The free NYS Historic Newspapers archive just got bigger. The October 2026 update adds 36 newspaper titles, bringing the collection to more than 15.9 million searchable pages — and it’s all free.

The site, nyshistoricnewspapers.org, is run by the Northern New York Library Network with the Empire State Library Network, and it has been growing fast. Every county in the state is represented.

The one that caught my eye: the Southampton Press (1909–1922) is in this batch — Long Island’s East End, right in our backyard. East End papers often carried Suffolk County news, school happenings, and regional events that mentioned Sayville, so it’s another place to hunt for the theater productions, sports stories, and community history we’re always chasing.

For those following along with our drama-page research: this is the same archive I trained on last month. New titles mean new chances to pin down those missing production years and dates.

Search the archive free at nyshistoricnewspapers.org. The full list of this month’s 36 additions is at The Ancestor Hunt: https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/ny-state-historical-newspapers-adds-36-titles-october-2026/

If you dig up a Sayville gem — a play review, a game write-up, an old advertisement — send it our way. Happy hunting!