The Virginia Newspaper Project is happy to announce new additions to the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Chronicle. The number of historical newspaper pages available on Virginia Chronicle continues to grow–We’ll take a quick road trip to discover the latest titles that have been added:
Let’s start in northwestern Virginia in Middletown, located fourteen miles south of Winchester in beautiful Frederick County. The Middletown Weekly began in 1912 and was in the family of titles published by the Strasburg News Company. The last known issue, printed December 20, 1912, claimed the paper was taking a Christmas hiatus, but it may have been a permanent hiatus as there are no known copies found that were published after the yuletide. Thirty years later, in the 1940s, Patsy Cline, who was born in nearby Gore, VA, would make regular visits to Middletown.
Now we’ll hop onto route 81, or route 11 if you prefer the scenic route, and drive ninety miles south of Middletown to visit the small and bucolic town of Greenville, Virginia. From 1882-1885, Greenville had its own newspaper, the Greenville Banner. In its introductory issue it explained, “We will do the best we can to present a readable sheet and ask its patrons to make all allowance in reason and bear with its imperfections.” A motto we subscribe to ourselves! One fun fact about Greenville: It is where Kate Smith, famous for her rousing rendition of God Bless America, was born.
Let’s get back in the car and go another seventy six miles down 81 until we hit Salem, Virginia, home to Roanoke College and the Salem Red Sox. Newspaper issues from 1883-1920 of the The Salem Times Register (called the Salem Times Register and Sentinel from 1903-1920) are now available on Virginia Chronicle as well. Additional issues of the World News, published not far down the road in Roanoke, have also been added.
In the coming weeks, check Virginia Chronicle for the Growler and Free Lance, published out of Norfolk in 1905. A chance for another road trip.
