Primarily a collection of 90 essays, each between 1,000–2,000 words in length, on the history of the American press and its coverage of selected notable events in American history. A few of the essays link to original documents—such as the first newspaper report of Nat Turner's capture in 1831; 17 essays by junior high school students living in Oklahoma City about the 1995 bombing there; eight 1888 articles on Jack the Ripper from London newspapers; and five Thomas Nast cartoons.

The site also includes inaugural addresses from all American presidents through William Clinton; 12 audio clips of news-related recordings and radio broadcasts; and a film clip showing a panoramic view of President McKinley's home in Canton, OH, the day of his funeral in 1901.

The essays cover such popular categories as the Civil War, baseball, journalism hoaxes, crime, and the Old West, as well as more esoteric topics associated with the history of newspapers, such as the founding of the Associated Press and the history of the linotype machine.

In addition to historical resources, this site—now part of the Discovery Channel webpage—offers crossword puzzles, a guide to collecting historic newspapers, an online forum for newspaper and ephemera collectors, and links to hundreds of history-related sites. Useful as an introduction to American print culture history.