Read Old Magazines Online Free: Women & Family Vintage Mags

The American Boy Magazine

1903-1940

Detroit: Sprague Publishing

A juvenile magazine, mainly fiction. Originally a Boy Scout magazine. It absorbed The Youth’s Companion in late 1929.

Arthur’s Home Magazine

1851-1897

Philadelphia

A monthly journal aimed at women. It contained fiction, poetry, non-fiction articles, fashion, and more.

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens Website

1922-2003 – at Century Past page.

Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Publishing Co.

Launched in 1922, Better Homes and Gardens was soon considered one of the “Seven Sisters” women’s service magazines. Still being published after 100 years. Our Century Past page has a nearly-complete archive of all issues until 2003.

Comfort

1891-1924

Augusta, Maine: Morse & Co.

Devoted to Art, Literature, Science, and the Home Circle. This extremely popular magazine seems to have been aimed at the entire family. It was the first publication in America to reach 1 million subscribers.

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan Magazine Website

Assorted issues 1912-2025

1886-1930 (B&W)

1886-1925

U.S. – Hearst Communications

Cosmopolitan began in New York City in 1886 as a family magazine. By the early 1890s it was a leading fiction magazine, with stories by top authors. William Randolph Hearst bought it in 1905, after which it added investigative and other nonfiction to the fiction pieces.
In 1965 Helen Gurley Brown became chief editor, and radically changed Cosmopolitan. ‘Cosmo’ was transformed into a racy, contentious, and highly successful magazine for single career women.

The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine

1861-1864

London: S.O. Beeton

The magazine sought to inform as well as entertain readers; providing the advice of an ‘encouraging friend’ and ‘cultivation of the mind’ alongside serialised fiction, short stories and poetry. It also featured patterns for dressmaking.

Godey’s Lady’s Book

1831-1898

Philadelphia

This monthly was the most widely circulated magazine in the U.S. in the period before the Civil War, despite being more expensive than other monthlies. Each issue contained poetry, articles and engravings created by prominent artists and writers. Also recipes submitted by readers, illustrations of current clothing fashions, crafts, family activities, games, and much else about daily life in 19th century America. A similar magazine, ‘Peterson’s, is also found on this webpage.

Good Housekeeping

Magazine Website

1885-1895 and 1922-1925 of British Edition Online Books Page

1885-1930 at HathiTrust

1885-1930 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

2015-2016 at Internet Archive

Holyoke, Mass

Presents articles on life-management, beauty care, cooking, shopping, holiday planning, and interior design for the average woman or mother. Each issue features recipes alongside useful tips for eating healthy and maintaining a fit figure. Also ideas for creative craft projects, and upgrading your home décor on any budget.

Harper’s Bazaar

Magazine Website

1867-1930

New York

Founded in 1867, it is primarily a beauty and fashion magazine.

Ladies’ Home Journal

1884-2007 – at Century Past Page

Philadelphia, U.S.

A popular American women’s magazine, published from 1883 to 2016. In 1903 it was the first American magazine to reach one million subscribers.

The Leisure Hour: an illustrated magazine for home reading

1852-1905

London, UK: Religious Tract Society

A British general-interest periodical of the Victorian era which ran weekly from 1852 to 1905. It was published by the Religious Tract Society, which produced Christian literature for a wide audience. Each issue mixed multiple genres of fiction and factual stories, historical and topical.

McCall’s Magazine

1911-1961

New York: McCall Corporation

A monthly American women’s magazine that peaked in the 1960s at a circulation of over 8 million. It published fiction by many well-known authors, and also a regular column by Eleanor Roosevelt (“If You Ask Me”) from 1949 until her death in 1962.

Peterson’s Magazine

1848-1891

1842-1897 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

New York

The owners of the ‘Saturday Evening Post’ began publishing ‘The Ladies National Magazine’ in 1842 as a less expensive alternative to the popular magazine ‘Godey’s Lady’s Book’ (also on this webpage). The name was changed in 1855 to ‘Peterson’s Magazine’, and it continued under that title until 1892, ceasing publication in 1898.

Pictorial Review

1899-1906

New York: Pictorial Review Co.

A women’s magazine that seems to have been all about fashion.

St. Nicholas

1873-1930

New York

One of the best and most popular magazines for young people. Includes well-illustrated short stories, series and articles on biography, history and travel, outdoor life and nature study.

Woman’s Home Companion

1903-1956

1903-1924

Springfield, OH: Crowell-Collier Publishing

An American monthly, published from 1873-1957. Circulation peaked at 4 million in the 1930s and 1940s.

Youth Magazine Variety

1877-1997

Various Publishers

A variety of pdf old magazines for boys and a few for girls. Titles include: Eagle, Diamond Dick Jr., Tip Top Weekly, Chums, American Boy, Work and Win, The Modern Boy, Frank Reade Library, Beadle’s Frontier Series, Happy Days, Boy’s Cinema, Child Life, Calling All Girls, Boys’ Own Paper, The Girl’s Own Paper and Woman’s Magazine, American Girl.