News sources
News articles published at the time of an event are considered primary historical sources.
- Blue-Grass Blade newspaper, 1884-1910, Library of Congress-Chronicling America This link opens in a new window
The Blue-grass Blade was irregularly published in Lexington, Kentucky, from 1884 through 1910. One of several rare free-thought newspapers in the United States, it was Kentucky’s most controversial turn-of-the-century newspaper by far. According to its irreverent editor, Charles Chilton Moore (1837-1907), the Blade was published on Sundays to give the public thoughtful reading material on a day when it was most needed. - Kentucky Gazette - 1787-1840 This link opens in a new window
The Kentucky Gazette was published in Lexington Kentucky from 1878 to 1910. From the LPL site: "The Kentucky Gazette was the first paper established west of the Allegheny Mountains founded by John and Fielding Bradford.. The frontier paper focused on East Coast and International news, though some local announcements can be found. Later, the paper focused on disseminating opinions on politics and issues of concern on the frontier. When political parties emerged, the paper developed a Democratic (conservative at the time) bent.
The years 1841-1910 are not digitized as of January 2020, but are viewable on microfilm and in print in the Kentucky Room at Central Library. Selected articles are indexed in the Library’s Local History Index." - Kentucky historical newspapers from Chronicling America This link opens in a new window
Full text historic newspapers from Kentucky included in Library of Congress's Chronicling America Newspaper database. - Kentucky Kernel - UK Student Newspaper 1915-2008 This link opens in a new window
Search the digitized copies of the University of Kentucky student newspaper. Available from 1915-2008. - Lexington Herald-Leader (Newspaper) This link opens in a new window
Full coverage from Lexington's daily newspaper, 1983 to the present. - Local History Index - Lexington Newspapers - LexPubLib This link opens in a new window
The selective citations included in the Lexington Public Library’s Local History index refer to various Lexington newspapers beginning with the Kentucky Gazette in 1787 through the Lexington Herald-Leader of December 31, 2007. The nucleus of the database index is a card file in the Kentucky Room developed by staff over a number of years. Not all newspapers for all years are indexed. The full text of these articles is available on microfilm in the Kentucky Room of the LexPubLib. - Rambler Student Newspaper 1949-1972 This link opens in a new window
Transylvania's student newspaper digitized by the Transylvania Library and provided through the Kentucky Digital Library.
Lexington Newspapers
News articles published at the time of an event are considered primary historical sources.
1787-1840 - Kentucky Gazette.
- LexPubLib's info on the Kentucky Gazette along with link to digitized copies of Kentucky Gazette.
1808-1832 - The Reporter & The Kentucky Reporter
- LexPubLib's info on The Reporter and link to digitized copies of The Reporter (1808-1817)
- LPL's info on the Kentucky Reporter and link to digitized copies of The Kentucky Reporter (1817-1830)
1845-1847 - The True American - Abolitionist, Cassius Clay
- LPL's info on the True American and digitized copies from 1845-1846.
1847-1848 - Daily Lexington Atlas
- LPL's info on the Daily Lexington Atlas and digitized copies
1892-1912 - Lexington Standard
- Only a few issues are known; these are digitized at the LOCs Chronicling America site
1895-1899 - Daily Argonaut
- LPL's info on the Daily Argonaut and digitized copies
1912-unknown - Lexington Daily News
- Only a few issues are known to exist which are digitized at LOC's Chronicling America
The Lexington Herald Leader was once multiple newspapers.
- 1870 - Lexington Daily Press started by Hart Foster and Henry T. Duncan.
- 1888 - Kentucky Leader started.
- 1895 - Lexington Daily Press combines with Lexington Transcript to form the Morning Herald.
- 1895 - Kentucky Leader changes name to Daily Leader
- 1897-1935 - Morning Herald and then the Lexington Herald edited by Desha Breckinridge
- 1901 - Daily Leader changes name to Lexington Leader
- 1905 - Morning Herald changes name to Lexington Herald
- 1937 - John Stoll, editor of the Lexington Leader, buys the Lexington Herald. They are published as separate papers on the same equipment. The Herald reflects the Democrat party's point of view and the Leader leans Republican.
- 1973 - Knight Newspapers (later to be Knight-Ridder) buys the Herald Leader Company.
- 1980 - Location is moved the Main St. & Midland Ave.
- 1983 - The Herald and the Leader merge papers to become one publication. John Carroll who had been the editor of the Herald is the editor of the Lexington Herald-Leader. Transy provides access to the Herald Leader from 1983-current.
- Lexington Herald-Leader (Newspaper) This link opens in a new windowFull coverage from Lexington's daily newspaper, 1983 to the present.