Newspapers on Microfilm

The collection and preservation of Missouri newspapers has been a primary mission of the State Historical Society since its founding by members of the Missouri Press Association who, in 1898, saw a need to establish a repository for Missouri's heritage of newspapers. The SHSMO newspaper collection now comprises over fifty-six million pages and is the largest collection of state newspapers in the nation.

Missouri newspapers document events and public opinion from the state’s rural environs to its largest metropolitan areas. The State Historical Society of Missouri has over 56,000 reels of newspapers on microfilm available to researchers. Titles can be browsed by county and town below.

• Browse Newspaper Titles by County
• Browse Newspaper Titles by Town
• Use the Online Catalog

Accessing Newspapers on Microfilm

Newspaper microfilm is primarily housed at the Columbia Research Center, but reels can be viewed at all SHSMO research centers for free upon request. If you are planning to visit a SHSMO research center, please submit a research request to ensure the microfilm you'd like to view can be transferred to your preferred center and will be available on the dates of your visit.

Please note that transfers between research centers can take between one and three weeks. Please contact the Cape Girardeau and Springfield Research Centers directly for information regarding the next available bi-monthly collection material delivery.

For researchers who would like to complete research remotely, interlibrary and direct loan services are available for microfilm. When making a microfilm loan request, include the town of publication, title of the newspaper, date or time period needed, and reel number.

Remote researchers can also submit a request for research services and a research center staff member will assist with research for a fee.

Submit a Research Request

Microlfilm Duplication

Positive duplicate microfilm of newspapers microfilmed by SHSMO can be purchased for $175.50 per reel. Purchasers must agree not to reproduce the film, and advance payment is required. Contact us for further information and to place duplication orders.

Browse Newspaper Titles by County

To start browsing for a newspaper title, please select the county from the list below.

If you are unsure of the county, check our list of towns in Missouri with newspapers on microfilm at SHSMO.

• Adair
• Andrew
• Atchison
• Audrain
• Barry
• Barton
• Bates
• Benton
• Bollinger
• Boone
• Buchanan
• Butler
• Caldwell
• Callaway
• Camden
• Cape Girardeau
• Carroll
• Carter
• Cass
• Cedar
• Chariton
• Christian
• Clark
• Clay
• Clinton
• Cole
• Cooper
• Crawford
• Dade
• Dallas
• Daviess
• DeKalb
• Dent
• Douglas
• Dunklin
• Franklin
• Gasconade
• Gentry
• Greene
• Grundy
• Harrison
• Henry
• Hickory
• Holt
• Howard
• Howell
• Iron
• Jackson
• Jasper
• Jefferson
• Johnson
• Knox
• Laclede
• Lafayette
• Lawrence
• Lewis
• Lincoln
• Linn
• Livingston
• McDonald
• Macon
• Madison
• Maries
• Marion
• Mercer
• Miller
• Mississippi
• Moniteau
• Monroe
• Montgomery
• Morgan
• New Madrid
• Newton
• Nodaway
• Oregon
• Osage
• Ozark
• Pemiscot
• Perry
• Pettis
• Phelps
• Pike
• Platte
• Polk
• Pulaski
• Putnam
• Ralls
• Randolph
• Ray
• Reynolds
• Ripley
• Saint Charles
• Saint Clair
• Saint Francois
• Saint Louis
• Sainte Genevieve
• Saline
• Schuyler
• Scotland
• Scott
• Shannon
• Shelby
• Stoddard
• Stone
• Sullivan
• Taney
• Texas
• Vernon
• Warren
• Washington
• Wayne
• Webster
• Worth
• Wright

Browse Newspaper Titles by Town

Once you have found a town, click on the corresponding county name and you will be taken to a list of newspapers from that county arranged alphabetically by town and title.

Use the Online Catalog

Further information about the SHSMO newspaper collection can be found online through the University of Missouri online library catalog, which includes the holdings of the State Historical Society. Newspaper listings can be found by title or by searching for a county or town name as a keyword. The catalog entries include previous titles, succeeding titles, and information about SHMSO’s holdings of each newspaper.

View the Online Catalog