9Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Iredell County Public Library
Statesville, North Carolina
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Statesville.
1858 to 1973Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
82,510Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Statesville, North Carolina.
Explore the past of Statesville, North Carolina through newspapers in the Iredell County Public Library's digital archive. Its nine titles include material from 1858 to 1973.
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Selected titles
The collection from Iredell County Public Library includes “Barium Messenger” and “The Statesville Daily”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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A closer look
Newspaper pages connect individual accounts with a wider story, preserving how events were reported and presented to the readers of the day.
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 nine titles and 82,510 digitized pages, with material from 1858 to 1973. This collection is shared through Iredell County Public Library's partnership with Advantage Archives. 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.
Barium Messenger
4,624 pages from 1923 to 1973
Iredell Express
836 pages from 1858 to 1865
Statesville American
646 pages from 1865 to 1886
Statesville American And Tobacco Journal
34 pages in 1886
Statesville Daily
58,314 pages from 1928 to 1942
Statesville Sentinel
3,760 pages from 1909 to 1914
The Intelligencer
122 pages from 1872 to 1874
The Mascot
3,964 pages from 1897 to 1909
The Statesville Daily
10,210 pages from 1923 to 1927
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About the Archive
About the Iredell County Public Library’s Digital Archives
The Iredell County Public Library offers free and open access to its digitized collection of historical newspapers, vital records, photographs, and local documents, providing an invaluable educational resource for researchers, genealogists, and community members interested in exploring Iredell County’s collective history. In partnership with Advantage Archives , the library has digitized a significant number of pages spanning from the late 18th century to the present. This initiative underscores a shared responsibility to preserve and make accessible the firsthand accounts and perspectives that document history as it happened.
About the Library
About the Iredell County Public Library
Located at 201 North Tradd Street in Statesville, North Carolina, the Iredell County Public Library is dedicated to serving the informational and educational needs of the community. The library provides a welcoming space for reading, research, and community events, reflecting its commitment to greater access to historical content. Through partnerships and outreach, the library continues to engage the community in preserving and discovering local history.
Library History
The History of the Iredell County Public Library
Established in the early 20th century, the Iredell County Public Library has evolved to meet the growing needs of the community. The library's commitment to preserving local history is evident in its ongoing digitization projects and community outreach programs. Learn more about the library's digital collections .
About the Community
About Statesville and Iredell County, North Carolina
Statesville, the county seat of Iredell County, is a city rich in history and cultural heritage. Founded in 1789, Statesville has a population of approximately 27,000 residents. The city is known for its historic downtown, community events, and as a hub for local history and culture. Learn more about Statesville .
Local History
Did You Know?
The Iredell County Public Library's digital archives include a wealth of resources for genealogists and historians, such as:
- Historic Newspapers detailing local events and developments
- Photographs documenting the growth and changes in the community
- Family Bibles and Personal Papers providing personal accounts of life in Iredell County
- Court and Land Records offering insights into the legal and property history of the area
These resources provide a comprehensive view of the county's development and are invaluable for anyone researching the area's past. Explore the Digital Archives .
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Trace a name across nearby issues
A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Statesville. The digital archive shared by the Iredell County 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.
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.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Iredell County 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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