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First newspapers in North Dakota…
March 14, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The Dakota Territory organized in 1861 encompassed both present-day North & South Dakota. It was in 1889 when statehood was gained that the Territory was split into North & South.
But it was during the Civil War, in 1864 when two solders issued at Fort Union (present-day North Dakota) a newspaper called the “Frontier Scout” Only a few numbers were printed at Fort Union. A bit later it reappeared with a “Fort Rice, D.T.” imprint and a date of June 15, 1865, noted as “vol. 1, No. 1”. It is not known to have continued after 1865.
It was not until July of 1873 when the first permanent newspaper appeared in the Territory, located at the capital of Bismarck and titled the “Tribune“. It started as a weekly but 8 years later became a daily, which it remains to this day. It boasts that it has never missed an issue, although because of a winter blizzard it was forced to reduce its size & one number was printed on wallpaper.
Not long thereafter the second newspaper in North Dakota began, titled the “Express“, printed at Fargo on Jan. 1, 1874. The third newspaper, and in yet a third city, was the “Plaindealer” which published at Grand Forks in 1874 as well.
One worth sharing…
March 7, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Many newspapers which are located (geographically) close to where an historic event happened tend to have the largest headlines. The “WAR ! ” issue of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporting the bombing of Pearl Harbor is a good example.
When the Apollo 11 astronauts returned home, all newspapers reported the event. But where would you expect the biggest headline on Neil Armstrong’s return? His hometown: Wapakoneta, Ohio.
The photo shows the huge headline of the “Wapakoneta Daily News” when their favorite son returned home. It is certainly one of the largest headlines of the post-World War II era.
The first newspapers in North Carolina…
February 14, 2011 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
James Davis was North Carolina’s first printer, having come from Virginia to New Bern in 1749 to print government work. On Aug. 9, 1751 he established the “North Carolina Gazette“, the first 
newspaper in North Carolina, which would continue until 1778. He also created the colony’s second periodical, “North Carolina Magazine, or Universal Intelligencer” on June 8, 1764, it lasting until 1768.
Shortly thereafter on Oct. 17, 1764 Andrew Steuart began in Wilmington the “North Carolina Gazette & Weekly Post-Boy“, and yet another printer, Adam Boyd, began in Wilmington as well the “Cape Fear Mercury” on Oct. 13, 1769. It wasn’t until after the Revolutionary War that newspaper publishing in the colony began to flourish.
First newspapers in New Mexico…
February 7, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The first printing press arrived in New Mexico at Santa Fe in 1834 and just one year later the first newspaper was published, a Spanish-language paper titled “El Crepusculo de la Libertad” 
(Dawn of Liberty), beginning on Nov. 29, 1835 but lasting for only four numbers. It was presumed that New Mexican lawyer Lic Antonio Barriero published it to promote his candidacy for the Mexican Congress, and abandoned it after his election.
In 1844 another newspaper was published: “La Verdad” (The Truth) which lasted for over a year. A bi-lingual newspaper, “The Santa Fe Republican” began on Sept. 4, 1847 and two years later on Dec. 1, 1849 the first issue of the “New Mexican” appeared, which exists to this day.
First newspapers in New Jersey…
January 31, 2011 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
Given that New Jersey is geographically wedged between the the large colonial cities of New York and Philadelphia, there seemed to be little interest in creating a New Jersey newspaper until relatively late in the 18th century. Although New York & Pennsylvania had newspapers in the 1720’s, New Jersey’s first title, “The New Jersey Gazette“, did not appear until 1777.
But printing was being done in the colony as early as 1723, and it even had its first magazine, “The New American Magazine“, done by James Parker at Woodbridge in 1758. But it was Isaac Collins who on Dec. 5, 1777 started in Burlington the province’s first newspaper, “The New Jersey Gazette”, which would be removed to Trenton just three months later where it continued until 1786.
Technically there is another contender for the the title of New Jersey’s first newspaper, as Hugh Gaine removed his “New York Gazette & Weekly Mercury” to Newark, New Jersey, just prior to the British occupation of that city. His first Newark edition was on Sept. 21, 1776 and he only printed seven issues through Nov. 2, 1776 before returning to New York a few days later.
