CT State Library Announces Historic Newspaper Titles to be Digitized

The Connecticut State Library is pleased to announce that with a fifth grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the following newspaper titles have been selected to be digitized for the Connecticut Digital Newspaper Project (CDNP) and to be made freely available online.  These newspapers include:
  • Bradley Beam (Bradley Field, Windsor Locks) 1943-1945
  • The Messenger (Bloomfield) 1943-1945
  • The Sub (Groton) 1943-1946
  • Eastern Connecticut News (Groton) 1946-1947
  • The Union Times (New Haven) 1941-1948
  • La Verita (Waterbury) 1926-1939 and La Verita, Corriere del Connecticut (New Haven) 1939-1946
  • The Willimantic Journal (Willimantic) 1857-1911
  • Windham County Observer (Putnam) 1905-1949
  • Putnam Patriot (Putnam) 1908-1949
  • The New Haven Union (New Haven) 1905-1920

The first five titles are short runs of World War II-era Connecticut newspapers that expand CDNP’s coverage of this time period. These are valuable sources for studying emerging defense industries and the work of women during and after the war. The Verita family of newspapers expands coverage of Italian-language newspapers by highlighting news from Italy as well as local news from the Italian communities in Waterbury and the surrounding area. The Eastern Connecticut newspapers highlight the history of the textile industry in Connecticut, providing a local perspective on changing mill town communities and aid research into underrepresented stories of New England industrialization. The New Haven Union reflected Augusta Troup’s role as a prominent suffragist in Connecticut, and the paper serves as a valuable primary source in the study of the history of women in journalism, publishing and typesetting.

“The digitization of the Putnam Patriot and Windham County observer will be a valuable addition to researchers and genealogists searching for information about Eastern Connecticut.  I’m very excited that it will be available online and accessible to everyone!” Priscilla Colwell, Director of Putnam Public Library

“We are thrilled that the Connecticut State Library has been awarded this grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities.  This support will help them to continue to digitize CT Historic Newspapers.  At the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, it is our belief that history is the road map for the future and imperative for Connecticut citizens to have access to this information.”  Sarah Smith Lubarsky, Executive Director, Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame

“Bloomfield has played an important part in American History, and we are thankful for the opportunity to digitize some of Bloomfield Public Library’s historical collections to showcase this truth and to then share it far and wide. With monthly installments titled “News about the Boys on the War Front” to headlines such as “Nazi Capitulation Liberates Four Bloomfield Men From Prison Camps”, we know that this series from The Messenger will help supplement Bloomfield Public School’s curriculum, in addition to academic institutions around the world, while also contributing to our civic pride. We are grateful to the CT State Library, the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities for seeing the enduring value of the digitization of these important historical documents.” Elizabeth Lane, Library Director, Bloomfield Public Library.

For the full list of specific newspapers and dates, history blogs and other resources, please go to the CDNP website at https://ctdigitalnewspaperproject.org/.

All titles are expected to be completed and freely available online through the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America site by the Fall 2023.

In addition, the State Library’s Newspapers of Connecticut digital collection is available online in the Connecticut Digital Archive https://ctdigitalarchive.org/.