Yes! During research for something pond- related I went through microfiched local newspapers from the early 1930s. So-and-so found a her lost dog. Articles about the original property owners, ice stating parties9n the pond-- who went to the party. John Smith was building a house based on a boat... personal things that connected people, plus serious subjects of course but so much was simply daily human events -- happy, sad, or interesting things, extremely local, that had nothing to do with ideology or grievance.