There was once an artistry in the creation of a newspaper's masthead. Whether they came from an original name, an artistic image, or a declaration of intention, newspaper mastheads (and titles) were much more vibrant than today's rather staid, computer and color enhanced examples. The Virginia Newspaper Project offers a small (and hopefully ever changing) selection of the more interesting mastheads we have uncovered to date. Many of the linked images below are fairly large, but well worth the wait.

The Independent Virginian (Richmond, Va.), an "anti-machine" newspaper (circa 1921).

The Record (Richmond, Va.), a Civil War era publication that used the official seal of the Confederate States in its masthead (circa 1862).

The Richmond Planet (Richmond, Va.), one of the America's oldest black newspapers (circa 1923).

The Free-Lance (Norfolk, Va,), an anti-monopoly paper (circa 1905).

The Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.), "Victory Day" edition celebrating the surrender of Nazi forces (circa 1945).

S.A.L. Magundi (Portsmouth, Va.), a paper devoted to the Seaboard Air Line (circa 1897).

The Southern Opinion (Richmond, Va.), a post-Civil War title with a masthead remembering the Confederacy (circa 1868).

New York Ninth (Warrenton, Va.), a Union army newspaper printed on a captured printing press in Virginia (circa 1862).

The South (New York, NY), a newspaper often printed in periodical format (circa 1886).

The Arkansaw Traveler (Littlerock, Ar.), the paper with the "musical masthead" (circa 1883).

Gleason's Weekly Line of Battleship (Boston, Ma.), a paper with an emphasis on nautical themes (circa 1859).

The Resources of California (San Francisco, Ca.), a publication devoted to the land, people, and resources of California (circa 1880).

Andrew's American Queen (New York, NY.), a "society paper" for art, music and literature. (circa 1880).

The Present state of the New-English affairs (Boston, Mass.), published in 1689--reputed to be the first newspaper printed in the American colonies.

The Newspaper Project welcomes your comments or suggestions. Please send E-mail directly to: Errol Somay, Project Director, at: Errol.Somay@lva.virginia.gov.