3Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Bangor Public Library
Bangor, Maine
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Bangor.
1815 to 1831Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
5,554Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Bangor, Maine.
Explore the past of Bangor, Maine through newspapers in the Bangor Public Library's digital archive. Its three titles include material from 1815 to 1831.
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Selected titles
A selection from Bangor Public Library: “Bangor Register” as well as “Bangor Register and Penobscot Advertiser”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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A closer look
A familiar name or event takes on another dimension in the newspaper coverage of its time, alongside the stories that mattered to the readers of that issue.
Reporting from the time can reveal how people described the events, work and concerns of their day, placing a local story within the history unfolding around it. Whether you are tracing a family connection, exploring a local event or sharing history with a class, there is more to discover than names and dates alone. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Browse three titles and 5,554 digitized pages, with material from 1815 to 1831. This collection is shared through Bangor Public Library's partnership with Advantage Archives. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
A family story or a question about a familiar place can lead somewhere unexpected. Browse the titles below and see which detail draws you in.
Bangor Register
3,726 pages from 1819 to 1831
Bangor Register and Penobscot Advertiser
610 pages from 1821 to 1822
Bangor Weekly Register
1,218 pages from 1815 to 1818
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About the Archive
About The Bangor Public Library’s History Archives
The Bangor Public Library offers free access to its historical archives in partnership with Advantage Archives . This collection features a range of historical newspapers and documents from Bangor, spanning from 1815 to 1831. The digital archive includes significant local publications that offer a window into the town’s history, making it an invaluable resource for genealogists, historians, and the general public. The total number of pages in the archive is 2,777, covering 1815 to 1831.
Library History
The History Of The Bangor Public Library
The Bangor Public Library traces its origins to 1830 when seven books were housed in a footlocker at the publishing office of John S. Sayward. Over the decades, the library expanded its collection and moved to larger facilities to accommodate the growing demand for books and resources. The library's rich history includes its transformation into the Bangor Public Library in 1883, thanks to a $100,000 endowment from the estate of Samuel F. Hersey. This generous gift, combined with collections from six other local libraries, laid the foundation for one of Maine’s largest public libraries. A significant milestone in the library’s history occurred in 1911 when a devastating fire destroyed its collection of 70,000 volumes. Despite this setback, the library reopened in temporary quarters and later moved into a new, permanent building designed by the renowned firm Peabody and Stearns, opening to the public in 1913. Since then, the library has continued to evolve. In 1997, a major renovation and expansion, designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, added more space and modern amenities. A further update in 2016, led by Simons Architects, included extensive roof repairs and the addition of a glass atrium and cafe. Today, the library remains a vital community hub, offering access to a wide range of resources, meeting spaces, and programs for people of all ages.
About the Community
About Bangor, Maine
Bangor, located along the Penobscot River in eastern Maine, is known for its rich history, which includes its rise as a lumbering hub in the 19th century. The city was a key player in the timber trade, and its prosperity during that era led to the construction of many of its iconic buildings, including the Bangor Public Library. Bangor’s history is closely intertwined with its geographical location, as the river played a crucial role in its economic growth. Today, Bangor is a vibrant community with a thriving cultural scene and is the third-largest city in Maine.
Local History
Did You Know?
Did you know that the Bangor Public Library once lost nearly its entire collection in the great fire of 1911? Despite this catastrophic event, the library reopened shortly after and continues to serve the Bangor community over a century later.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Compare accounts as you trace a story
A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Bangor. The digital archive shared by the Bangor Public Library offers a place to begin. When using historical newspapers, try alternate spellings and nearby dates, then read the surrounding page to place a local story in its time. Compare later reporting or another available title to explore different perspectives rather than treating one account as the whole story. Use a report's date to look for earlier or later coverage where those issues are available. Compare what each account says and what it leaves out, treating a related mention as a lead rather than a complete history.
Compare each newspaper account with a nearby dated issue where available, noting what changes or stays consistent. Keep alternate versions and unresolved details visible rather than blending distinct sources into one story. Use those differences to frame a next question, not to settle the account before the sources support it.
Keep source details beside each quotation or observation. If accounts differ, preserve both references and note what remains unresolved. Let the evidence, rather than a smooth retelling, show where the sources agree and where the story is still open.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Bangor Public Library, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.
Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.
Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.
Learn about partnerships
Stories, research tips, and archive news
Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.
May 7, 2025
Why Microfilm is still important in 2023
Preserving documents on microfilm has been a popular method of storage for many years, and it still holds many benefits today. Here…
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May 7, 2025
Don’t Search For An Obituary By Only Searching For An “Obituary”
In the quest to trace our roots and understand our heritage, obituaries often serve as a crucial starting point. Obituaries are undoubtedly…
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April 9, 2025
Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
Even the most esteemed police forces in the county encounter perplexing cold case files. These unsolved mysteries often leave investigators and genealogists…
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April 1, 2025
This Week in History: March 31st through April 6th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. This week in history, there is absolutely nothing to talk about… April Fools! April…
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March 24, 2025
This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. It has officially been a year since I started writing This Week in History,…
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March 18, 2025
It’s Your Community’s History, So Why Rent Something You Own?
We believe that history belongs to the communities where it was made - not locked behind paywalls or inaccessible due to budget restrictions. Subscription-based services and large content aggregators are generally more concerned with "content" and less concerned with the history that content contains. Their models typically involve a reoccurring charge for a plan that renews annually or licensing agreements with the library based on population served or circulation numbers. You are essentially Renting Access To YOUR History.
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