For those tired of the current state of 24-hour sensationalist news, Tumblr has a refreshing answer. Take a look at Ye Olde News, a historical Tumblog about old newspapers.
The blog’s author, an anthropologist named Samantha, created Ye Olde News to share her findings from an impressive collection of newspapers dating as far back as the Salem Witch Trials in 1693.
“In my mind there is no better way to learn about history than to read about what was written about it before it was history,” Samantha writes in her introduction.
Ye Olde News sets itself apart from other newspaper collections because it focuses not on headlines we still consider relevant today, but on the tiny personal issues that history would otherwise have forgotten. Personal ads, divorce gossip, and letters to Santa Claus are just some of the gems celebrated in this meticulously researched blog.
Occasionally, the newspaper clippings will be supplemented by old photographs or excerpts from census records.
There is no shortage of humor and insight to be found in old news, whether for the experienced researcher or the intrigued amateur historian.
