New Index to Montana's Historical Newspaper Ads

by Christine Kirkham
Coordinator, Montana Digital Newspaper Project

"The Bar is stocked with the finest Liquors and Cigars. Give me a call, boys."

So reads an ad for the Gem Saloon in 1876. MHS Research Center volunteer Josef Warhank has spent the last two years compiling an index to adverts in The Yellowstone Journal (Miles City), 1882-1891, and The New North-West (Deer Lodge), 1869-1885. This wonderful spreadsheet (searchable and sortable!) is a boon for researchers looking for businesses, products, and people. Josef has collected from each ad the following data:

• business name and address
• products sold
• personal names in ad
• other text in ad
• date ad appeared

Click here to use the Index.

Note that businesses in Anaconda, Bannack, Billings, Blackfoot City, Bozeman, Butte, Cedar Junction, Edwardsville, Emmettsburg, Helena, Philipsburg, Pioneer City, Virginia City, Willow Glen, and Yreka also placed ads in these two newspapers.

Josef's index is now available online along with links to other newspaper indices on our website. Click the link "Index to Advertisers in Montana Newspapers (XLS)." As Josef continues to work on this project, more newspapers and date ranges will be added. Please spread the word and use this wonderful new resource!