Search
The Rare & Early Newspapers Hobby
Receive the Newsletter
Buy Historic Newspapers
First newspapers in Hawaii…
February 22, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
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.
First newspapers in Florida…
February 8, 2010 by TimHughes · 4 Comments
Florida (“land of flowers”) was first settled at St. Augustine in 1565 but it would be over 200 years later before a newspaper would be printed within its boundaries.
In 1783 when Spain still ruled over Florida, William Charles Wells began the “East Florida Gazette”, the colony’s first newspaper, at St. Augustine. The first number was probably dated February 1. There are no known copies in America, but from a few numbers preserved in London it is evident that although published in English in a Spanish speaking community, the “Gazette” was a credible newspaper.
Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1821. In July of that year Richard Edes, of Augusta, Maine, arrived in St. Augustine & began publication of the “Florida Gazette“. He died just three months after he began to print in Florida, after which the name of the newspaper was changed to the “East Florida Herald” and it continued for many years.
Later the same year two Virginians arrived in Pensacola and established the “Floridian” on August 18, 1821, with the title later changing to “Pensacola Gazette and West Florida Advertiser“.
The first newspaper in Delaware, and others that followed…
February 1, 2010 by TimHughes · 3 Comments
As to what was the very first newspaper printed in Delaware, the answer is a bit foggy. Isaiah Thomas notes that in 1762 James Adams began the publication of the Wilmington “Courant“, which was discontinued within six months for lack of support. No copy of it is known and doubt has been expressed as to the accuracy of Thomas’ statement.
Evald Rink, in his “Printing in Delaware, 1761-1800”, notes that on June 14, 1785, Jacob Killen started the “Delaware Gazette” in Wilmington. This is the first authenticated newspaper issued in Delaware. With some changes in title, Killen published this weekly for almost two years. He then sold it and the new owners continued the newspaper with the issue for April 11, 1787.
Altogether seven newspapers were published in Delaware during the eighteenth century, all except one were printed in Wilmington. There is a reference to a “Dover Herald“, reputedly published at Dover in 1800, but no copy of it has been located. The others in order of their appearance were: the “Delaware Gazette“, established in 1785 and continued through 1799; the “Delaware Courant and Wilmington Advertiser“, issued in 1786 and 1787; the “Delaware and Eastern-Shore Advertiser“, 1794 through 1799; the “Wilmington Mercury“, printed occasionally in 1798; the “Friend of the People“, published at Dover in 1799; the “Mirror of the Times“, started in 1799 and issued until 1806; and the “Monitor; or Wilmington Weekly Repository“, published from 1800 to 1802.
What’s the title?
January 30, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Collecting newspapers with unusual and/or displayable mastheads has been quite popular over the years. Here is a photo of just the name of a newspaper in the masthead of an 1852 newspaper from New York. Can you read it?
Fascinating titles…
January 28, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Over the course of the last 350+ years tens of thousands of newspapers have come and gone, too few remaining outside of microfilm, microfiche or digital format for us hold and enjoy. Early on in my pursuit of old newspapers I was intrigued by the names of many, and decided to keep examples of newspapers which had what I considered to be “odd” titles. I am glad I did, as few have since surfaced for me to get a second chance to add to my collection. I thought I might share a few of the more interesting titles. Perhaps you’ve come across some interesting ones as well. Here are among my more curious :
The Occasional Reverberator, The Whisperer, The Dessert to the True American, The Tickler, The Devil In London, The Quizzical Register, Galaxy of Comicalities, The Whip & Spur, The Wag, The Hangman, Wecli Fonetic Advocat, The Grape Shot (from Canonsburg, Pa.), The Boomerang, Our Dumb Animals, Measure For Measure, Wise And Unwise, Our Compliments, Squirrel Island Squid, The Drill (mining town in Arizona), The Headlight, Hoof & Horn, Camp Carnes Anti-Bushwhacker, The Yaller Dog, The Menace, The Gangplank News, The Bull Sheet Special, Bunk, Guinea Pig, Jerk, Tar Paper, and The Ape.
