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Community History Archives

Community History Archive Partner

Dallas Center Times

Dallas Center, Iowa

Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Dallas Center.

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8Titles

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1876 to 2019Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

50,388Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

Discover the people, places, and stories of Dallas Center, Iowa.

Get to know Dallas Center, Iowa in earlier years through the newspapers shared in the Dallas Center Times' digital archive. Its eight titles include material from 1876 to 2019.

You can open the archive using the link below.
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  • Selected titles

    The collection from Dallas Center Times includes “Dallas Center Globe” and “The Times”.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • 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.

Historical newspapers can connect a family name with the events and everyday concerns of an earlier time, offering more than a date or a name on its own. Bring a family connection, a question about a familiar place or an interest in local history, and see where the sources lead. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.

Explore the collection

Titles in this collection

Browse eight titles and 50,388 digitized pages, with material from 1876 to 2019. A partnership between Dallas Center Times and Advantage Archives makes this collection available. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

Explore the titles below for a closer look at the places, people and everyday life of earlier generations.

Dallas Center Globe

2,818 pages from 1876 to 1881

Dallas Center Times

26,780 pages from 1906 to 1969

Dallas County News

5,390 pages from 2017 to 2019

Historical Book

1,352 pages in 1879

The Dallas Center Times

6,586 pages from 1887 to 1897

The New Times

7,294 pages from 1897 to 1906

The Perry Daily Chief

52 pages from 1923 to 1926

The Times

116 pages in 1887

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About the Library

About The Roy R. Estle Memorial Library

The Roy R. Estle Memorial Library was dedicated on November 6, 1976, as a generous gift from the late Minnie Estle in memory of her son, Roy. After his death in 1969, Minnie honored him and his love of reading with a bequest in her will to donate the funds needed to build the library. In 2001, thanks to a wonderful donation from the Labor family, along with contributions from other area residents and businesses, an addition was built and dedicated as the Doris Labor Program Room. The library continues to serve as a vital community resource, offering a wide range of materials, programs, and services to the residents of Dallas Center and surrounding areas.

Library History

The History Of The Roy R. Estle Memorial Library

The Roy R. Estle Memorial Library's origins trace back to the generosity of Minnie Estle, who dedicated the library to honor her son, Roy, after his death in 1969. The library opened its doors on November 6, 1976, providing the community with a dedicated space for reading and learning. In 2001, the library expanded with the addition of the Doris Labor Program Room, made possible by a significant donation from the Labor family and other community contributions. This expansion allowed the library to enhance its offerings and accommodate a growing number of patrons and activities.

About the Community

About The City of Dallas Center

Dallas Center, Iowa, is a small town with a strong sense of community and a rich history. Located in Dallas County, the town is known for its welcoming atmosphere and active community life. The Roy R. Estle Memorial Library plays a crucial role in Dallas Center, providing residents with access to a wealth of local historical resources, educational programs, and community events. The library's commitment to serving the community reflects the values and spirit of Dallas Center.

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Local History

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Roy R. Estle Memorial Library was a gift from Minnie Estle, who dedicated it in memory of her son, Roy, in 1976? Additionally, the library's Doris Labor Program Room, added in 2001, was made possible by a generous donation from the Labor family and other community members. These unique aspects of the library's history highlight the strong community support and dedication to maintaining a vital cultural and educational resource in Dallas Center.

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More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Trace a name across nearby issues

Start with something you would like to understand about the past of Dallas Center. It might be a person, a neighborhood or an event remembered in your family. Use the digital archive shared by the Dallas Center Times to follow that question into the historical record. 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.

If a name does not appear, try an alternate spelling or a related term, then read around any match. Note the issue date and page so a result stays connected to its context. Use those details to follow a story without treating one search result as a complete answer.

Build a trail through the past that someone else can follow: record the title, date, page or item reference, and a link when available. Keep historical quotations distinct from your own interpretation. If accounts disagree, note what each source supports before deciding how the details fit together in a family or community story.

Review collection titles

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Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Dallas Center Times, 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
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Read All About It

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.

Newest published articles

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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