12Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Kilbourn Public Library
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Wisconsin Dells.
1856 to 2017Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
292,976Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
Discover another side of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin through newspapers preserved in the Kilbourn Public Library's digital archive. Its twelve titles include material from 1856 to 2017.
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Selected titles
Kilbourn Public Library shares titles including “Dells Events” and “Wisconsin Mirror”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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A closer look
An earlier generation comes into view through the stories its newspapers chose to report, placing familiar names and events within the concerns of their time.
The reporting of earlier years offers a way to explore how events were understood as they happened and how local experiences became part of the historical record. A family story, a classroom project or curiosity about a familiar place can lead to a closer look at the community and the lives of earlier generations. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Browse twelve titles and 292,976 digitized pages, with material from 1856 to 2017. Through a partnership with Advantage Archives, Kilbourn Public Library shares these sources from the past. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
A familiar name or place can be the beginning of a story. Explore the titles below to see where that connection leads.
Dells Events
11,208 pages from 1988 to 1992
Illustrated Events
196 pages from 1903 to 1904
Kilbourn City Guard
964 pages from 1876 to 1879
Kilbourn City Mirror
64 pages in 1870
Kilbourn Weekly Events
21,334 pages from 1907 to 1931
Mirror
344 pages from 1870 to 1871
Mirror Gazette
19,642 pages from 1887 to 1911
The Kilbourn Weekly Illustrated Events
2,806 pages from 1905 to 1907
The Telegraph Courier
16 pages in 1906
Wisconsin Dells Events
213,224 pages from 1931 to 2013
Wisconsin Dells Events
19,040 pages from 2014 to 2017
Wisconsin Mirror
4,138 pages from 1856 to 1876
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About the Archive
About The Kilbourn Public Library’s History Archives
The Kilbourn Public Library in Wisconsin Dells, WI, offers extensive access to historical newspapers and documents through a digital archive. This archive, created in partnership with Advantage Archives , allows users to explore and discover the rich history of Wisconsin Dells by searching through decades of local publications. The archives include:
- The Wisconsin Mirror (1856-1876)
- The Mirror (1870-1871)
- The Kilbourn City Mirror (1870)
- The Kilbourn City Guard (1876-1879)
- The Mirror Gazette (1887-1911)
- The Kilbourn Weekly Illustrated Events (1905-1907)
- The Kilbourn Weekly Events (1907-1931)
- The Wisconsin Dells Events (1931-2013)
- The Dells Events (1988-1992)
- The Telegraph Courier (1870)
About the Library
About The Kilbourn Public Library
The Kilbourn Public Library serves the community of Wisconsin Dells, WI. Established in the heart of this historic city, the library provides a wide range of resources and services to both residents and visitors. With a strong commitment to preserving local history, the library offers access to an extensive collection of historical newspapers, books, and other documents, all aimed at fostering community engagement and education.
Library History
The History Of The Kilbourn Public Library
Founded in the early 20th century, the Kilbourn Public Library has grown from a small local institution to a cornerstone of the Wisconsin Dells community. The library has undergone numerous expansions and renovations to better serve its patrons, offering a blend of traditional resources and modern digital services. The library's dedication to preserving the area's rich history is evident in its comprehensive digital archives, which provide invaluable insights into the past.
About the Community
About Wisconsin Dells, WI
Wisconsin Dells, known for its scenic beauty and vibrant tourism industry, is a city with a rich historical background. The city's name derives from the Dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic gorge that has been a popular attraction for over a century. The Kilbourn Public Library plays a crucial role in preserving and sharing the history of Wisconsin Dells, offering residents and visitors a portal to explore the city's storied past.
Local History
Did You Know?
- Wisconsin Dells is often referred to as the "Waterpark Capital of the World," with numerous indoor and outdoor waterparks attracting millions of visitors annually.
- With its striking sandstone formations, the Dells of the Wisconsin River has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century.
- Wisconsin Dells was originally named Kilbourn City after its founder, Byron Kilbourn, but the name was changed to Wisconsin Dells in 1931 to reflect the area's natural beauty.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Follow a story beyond the first mention
The history of Wisconsin Dells includes individual lives as well as events remembered by the wider community. In the digital archive shared by the Kilbourn Public Library, begin with a name, place or date connected with the story you want to explore. 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.
When a promising newspaper lead runs out, check the dates and titles represented before trying another name, place, or nearby issue. Keep unsuccessful searches with useful findings; gaps in coverage can limit what a search reveals. Use the dates and references to shape your next question, not as proof a missing result never existed.
As you piece together a story from the past, note where each detail came from and why it matters. Include the title, date, and page or item reference. Mark uncertain identifications and unanswered questions so a promising connection does not become an unsupported fact.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Kilbourn 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.
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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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