Do you have some unusual titles as well? Feel free to share.
Death from drinking cold water…
January 23, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
History contains a rather interesting catalog of both health remedies and health warnings which seem quaint or down right silly in today’s world. I have read several times in early newspapers of death being caused by drinking water which was too cold, but the item below from Baltimore’s “Niles’ Register” newspaper of August 2, 1834 has a somewhat comical twist.
19th century newspapers… revisited…
December 26, 2009 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
Over the past three weeks Timothy Hughes has explored his thoughts concerning what he believes to be the top ten newspapers from each of the pre-18th, 18th, and 19 centuries (see below), the most recent being the latter. Some of his thoughts concerning the 1800’s historic newspapers were captured in the following video:
Collecting authentic rare and historic newspapers from the 1800’s can be exciting, rewarding and surprisingly affordable. Daily newspaper reports of America’s tumultuous 19th Century included first hand accounts of historic turning-points like….. the Louisiana Purchase…the Civil War…and Spanish-American conflict. As cries of “manifest destiny” signaled America’s unbridled expansion west, newspapers became a crucial link for a people suddenly united in a common quest that would set their young nation on a course of unprecedented and historic prosperity.
There are many sought after “holy grails” from the 19th century, including: o President Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination o Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address o Battle of the Alamo o Deaths of Jessie James and Billy the Kid o Issue from Tombstone Arizona (Tombstone Epitaph) o Winslow Homer’s “Snap the Whip”
Of course, select accounts of the most historic & desired events of 19th century America are available for premium prices.
However, a wealth of fascinating original newspapers from the vast inventory of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers are available for much less…often as little as $30 – $50. These include first-hand news from the War of 1812, Yankee & Confederate Civil War battle reports, slave ads from the South, the California Gold Rush with outlaw & Indian battle accounts, the Mormon migration to Utah and fascinating reports of when baseball was in its infancy.
The “Old West” and America’s westward expansion are represented in genuine newspapers from California, Utah, Nevada, Montana, and Arizona. You’ll also find affordable issues from the illustrated press which graphically documented every aspect of 19th century America in the pages of Harper’s Weekly, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated, Gleason’s, Ballou’s, and The London Illustrated News.
Whether your interest is in the War of 1812, westward expansion and the gold rush, the Civil War, and/or the Wild West, original newspapers provide an excellent view of history in context. History is never more fascinating than when when it’s read from the day it was first reported. If you love history… you deserve to have it in your hands. Rare newspapers make this possible. Please enjoy the hobby.
Top ten newspapers: 16th and 17th centuries…
Top ten newspapers: 18th century…
Top ten newspapers: 19th century…
The “top ten”: 19th century…
December 21, 2009 by TimHughes · 3 Comments
This was a difficult century for selecting the top ten significant events or newspapers. Certainly an argument could be made that some specific newspapers–particularly from the Civil War era–could achieve retail values far in excess of those noted on the list, but their rarity as unique items pretty much removes them from the “accessible” list of collectibles.
My focus is more on including newspapers which have a certain degree to attainability and at the same time representing the broad range of events which helped to define the United States during the 19th century. I think I’ve achieved a happy compromise among desirability, rarity, and historical significance. Fully half of my choices are specific issues. I would be curious to hear of your comments:
10) Vicksburg Daily Citizen, July 2/4, 1863 This wallpaper edition from when the town was captured by the Yankees turns up very frequently as a reprint, adding enhanced appeal to a genuine issue.
9) Battle of the Alamo, 1836 In a Texas newspaper. Any Texas newspaper from this notable year in the war for Texas independence would be great, and one with one of the more famous battles of the century would be better yet.
8.) Leslie’s Illustrated, April 22, 1882 The full front page is a terrific print of Jesse James, recently murdered. A very rare print of one of the more infamous characters of the century.
7) Lincoln’s assassination, 1865 Arguably the most noted death of the century, and great to have in a Washington, D.C. title. Very historic & desirable, but not terribly difficult to find so it doesn’t rank higher on my list.
