Local Newspapers

Local newspapers were once the lifeblood of a community. Communication in the first part of the 20th century was not anything like it is today. Local editors and reporters published stories and photographs daily, or weekly, and the citizens of the area were kept up-to-date of the goings on of the community. The Iron Range Historical Society is fortunate to hold many issues of local newspapers. Today these newspapers are a wealth of information for researchers. In addition to past holdings of local newspapers, the Iron Range Historical Society occasionally contributes articles and photographs to the Ely Echo, a weekly local newspaper in Ely, Minnesota; to the Mesabi Tribune, a daily local newspaper in Virginia and Hibbing, Minnesota; and to the weekly local newspaper, Hometown Focus, also in Virginia.

All of the Society’s local newspapers are available for research.

The holdings of the local newspaper library of the Iron Range Historical Society are as follows:

Please enter a year or name of newspaper to narrow your search

Digital PDF
Ely Echo 2017-current
Hometown Focus 2008-current
New Babbitt Weekly News 2024-current
Timberjay 2017-current
Microfilm (IRHS owns a microfilm reader)
Aurora News 1919, 1920, 1946
Aurora Journal 1955-1962
East Range Journal Facts (East Mesabi Range) 1962-1977
Gilbert Herald* 1950-1959, 1973-2007
Range Facts (East Mesabi Range) 1978-1986
Tower News 1900-1978
Vermilion Iron Journal (Tower) 1887-1897
Bound Books
Aurora News 1907-1908, 1910-1943
Aurora-Hoyt Lakes Journal 1955-1961
Aurora-Hoyt Lakes Range Facts 1977-1979, 1981-2000
Biwabik Iron Ore 1900, 1902
Biwabik Times 1907-1920, 1922-1979, 1981-2000
Cook News Herald 1986-2007
East Range Journal Facts 1963-1976
Eveleth Clarion 1921-1928, 1930, 1932, 1936-1939
Eveleth News-Clarion 1942, 1944-1961
Eveleth Mining News 1902-1907
Eveleth News 1907-1942, 1962-1974
Eveleth Range Scene 1978
Gilbert Herald* 1923-1925, 1927-1975, 1977-1978
Hoyt Lakes News 1960-1961
Hoyt Lakes Pellet 1962-1963
Queen City Sun (Virginia) partial 1926
Range Times (East Mesabi Range) 2000-2016
*The Gilbert Herald includes an annual index from 1923 to 2007 for births, deaths, marriages, and special events.