19th Century California Newspaper

The News Of The Old West At Your Fingertips

If you think today's news media is biased towards the left or right, you should take a look at the newspapers from the 1800s! In an era with no radio, television, or intranet, newspapers were THE source of gossip and information. They were also very political. In fact, many newspapers printed election ballots—but listed only the names of their chosen party's candidates. In effect, they told their subscribers who to vote for. Abraham Lincoln's name was famously omitted from ballots published in the southern slave states during the 1860 Presidential Election. He still won the Electoral College, however, as the major population centers were in the northern free states. Newspapers often included the words "Democrat" or "Republican" in their names, so subscribers weren't confused by which newspaper to buy. If you knew what newspaper your neighbor subscribed to, you also knew his politics.

An Authentic California Newspaper From The 19th Century

Today, those 19th century newspapers are like time capsules from a bygone day. These historic treasures are often found tucked away in attics or basements and in museums across the country. The remarkable condition of some of these artifacts—especially ones that are whole and not fragmentary—is truly exciting. Here you can secure an authentic newspaper published back then. Have you ever imagined reading news from out west during the 1800s? Now you can! Each newspaper was printed in California during the 19th century and reports on actual events and news stories!