Maine Newspaper Archives

Searching Historical Newspaper Archives of Maine

Before becoming the 23rd state in 1820, the area that is now Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and was known as the Province of Maine and later the District of Maine. Did you know its northern borders were not actually finalized until 1842, 22 years after becoming a state? There is a lot of history to be discovered in our Maine newspaper archive which goes back even further than its statehood!

Whether you are interested in family research to explore obituaries, marriages, and other vital records or you just like reading the news; we’ve got something for everyone to discover. Search or browse your way through historical Maine newspaper archives and read the first draft of history as it was written.

Reaching all the way back to 1799, here are some things you can expect to find with a few quick searches.

Local & State News

• Town meetings & local governance
• Legislative updates from Augusta (state capital)
• Election results and political campaigns
• Crime reports, court proceedings, and public notices

Maritime News

• Shipbuilding, especially in cities like Bath (known as the “City of Ships”)
• Shipping arrivals/departures, especially in Portland and other port towns
• Fishing industry news, including the cod, lobster, and sardine trades
• Maritime accidents and shipwrecks along the rugged Maine coast

Agriculture & Industry

• Farming and crop reports (potatoes, blueberries, dairy)
• Logging and lumber mill news (a huge industry in northern Maine)
• Factory and textile mill operations, especially in towns like Lewiston and Biddeford
• Labor movements and strikes

Wars and Military Service

• Civil War: Maine’s contributions, local soldiers, draft notices
• World Wars I & II: troop movements, war bonds, homefront efforts
• Spanish-American War, Vietnam War, and other conflicts

Culture & Society

• Church and religious events
• School openings, graduations, and local education news
• Obituaries and birth/marriage announcements
• Local fairs, festivals, and town celebrations
• Literature, poetry, and serialized fiction written by locals

Political Issues & Activism

• Abolitionist writing and anti-slavery sentiments (particularly in the 1800s)
• Temperance movement and women’s suffrage
• Labor unions and strikes
• Native American affairs, particularly involving the Wabanaki Confederacy

Weather & Natural Disasters

• Blizzards, nor’easters, and ice storms
• Fires, especially in wooden downtowns
• Flooding, especially in spring