Remember the old riddle: "What's black and white - and red (read) all over"? The answer: Newspapers, of course! I first used newspapers in family history research to look at obituaries, but I've also found many other interesting "tidbits" using this resource.  Here are a few of my favorite newspaper sources, although admittedly my experience is limited to the geographical locations where I've conducted research:

• Historical Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1922) - These newspapers, as well as selected other cities' historical papers, are available on-line through the Hennepin County Library website.  Other public libraries offer the same service. With a library card number, you can access the newspaper database from home and actually see full-page images! There are many search options, including the category "Obituaries", plus helpful tips and suggestions provided by vendor Proquest.  When I queried using the name of my husband's grandfather, I was ecstatic to see a photograph of him with a 1900 article entitled "Firemen Who Saved Lives at the Hennepin Block Fire". More recent Star Tribune articles (1986-present) are also searchable through the library's site.
• Ancestry. com newspapers and publications - If you're lucky, you'll find newspapers for your town/community of interest digitized on Ancestry.com.  To see what's available, enter the name of the state as the keyword for a query of "newspapers and publications". I found many issues of my small-town daily paper (Huronite and Daily Plainsman) from the 1930s into the 1960s, including news items about my parents and myself. I also read intriguing articles in the Iowa City Press Citizen about my grandmother's (eccentric and litigious) sister.
• Minnesota Historical Society Library - If you have relatives who lived (and died) in Minnesota, the microfilmed newspapers at MHS are invaluable for obituaries. Don't forget to check the card catalog. I found a critical lead there, referring me to the "Minnesota Scrapbook", into which the obits of early MN residents were collected from area newspapers. This source has now been microfilmed, and in it I found a 1900 obituary detailing an ancestor's Irish birth and emigration.
• Other local historical societies - Don't overlook county and city historical organizations, which may have records or indexes to help streamline your research. We were lucky my husband's ancestors pioneered in Dakota and Waseca Counties as both have active historical societies. When I visited the Dakota County Museum, I happily discovered copies of old obituaries which had been cut from local newspapers and maintained in binders by family name. This was done routinely by many county historical societies.  The Waseca County Historical Society indexed the contents of its early county newspapers and made the data available on their website; unfortunately a recent query disclosed the site's family history section is being suspended due to maintenance costs. In situations like this, or if you're unable to make an in-person visit to a state/county/city historical collection, a written request - and payment of a small fee - is likely worthwhile.
• State archives (etc) via inter-library loan - Sometimes you'll find a potential newspaper resource, unavailable elsewhere, in a state archive or similar collection. While these facilities may not be staffed to conduct the research you need, they might offer the microfilm via inter-library loan. For example, the South Dakota Archives posts a newspaper database on their website.  Armed with details about the newspaper/time period/roll number, I've ordered the microfilm through a Hennepin County library, at no cost.  Within a couple weeks, I was able to review the film at the Ridgedale Library (where microfilm readers are available).

Reading old newspapers is probably as close as I'll get to time-travel - and nearly as exciting.