6) Tombstone Epitaph, gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 1881 I know of at least one genuine issue. Certainly a very romanticized event in a equally romanticized title and incredibly rare but not high on my historic list.
5) Baltimore Patriot, Sept. 20, 1814 First newspaper appearance of the Star Spangled Banner, and great to have in a Baltimore newspaper.
4) Gettysburg Address, November, 1863 This remains the most requested speech by our collectors–regardless of century–and is likely the most known by school children across the country. A front page account is best, such as the New York Times.
3) Louisiana Purchase, 1803 Who could argue with an event which doubled the size of the country.
2) Charleston Mercury–Extra, Dec. 20, 1860 It’s a broadside so perhaps some will argue not a bona fide newspaper, but we collect Extras as well so I include this notable issue. This newspaper’s “The Union is Dissolved” broadside was the first Confederate publication as South Carolina was the first state to secede. It went to press 15 minutes after the secession ordinance was passed.
1) The California Gold Rush in a California newspaper, 1849. Three California newspapers existed at the time so issues do exist yet extremely rare. Combining the great rarity with a event which did so much to spawn migration of the people across the country, and another very romanticized event in American history, and you get my top pick.
Top 10 lists…
December 3, 2009 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Top 10 lists are always fun to consider. Their strength is in their ability to generate thought, reflection, and opinion. We all acknowledge that no two top ten lists are the same, and whereas going to experts in the field may add a certain level of credibility to a list, even an amateur/novice can bring food for thought to the discussion. Everyone has an opinion, and each and every opinion has some some value. In the end, the greatest benefit may well be in the journey traveled as we formulate and consider both our own views as well as the views of others.
It is with this in mind we plan to offer 4 top ten lists over the course of the next four Mondays. The focus will be on giving thought to the top ten most historic newspapers from each of the following eras: 17th century and earlier (12/7/2009), 18th century (12/14/2009), 19th century (12/21/2009), and 20th century & beyond (12/28/2009). In some cases we may choose a specific newspaper title (any date), realizing that having any issue of the title is of note. In other instances we may focus on a specific title and date of a newspaper – these being the “holy grails” of the hobby. Yet in other cases we’ll include a more general top ten entry, focusing on the event itself, acknowledging that finding any newspaper coverage of the event is noteworthy.
As we proceed through the month, we invite both reactions to our lists and the submission of your own “top tens”.
In an effort to help kick-start your walk into the past, we invite you to enjoy a recent post which appeared on OnLineSchool.net titled, “100 Great Moments in American History You Can Catch on YouTube”, by Amber Johnson: (http://onlineschool.net/2009/11/18/100-great-moments-in-american-history-you-can-catch-on-youtube/).
California’s first newspaper…
November 9, 2009 by TimHughes · 5 Comments
For much of the information below we credit John Oswald’s work “Printing In The Americas”.
Printing in California began in 1825 when it was under Mexican rule, being not much more than engraved wood blocks used to make seal impressions. Some years later in 1833 with a new governor for the province an announcement of his arrival in California was issued, being the oldest known California imprint.
As for newspapers, the very first published in California was on August 15, 1846 with the beginning of the “Californian” in the city of Monterey, just five weeks after the United States flag has been raised over the city and California was proclaimed a part of the United States. The newspaper was published by Rev. Walter Colton, a champlain of the U.S. frigate ‘Congress” docked at Monterey and a one time editor of the Philadelphia “North American“, and Robert Semple. On April 24, 1847 Semple became the sole proprietor of the “Californian” and two weeks later he moved it to San Francisco.
The second newspaper in California was published as a venture of the Mormons. They created the “California Star“, the first regular number of which appeared January 9, 1847. On November 18, 1848 the Californian” and the “Star” merged, the name becoming the “Alta California“.
Since the population of California was relatively small before the gold rush of 1849 newspapers from this decade are exceedingly difficult to find. They become much more numerous from 1850 onwards, but any title from the 1846-1849 period would be considered a terrific find by any collector.