Or how London recovered from the Great Fire or the Great Plague.

This is just what Highlands resident Gary Avis is able to do.

In 1989, the Library of Congress was microfilming some of its records.

It then auctioned them off in sealed boxes.

A friend of Mr Avis’ in the United States contacted him and asked if he’d like to go halves in one.

They purchased a box for $70,000 and split the contents.

Neither had any idea what they would find but what they got was some of the earliest examples of modern journalism.

Mr Avis’ half of the box contained original copies of more than 500 London Gazettes, about 50 of the New York Times and a couple of Harper’s Monthly.

Some of these date back to the 1600s.

Mr Avis said when these publications were first released, it was at a time when many people could not read.

A town crier would often stand in a central location and people would be charged to hear the news which was read using an artificial lamp.

Because of this Mr Avis said some of his copies had slight burn marks where the paper had got too close to the lamp.

Some of the newspapers were made from rice paper with vegetable ink used while others were hand printed on rag paper- paper which was literally made from old rags.

The London Gazette was originally known as the Oxford Gazette before King Charles II changed its name.

Mr Avis said they had been verified as authentic by the Mitchell Library and each contained news stories of memorable interest.

In the London Gazette this included battles, proclamations of King Charles II and James II, ship movements and religious appointments.

Mr Avis said the Civil War and slavery were topics covered in the New York Times.

“They’re quite amazing,” he said.

He has now given most of his copies back to his friend in the U.S. but still has copies of each of the three publications.