Bring Local History to Life: Search Historical Newspapers Online

Free Online Access to Jacksonville History

Jacksonville Public Library has expanded its digital newspaper collections through NewsBank Inc., giving library patrons free online access to three local newspaper archives that help document Jacksonville history, community life and regional change across more than a century. 

Historical and Current Collections

The collections include the Florida Times-Union Historical and Current Collection, with coverage from 1883 through today; The Beaches Leader Historical and Current Collection, with coverage from 1963 through today; and the Jacksonville Journal Historical Archive, which spans 1901 to 1988.

These collections provide valuable primary-source material for genealogy and historical research, including advertisements and other details that reveal what daily life looked like in earlier decades. You can search, discover and connect whether at home or in the library

Rediscover major events that shaped Jacksonville such as:

• 1901: The Great Fire destroys much of downtown Jacksonville and reshapes the city’s future.
• 1926–1928: Florida’s land-boom bust ends a major growth era.
• 1940–1945: World War II and the Navy reshape Jacksonville.
• 1960: Ax Handle Saturday marks a turning point in the civil-rights era.
• 1964: Hurricane Dora becomes Jacksonville’s benchmark storm.
• 1986: Mayo Clinic opens and boosts Jacksonville’s medical prominence.
• 1993: Jacksonville lands the Jaguars.
• 1993: River City Renaissance launches major redevelopment.
• 1999: Cecil Field closes, signaling major transition.
• 2005: Super Bowl XXXIX elevates Jacksonville’s profile as a sports town.
• 2017: Hurricane Irma causes record flooding.
• 2024: The city and Jaguars approve a new stadium deal.

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