First newspapers in New Hampshire…
January 24, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Although New Hampshire was settled as early as 1623 no printing was done in the colony until 1756 as Boston got all the printing work. Daniel Fowles arrived in New Hampshire in 1756 to become the first printer in the colony, and on October 7, 1756, in Portsmouth, he issued the first number of the “New Hampshire Gazette“, the first newspaper in the colony. The only other printed item he did before this newspaper was an almanac for the year 1757.
The second newspaper in the colony was the “Mercury & Weekly Advertiser“, also done in Portsmouth by an employee of Fowle who was urged to created a competing newspaper by those who thought Fowle “…too timid in the cause of liberty, or their press too much under the influence of the officers of the crown…”. Fowle’s political leanings against independence would cause troubles for himself and his printing business in the years to come.
First newspaper in Nevada…
January 18, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
“Nevada” received its name from a Spanish word meaning “snow clad”. Outside of the Native Americans one of the earliest settlements was by the Mormons at Genoa, in 1849, then part of California. It later would be attached to the Utah Territory, then became the Nevada Territory before being admitted as a state in 1864.
It was at the town of Genoa that the first newspaper in the state began in 1858, the “Territorial Enterprise“. Just a year later it moved to Carson City, and yet another year later to Virginia City where it continued until 1916. One of its claims to fame is having Samuel Clemens as a reporter and editor in the early 1860’s. Although issues from the 1870’s and 1880’s have been in our inventory for some years, issues from the 1860’s–particularly from the territorial period before statehood–are very difficult to find. (credit: “Printing In The Americas” by J. Oswald)
Is it true?
January 15, 2011 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
The “Democratic Watchman” newspaper from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1886 has an interesting tidbit which, if true, unveils what it likely a little known and fascinating twist in American history: “Jefferson Davis, as an officer in the Black Hawk war, administered the oath of allegiance to Abraham Lincoln, entering the service as a lieutenant.” (see below)
Intriguing earthquake newspaper…
January 10, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
A newspaper I came across recently was one I nearly tossed in the trash believing it to be only the back leaf of a four page newspaper. We have, unfortunately, many such remnants lying around the warehouse. But before tossing the issue aside I noted a heading (see below) near the top of the first column: “FORM PIED ! ” In printing parlance “pied” means the set type was reduced to a jumble by being knocked, dropped, etc. The text notes: “Going to press this afternoon the first and fourth pages of the Dispatch forms were pied by the carrier to the press rooms. We are, therefore, unable to issue more than half a sheet of the paper to-day.” (see) So, this single sheet, without a banner masthead, was a complete newspaper after all.
But even more intriguing is that just below this “pied” report is an early report of the San Francisco earthquake of 1868, headed: “The Earthquake” which begins: “The reports from different quarters show that the great shock yesterday morning was felt with more or less intensity all around the Bay, to a great distance. It appears to have been most severe in Alameda county & the damage to property was large. In this city, the loss has been great, though probably not to the extent that was feared yesterday. Many buildings have been damaged…” with more on both sides of the newspaper.
Of curious interest is whether the type was pied as a result of an aftershock, which always accompany earthquakes. Indeed, a report at the bottom of the page is headed “Shock” and notes: “Another shock of earthquake was felt this morning a few minutes before one o’clock. It was quite perceptibly felt & several left their houses thinking it was the prelude to a heavier one…”. So did the printer’s assistant drop the type for pages 1 and 4 due to an aftershock? We’ll never know, but the combination of the early earthquake report–from the city where it happened–and the reduced state of this edition due to the type being dropped makes for an intriguing newspaper.
Mark Twain… on the Jews…
January 3, 2011 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
We recently discovered an issue of Harper’s Monthly from September, 1899 which has a lengthy article by Mark Twain regarding Jews. While he is often viewed as America’s greatest writer, few are aware of his ongoing defense of minorities within the U.S., including Jews, Blacks, Native Americans, along with other minority groups. To kick off the new year on an upbeat, but challenging note, we invite you to view the text of “Concerning the Jews“, by Mark Twain. As we reflect on the 100+ years since this was written, it appears that many have heeded his words – a tribute to the melting pot potential of the citizens of the United States.