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Community History Archives

Community History Archive Partner

Waverly Public Library

Waverly, Iowa

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

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22Titles

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1856 to 2021Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

693,759Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

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

Get to know Waverly, Iowa in earlier years through newspapers as well as maps and atlases shared in the Waverly Public Library's digital archive. Its twenty-two titles include material from 1856 to 2021. The collection also includes registers, rosters, and listings.

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

    Explore titles such as “Atlas of Bremer County” and “Weekly Republican”, shared by Waverly Public Library.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • Different views of the past

    A familiar name or event takes on another dimension in the newspaper coverage of its time, alongside the stories that mattered to the readers of that issue. Maps and atlases offer a different view of a familiar place through the labels, boundaries and features their makers recorded.

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

Browse twenty-two titles and 693,759 digitized pages, with material from 1856 to 2021. A partnership between Waverly Public Library and Advantage Archives makes this collection available. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

Bring a person, place or date you recognize, and browse the titles below for a first clue in the story you want to follow.

Atlas of Bremer County

285 pages from 1894 to 1917

Bremer County GAR

3,429 pages in 1901

Bremer County Independent

216,942 pages from 1881 to 2021

Bremer County Independent and Waverly Republican

47,040 pages from 1929 to 1959

Bremer County Phoenix

1,503 pages from 1862 to 1864

Democrat

42 pages in 1983

Fair Expositor

36 pages in 1886

Independent Republican

23,826 pages from 1915 to 1929

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 1

3,687 pages in 1865

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 2

3,630 pages in 1865

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 3

5,046 pages in 1865

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 4

5,400 pages in 1865

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 5

5,385 pages in 1865

Roster of Iowa Soldiers War of Rebellion Vol 6

3,483 pages in 1865

The Waverly Democrat

8,991 pages from 2014 to 2020

The Waverly Journal

17,640 pages from 1932 to 1945

Waverly Democrat

283,368 pages from 1880 to 2021

Waverly Phoenix

3,765 pages from 1892 to 1897

Waverly Republican

57,327 pages from 1856 to 1915

Waverly Weekly Republican

264 pages from 1857 to 1861

Wavery Democrat

Page count not currently available dates not yet available

Weekly Republican

2,670 pages from 1899 to 1900

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About the Library

About The Waverly Public Library

The Waverly Public Library is a cornerstone of the community, dedicated to providing access to a vast array of informational resources, promoting lifelong learning, and fostering community engagement. With a robust collection that spans from books and multimedia to digital resources, the library serves as a hub for knowledge and discovery for residents of all ages.

Waverly Public Library photo 1

Library History

The History Of The Waverly Public Library

Founded in the late 19th century, the Waverly Public Library has evolved significantly over the decades. Initially established to cater to the literary needs of the community, the library has grown into a comprehensive resource center. The early days saw the library housed in modest facilities, gradually expanding to accommodate the increasing demand for educational and recreational materials. With continuous support from the community and local government, the library has modernized its infrastructure, incorporating technology and expanding its services to include digital archives, community programs, and educational workshops.

About the Community

About The Geographical Area

Waverly is a vibrant city located in Bremer County, Iowa. Known for its rich agricultural heritage and scenic landscapes, Waverly offers a blend of historical charm and contemporary amenities. The Cedar River flows through the city, providing picturesque views and recreational opportunities. The community is characterized by its strong sense of togetherness and active participation in cultural and civic activities, making Waverly a welcoming place for both residents and visitors.

More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Follow a report into its setting

A question about the people or places that shaped Waverly can begin with one dated account. Use the newspaper titles shared by the Waverly Public Library to follow a family name, familiar street, or local event into the newspaper record, then keep the report tied to its issue and surrounding context. Read the headline and neighboring articles as well as the matching lines. The surrounding page can show whether a report is local news, an editorial, or another kind of account; compare its details with later coverage where available.

Where the available dates overlap, compare a place mentioned in a newspaper with the mapped setting. Check each source's date and purpose before connecting a street or boundary. A familiar place name can change meaning over time.

Record which title, date, page, or item supports a useful lead. Mark unanswered questions before connecting it to a family or community story. A similar name can point you toward another source, but it is not proof of identity.

Review collection titles

Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Waverly 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
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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