Google has developed an archival news resource, Google News Archive Search. The news archive extends back in time over 200 years:  "Where do they get news that old? Google supplements the free web sources with the traditional, for-fee services that are willing to give you one article for a price…" (LawLibtech)

For more information, visit SearchEngineWatch.com:  Google Debuts 200 Year News Archive Search, by Chris Sherman, and InfoToday Newsbreak, Traditional Information Industry Opens Premium Content to Google News Archive, by Barbara Quint.