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In the late 1800s, The Matrimonial News in San Francisco became the first newspaper exclusively for singles — where they could read stories about the latest romantic goings-on and post ads for a mate.

This was free for women to do, while men had to pay a quarter.

According to a PBS infographic, a British agricultural journal was the first publication to publish personal ads.

One was written by a “gentleman about 30 years of age” who “would willingly match himself to some good young gentlewoman that has a fortune of 3000£ or thereabout, and he will make settlement to content.” That’s some real 17th-century romance right there.

Since homosexuality was illegal during this time, but newspaper ads were the main way to meet someone, gay men would use code words to avoid being persecuted or even executed, according to a PBS infographic on the history of love and technology.

In addition, whenever gay men wanted to meet up, they would go to what was called a Molly House, where they could drink, dance, and have sex.

Below is a look at the history of online dating: Stanford students Jim Harvey and Phil Fialer try their hand at matchmaking while conducting a class project for the “Happy Families Planning Services.” Using a punch card questionnaire and an IBM 650 mainframe computer, Harvey and Fialer matched 49 men and 49 women.

Before online dating websites launched, the World Wide Web was publically available for people to explore.

From AOL chat rooms, to Myspace bulletins and Craigslist ads–the list goes on and on for ways in which people have used the Internet as a tool to find love, sex and friendship.When the first modern newspaper was invented, people bought personal ads to discreetly connect and communicate with one another in hopes of finding love or sex.But, when the Internet was conceived, it connected us all, thus personal ads went digital and the Internet dating service was born.In fact, online dating is the second-most-common way for couples to meet–right behind meeting through friends.With 40 million Americans trying online dating services, it only becomes more normal every day.