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First newspapers in Illinois…
March 8, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment 
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Kaskaskia, a thriving town on the Mississippi River and the territory’s first capital, was the place of the first printing done in Illinois while it was still a territory. 
Mathew Duncan, a printer who had moved from Kentucky, began publication of Illinois’ first newspaper, the “Illinois Herald” in 1814. The name would change to the “Western Intelligencer” in 1816, and again to “Illinois Intelligencer” in 1818. Two years later it would be moved to Vandalia which had become the capital of the state.
The second newspaper in Illinois was the “Illinois Emigrant” which began on June 13, 1818 at Sawneetown. A year later the title was changed to the “Illinois Gazette”.
The first newspaper in Chicago was a weekly paper titled the “Chicago Democrat“, which began on Nov. 26, 1833.
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It caught my eye…
March 6, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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The front page of the “Weekly Missoulian” newspaper from Missoula, Montana Territory, December 12, 1873 has an article titled: “The Value of a Newspaper” which logically caught my eye. Although the item had nothing to do with the value of an historic newspaper, it does say much about the relative cost to subscribe to a newspaper in the 1870’s, and has a nice story associated with it as well. Enjoy.
I have typically found Old West newspapers to have some of the more interesting tidbits of any era or region. We have hundreds to choose from for your browsing.
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First newspaper in Idaho…
March 1, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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Idaho’s name was adapted from the Shoshone Indian call, “Ee-dah-how!”. Its literal translation is “Look! The sun is coming down the mountain.” It was a part of the “Oregon Country” claimed by Spain until 1819 and by Russia until 1824. Great Britain and the United States held it jointly until Britain relinquished her claim to the United States by treaty in 1846.
In 1839 the American Board of Foreign Missions brought back from Hawaii the printing outfit that had been sent there in 1821 (see our post for Feb. 22: “Hawaii’s first newspapers…”) and transferred it to Idaho. In 1862 in Lewiston, named after explorer Meriwether Lewis, Idaho’s first newspaper, the “Golden Age”, was established by A. S. Gould who hasd previous printing exerience in California and Oregon. The “Golden Age” was discontinued in 1865 when the printing press was moved to Leesburg. In 1867 the “Mining News” was established but the printer was able to keep it going for only eight months.
The first newspaper in southern Idaho (3nd in the territory), the “Boise News” was started on Sept. 29, 1863 at Idaho City, and the fourth newspaper, the “Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman” began printing on July 26, 1864 in Boise.
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Writing styles have changed through the years…
February 27, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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This nice piece concerning death, published in “The Semi-Weekly Argus” newspaper from Port Townsend, Washington Territory, Aug. 19, 1873, is a great example of how differently–and often beautifully–writing styles were over 100 years ago.
Much of the fun of collecting newspapers is enjoying a different style of writing, whether the piece is historical or just an ordinary comment of the day, as is the case with this item.
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First newspapers in Hawaii…
February 22, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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The American Board of Foreign Missions sent a printing press to Hawaii in 1820, but it wasn’t until fourteen years later that a periodical was printed in the islands. 
Hawaii’s first newspaper was done by students of a missionary seminary on the island of Maui on Feb. 14, 1834, titled: “Ka Lama Hawaii” (Hawaiian Luminary). A similar paper titled “Ke Kumu Hawaii” appeared in Honolulu in October of the same year. Both were printed in the Hawaiian language.
In 1836, two years after Hawaiian language newspapers took hold, the first English language paper was born, the “Sandwich Island Gazette and Journal of Commerce“. This newspaper was only printed sporadically and lasted for just three years. It wasn’t until 1856 that the first regular English language paper was established, the weekly “Pacific Commercial Advertiser“. The “Advertiser” has published continuously since then, switching names to today’s Honolulu Advertiser in 1921.
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A quiet title…
February 20, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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World War II “camp” newspapers, produced by the various military units around the world, had some interesting titles (see our post of January 11). One of the more interesting is the “SSHHH” (see below).
I would suspect there was some secrecy with work of the unit which produced this newspaper, given the title and there being no city or town of publication noted. The only clue that it was produced overseas is the note at the bottom of the front page: “This edition musts not be sent home.”
An interesting newspaper title worth sharing.
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Brevity can say much…
February 18, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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Often times very brief, inconspicuously located reports (see below) can be just filled with historical significance. There were many newspaper reports announcing the Declaration of Independence with a simply one sentence statement.
Another report which is significant yet brief is found in “The London Gazette” from England, May 26, 1701. The back page, with no heading save for the “London, May 23″ dateline, has the report shown in the photo. This newspaper remains one of the premier issues for those adding significant pirate reports to their collection.
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First newspapers in Georgia…
February 15, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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Georgia, founded in 1733, was named after King George II of Great Britain. James Johnston, a Scotsman, was the colony’s first printer. He established the “Georgia Gazette“at Savannah on April 7, 1763. The “Gazette” was issued with intermissions and changes of name for nearly forty years. During one of the intermissions Johnston published the “Royal Georgia Gazette“, which he purchased from John Hammerer who had started it on January 21, 1779.
John E. Smith started the “Georgia State Gazette or Independent Register” at Augusta on Sept. 30, 1786. In 1789 it became the “Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State” and later was shorted to just the “Augusta Chronicle“.
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What a name…
February 13, 2010 by TimHughes · 1 Comment Email This Post
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The “Illustrated London News” from England, August 16, 1862, contains a report headed “Sir E.P. Coffin”. The simply last name is interesting but not terribly unusual. It’s his full hyphenated last name which intrigues.
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No shortage of editorial comment in reports of years…
February 11, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment Email This Post
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“The Connecticut Journal” of New Haven, Feb. 15, 1798 contains a report of two new born infants who were left at doorsteps. In today’s world news reports are given objectively without editorial comment–”just the facts”–whether the news item is horrible, tragic, or jubilant.
But this was not the style years ago. Note the editorial comment within the report. I doubt we would find such comments in today’s newspapers unless they were direct quotes from a person involved. Such reporting style certainly adds much flavor to reports of years ago, and equally interesting reading.
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