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Community History Archives

Community History Archive Partner

Kossuth County Genealogical Society

Algona, Iowa

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

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22Titles

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1883 to 2024Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

376,596Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

Discover the people, places, and stories of Algona, Iowa.

Explore the past of Algona, Iowa through newspapers in the Kossuth County Genealogical Society's digital archive. Its twenty-two titles include material from 1883 to 2024.

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

    Selected titles from Kossuth County Genealogical Society include “Bancroft Register” and “Whittemore Independent”.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • 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.

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 twenty-two titles and 376,596 digitized pages, with material from 1883 to 2024. This collection is shared through Kossuth County Genealogical Society's partnership with Advantage Archives. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

Follow a family connection or a question about the community through the titles below and the history they preserve.

Bancroft Register

75,218 pages from 1889 to 2024

Bancroft Register

40,666 pages from 1985 to 2021

Bancroft Register And Kossuth County Review

448 pages in 1888

Burt Monitor

28,914 pages from 1897 to 1945

Des Moines Valley News

24 pages from 1890 to 1916

Fenton Reporter

21,126 pages from 1912 to 1944

Kossuth County Review

1,998 pages from 1883 to 1887

Luverne News

412 pages from 1919 to 1947

Luverne Tribune

5,304 pages from 1947 to 1962

New Whittemore Newspaper

72 pages in 1988

North Kossuth Record

4,108 pages from 1914 to 1925

Swea City Herald

48,326 pages from 1899 to 1986

Swea City Herald Press

44,572 pages from 1986 to 2023

Tele News

386 pages from 1962 to 1963

The Lakota Record

80 pages from 1925 to 1941

The Lakota Review

4,826 pages from 1954 to 1965

The Lakota Weekly

48 pages in 1954

Wesley News

2,624 pages from 1899 to 1902

Wesley News World

13,550 pages from 1911 to 1939

Wesley Reporter

32 pages from 1898 to 1899

Whittemore Champion

62,986 pages from 1895 to 1988

Whittemore Independent

20,876 pages from 1988 to 2016

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About the Society

About The Kossuth County Genealogical Society

The Kossuth County Genealogical Society, located in Algona, Iowa, is dedicated to preserving and providing access to the rich history of Kossuth County. The society maintains an extensive archive of historical documents, newspapers, and genealogical resources, making it an invaluable asset for researchers, historians, and anyone interested in tracing their family roots. The society's mission is to collect, preserve, and share the history and heritage of Kossuth County through its archives, publications, and educational programs.

Kossuth County Genealogical Society photo 1

Institution History

The History Of The Kossuth County Genealogical Society

The Kossuth County Genealogical Society has been a pillar of historical preservation since its founding. The society was established to ensure that the rich history of Kossuth County would be preserved for future generations. Over the years, the society has expanded its collection, adding thousands of pages of historical newspapers and documents to its archives. The digitization of these records, funded by grants and generous donations, has made them accessible to everyone, ensuring that the history of Kossuth County is preserved and shared.

About the Community

About Algona, Iowa

Algona, the county seat of Kossuth County, Iowa, is a charming town with a rich history and a vibrant community. Established in the mid-19th century, Algona has grown from a small settlement into a bustling town known for its friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community. The town is home to several historical landmarks and hosts annual events that celebrate its heritage. Algona’s commitment to preserving its history is evident in its well-maintained historic buildings and the extensive archives housed at the Kossuth County Genealogical Society.

More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Read a report in its time and place

A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Algona. The digital archive shared by the Kossuth County Genealogical Society 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. Check nearby issues or another listed newspaper when available. Differences in timing and wording can add perspective to a story, while the issue date and surrounding articles help show what kind of account you are reading.

Follow a promising report into a nearby issue or another title where available. Compare dates and surrounding coverage; a single account is one perspective on a story. Use the surrounding account to shape your next question, while keeping each source's perspective distinct.

Keep the title, date, page, or item reference with each useful finding. Separate the words in a historical account from your interpretation, and note conflicting perspectives rather than choosing one too quickly. These notes help connect a local story to its evidence and show what remains uncertain.

Review collection titles

Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Kossuth County Genealogical Society, 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
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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