

• The Tower
• The Mercury
• The Phoenix

Hampshire High School – Romney

• The Trojaneer

Marshall University – Huntington

• Marshall University Parthenon

Ohio Valley University – Vienna

• Thoughts for Scots

Potomac State College – Keyser

• Pasquino

Shepherd University – Shepherdstown

• ​The Picket

University of Charleston – Charlestown

• The Comet

West Liberty University – West Liberty

• The Trumpet

West Virginia State University – Institute

• Yellow Jacket

West Virginia University – Morgantown

• The Daily Athenaeum

West Virginia University Institute of Technology – Beckley

• News

West Virginia Wesleyan College Newspapers – Buckhannon

• Pharos
• Seminary Herald
• Seminary Collegiate 
• West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin: 1909-1966
• West Virginia Wesleyan College Alumni Magazine: 1936-1938
• Sundial: 1955-present​

Wheeling University – Wheeling

• WU News

Miscellaneous Collections and Indexes:
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Newspapers 1933-1942​

• Alpena – Panther Cry (Company 566)
• Clifftop – Camp Crazy Critics (Company 532)
• Clifftop – Camp Lee Traveler (Company 532)
• Glady – Laurel Leaf (Company 520)
• Hinton – Bluestone Outlet (Company 524)
• Hinton – Roosevelt (Company 524)
• Parsons – Hollow Stump (Company 518)
• Parsons – Parsons CCC Times (Company 518)
• Petersburg – Builder (Company 519)
• Petersburg – Builder (Company 519)
• Petersburg – North Fork News (Company 519)
• Richwood – Gold Brick (Company 525)
• Richwood – Puttin’ ‘Em In The Middle (Company 525)
• Richwood – Woodland News (Company 521)

​Small Town Papers

• Braxton Citizens News Sutton, West Virginia
• The Brooke County Review Wellsburg, West Virginia
• Charles Town Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• The Glenville Democrat Glenville, West Virginia
• Grant County Press Petersburg, West Virginia
• The Hinton News Hinton, West Virginia
• The Morgan Messenger Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
• Mountain Messenger Lewisburg, West Virginia
• The Pennsboro News Harrisville, West Virginia
• Pleasants County Leader St. Marys, West Virginia
• The Pocahontas Times Marlinton, West Virginia
• The Preston County Journal Kingwood, West Virginia
• Roane County Reporter Spencer, West Virginia
• Spirit of Jefferson Unavailable, West Virginia
• Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate Charles Town, West Virginia
• The St. Marys Oracle St. Marys, West Virginia
• The Times Record Spencer, West Virginia
• Wirt County Journal Elizabeth, West Virginia
• Brooke County Review Wellsburg
• Hinton Daily News Hinton
• Leader Hinton

Old Fulton Postcards

• Fairmont WV West Virginian
• Fremont WV West Virginian
• Wheeling WV Daily Intelligencer

Southern School News Archive
The Olden Times – West Virginia
Newspaper Abstracts – West Virginia
Other Free Sites:
Harpers Ferry

• The Ladies Garland

Martinsburg

• Martinsburg Gazette 

Wheeling

• The Catholic Spirit
• The Daily Fair Journal