15Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Martin County Historical Society
Fairmont, Minnesota
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Fairmont.
1870 to 1928Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
125,543Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Fairmont, Minnesota.
Explore the past of Fairmont, Minnesota through newspapers in the Martin County Historical Society's digital archive. Its fifteen titles include material from 1870 to 1928.
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Selected titles
Martin County Historical Society shares titles including “Fairmont Chain” and “Welcome Times”.
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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 fifteen titles and 125,543 digitized pages, with material from 1870 to 1928. This collection is shared through Martin County Historical Society's partnership with Advantage Archives. 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.
Fairmont Chain
112 pages from 1873 to 1874
Fairmont Daily Sentinel
50,976 pages from 1901 to 1928
Fairmont News
3,013 pages from 1891 to 1905
Granada Sun
760 pages from 1916 to 1918
Granada Times
541 pages from 1906 to 1908
Martin County Democrat
1,236 pages from 1892 to 1895
Martin County Independent
21,174 pages from 1897 to 1920
Martin County Review
380 pages from 1870 to 1872
Martin County Sentinel
13,827 pages from 1875 to 1918
Sherburn Advance
2,461 pages from 1890 to 1898
Sherburn Advance Standard
6,953 pages from 1906 to 1921
Triumph Monterey Progress
354 pages in 1924
Triumph Progress
8,514 pages from 1903 to 1923
Truman Tribune
11,259 pages from 1900 to 1928
Welcome Times
3,983 pages from 1898 to 1907
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About the Society
About The Martin County Historical Society
The Martin County Historical Society, established in 1929, is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Martin County. Located in Fairmont, Minnesota, the society operates a museum housed in the former St. Paul’s Convent School, which features more than 10 rooms of historical displays. In addition to its exhibits, the society offers a free research library and a variety of programs that engage both the local community and visitors from across the United States and beyond. MCHS is committed to preserving artifacts and documents that reflect the history of the county for future generations.
Institution History
The History Of The Martin County Historical Society
Since its founding, the Martin County Historical Society has worked to preserve the county’s rich history. The museum, located in the former St. Paul’s Convent School since 1956, has expanded over the years, with additional space added in 1995 and upgrades continuing with new technology in the research library. The society’s efforts include preserving artifacts, documents, and local newspapers to ensure that the history of Martin County is accessible to all. With the support of generous donors and volunteers, MCHS continues to fulfill its mission of acquiring, conserving, and sharing the county’s history.
About the Community
About Martin County, Minnesota
Martin County, located in southern Minnesota, is known for its agricultural heritage and vibrant community life. The county’s history dates back to the mid-19th century, with its development shaped by farming, transportation, and local industry. Today, the county continues to honor its past while embracing modern growth. The Martin County Historical Society plays a key role in preserving the region’s history, offering residents and visitors access to historical records and artifacts that tell the story of Martin County’s development.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Follow a story beyond the first mention
A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Fairmont. The digital archive shared by the Martin County Historical 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.
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 Martin County Historical 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
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
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Don’t Search For An Obituary By Only Searching For An “Obituary”
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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
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March 24, 2025
This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
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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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