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Community History Archive Partner

The Dike New Era

Dike, Iowa

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

1Title

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1910 to 1943Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

20,884Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

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

Get to know Dike, Iowa in earlier years through the newspapers shared in The Dike New Era's digital archive. The archive includes The Dike New Era, with material from 1910 to 1943.

  • Selected title

    “The Dike New Era” is shared here by The Dike New Era.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • Ways to explore

    Bring a personal interest or classroom question to the material, keeping what it shows separate from what you still need to establish.

Historical newspapers can connect a family name with the events and everyday concerns of an earlier time, offering more than a date or a name on its own. Bring a family connection, a question about a familiar place or an interest in local history, and see where the sources lead. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.

Explore the collection

Titles in this collection

Explore The Dike New Era through 20,884 digitized pages, with material from 1910 to 1943. A partnership between The Dike New Era and Advantage Archives makes this collection available. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

One title can lead to several questions. Begin with a person, place or date that matters to you.

The Dike New Era

20,884 pages from 1910 to 1943

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About the Library

About The Dike Public Library

The Dike Public Library, located in Dike, Iowa, is a cornerstone of the community, offering a wide range of resources and services to residents. The library is dedicated to providing educational resources, promoting literacy, and preserving the local history of Dike. The library's commitment to serving the community is evident in its efforts to digitize and make accessible historical documents, ensuring that the rich heritage of Dike is available to all.

Library History

The History Of The Dike Public Library

The Dike Public Library has a long history of serving the residents of Dike, Iowa. Established to provide educational resources and promote community engagement, the library has evolved over the years to meet the changing needs of its patrons. The digitization of The Dike New Era newspaper is a testament to the library's ongoing efforts to preserve local history and provide access to valuable historical content. With the support of the State Historical Society, Inc., the library has successfully made these historical newspapers available online, contributing to the preservation of Dike’s heritage.

About the Community

About Dike, Iowa

Dike, Iowa, is a small yet vibrant community with a rich history. Founded in the late 19th century, the town has grown steadily, maintaining its close-knit community spirit. Dike is known for its strong agricultural roots and its commitment to preserving local history. The Dike Public Library plays a crucial role in this endeavor, offering residents and visitors alike a glimpse into the past through its extensive archives.

Local History

Did You Know?

• The Dike New Era, the town's historical newspaper, was published from 1910 to 1943 and offers a detailed account of the community's development during that period. • The digitization project of The Dike New Era was funded by the State Historical Society, Inc., highlighting the importance of preserving local history. • Dike, Iowa, was named after Chester Thomas Dike, a notable figure in the town's early development.

More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Compare accounts as you trace a story

Start with something you would like to understand about the past of Dike. It might be a person, a neighborhood or an event remembered in your family. Use the digital archive shared by The Dike New Era to follow that question into the historical record. 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. Use a report's date to look for earlier or later coverage where those issues are available. Compare what each account says and what it leaves out, treating a related mention as a lead rather than a complete history.

Compare each newspaper account with a nearby dated issue where available, noting what changes or stays consistent. Keep alternate versions and unresolved details visible rather than blending distinct sources into one story. Use those differences to frame a next question, not to settle the account before the sources support it.

Keep source details beside each quotation or observation. If accounts differ, preserve both references and note what remains unresolved. Let the evidence, rather than a smooth retelling, show where the sources agree and where the story is still open.

Review collection titles

Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of The Dike New Era, 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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