3Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Nottowa Township Library
Centreville, Michigan
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Centreville.
1849 to 1969Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
21,410Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Centreville, Michigan.
Explore the past of Centreville, Michigan through newspapers in the Nottowa Township Library's digital archive. Its three titles include material from 1849 to 1969.
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Selected titles
Nottowa Township Library shares titles including “The Centreville Observer” and “The Western Chronicle”.
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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.
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 three titles and 21,410 digitized pages, with material from 1849 to 1969. This collection is shared through Nottowa Township Library'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.
The Centreville Observer
15,796 pages from 1890 to 1909
The St. Joseph County Observer
1,796 pages from 1963 to 1969
The Western Chronicle
3,818 pages from 1849 to 1864
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About the Library
About The Nottowa Township Library
The Nottowa Township Library serves as a welcoming gathering place, providing access to effective resources, services, and activities that support lifelong learning. The library is dedicated to meeting the educational, informational, and cultural needs of its community members. With a focus on fostering a love of learning, the library offers a variety of programs and services designed to enhance the lives of its patrons, making it a vital resource for the local community.
Library History
The History Of The Nottowa Township Library
The Nottowa Township Library has a long history of serving its community, offering a wide range of materials and programs that support lifelong learning. The library’s mission is to provide a welcoming space where people can gather, access information, and participate in activities that enrich their lives. The digitization of local historical newspapers is part of the library’s ongoing commitment to preserving the history of the area and making it accessible for future generations. The Nottowa Township Library continues to be a cornerstone of learning and community engagement.
About the Community
About Nottowa Township, Michigan
Nottowa Township, located in St. Joseph County, Michigan, is a small rural community with a rich history. The township is known for its agricultural roots and close-knit community. Over the years, Nottowa has maintained its historical charm while continuing to develop and grow. The Nottowa Township Library plays a key role in preserving the history of the area, offering access to valuable resources that help residents and visitors alike learn more about the township's past.
Local History
Did You Know?
Did you know that The Western Chronicle , one of the oldest newspapers in the region, dates back to 1849? These early publications provide a fascinating look into the history of Nottowa Township and the surrounding areas, offering insights into life in the 19th century.
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 Centreville. The digital archive shared by the Nottowa Township 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.
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 Nottowa Township 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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Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
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This Week in History: March 31st through April 6th
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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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