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They Put It In Print – but should they have? Lewis & Clark edition…
May 5, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Over the years we have amassed a series of posts under the heading, “They Put It In Print”. However, we recently came across a letter William Clark (of Lewis & Clark fame) wrote to his brother while on his famous expedition, which made us wonder if it was intended to end up printed in a handful of newspapers for others to read. While the line between private and public affairs is often blurred for those in the public eye, in this case a citizenry who was anxiously awaiting any news from the frontier probably never gave this tension a thought. Regardless of whether lines were crossed, over 200 years later we still benefit from the details provided regarding this historic trek through the wilderness.
The entire letter, warts and all, is shown below as printed in the Boston Gazette dated November 13, 1806. We hope you enjoy. We also have a note following the letter.
Whereas educators are welcome to use the photos above as a teaching resource for no cost (or credit given to us), in addition to the actual collectible issue which may still be available, we also have high-resolution digital photos of the above available through our Etsy Store: “THEY PUT IT IN PRINT – Historical news from the day it was first reported.”
They Put It In Print – Immigration in 1903…
April 26, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Immigration. . . without a doubt a hot button topic… and not just in our lifetime. THE MEMPHIS MORNING NEWS, October 24, 1903 has a front-page article announcing that (nearly) 1,000,000 had immigrated to the U.S. in 1903. Tension? No question! Take a look at the requirements Congress had established for legal immigrants and more requirements being considered. A fascinating read in light of our current headlines.
They Put It In Print – The 12th President of The United States…
February 16, 2024 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Who was the 12th president of The United States of America? Okay, perhaps your high school civics teacher didn’t require you to memorize their names in chronological order, but in case they did I’ll give you a little more time so you can run through them starting with Washington (hint, you’ll need more than both hands to count them out).
At this point I’m sure many have opted to simply do a quick internet search to “remember”. Cheating??? No judgement here. Do you have your answer?
Here goes…
So, did you come up with rolyat yrahcaz (the name is spelled backwards so your eyes wouldn’t easily notice it while reading the 1st two paragraphs)? However, NO! Sorry.
The one who was elected to be the 12th president refused to be inaugurated on the given day (March 4, 1849) since it was scheduled to be held on a Sunday. Being a “religious man”, he felt it improper to take the oath of office on the Christian Sabbath. Left with the unacceptable dilemma of having the top seat in the land left vacant, albeit for a short time, David Rice Atchison was sworn in to serve as “president for a day”. How do we know? The National Intelligencer for March 10, 1849 put it in print:
While the state of Missouri (Atchison’s home state) affirms this, the official website of the Senate of the United States says otherwise – and provides their reasoning.
Yet, who is right? I’m not a political scholar, but if accuracy of information provides a clue this same “official” article also says this rumor 1st appeared in the March 12th issue of the Alexandria Gazette… and we know for a fact this to be false. Again, how do we know? Our newly discovered issue is dated two days prior.
I love this collectible!
They Put It In Print – Going to extreme lengths to prove another’s innocence…
September 18, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Would you step in front of a moving vehicle to push a small child out of the way of its path? Would you jump into a river to save a drowning family member? Would you kill yourself to prove a stranger’s innocence? If you are anything like me, the answers in order are: “yes”, “Yes”, and “NOT A CHANCE”. However, someone not only said “yes” to the 3rd question, he actually put his “yes” into action. How do we know? The New York Herald dated June 17, 1871 put it in print:
They Put It In Print – Everyone Aboard The Titanic Survived!!?
April 19, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Eternally filed the bin labelled “Don’t Believe Everything You Read” is the report found in the Oakland Tribune, April 15, 1912, that all of the passengers aboard the Titanic survived. Yet another example of newspaper publishers pushing too hard to scoop all others. I wonder if they bothered posting a retraction in the following day’s issue.
They put it in print, 1947 – The day Roswell became a boldfaced destination on the map…
September 12, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
With few exceptions, the most collectible/desirable “1st reports” of most major events are found in newspapers printed the day after the event occurred. However, it is hard not to ponder what people were reading in the newspapers printed on the “day of” such events. The reality that most memorable events in history took place on days in which the average person woke up to an ordinary, typical, “same-ol-same ol” world, poured themselves a cup of coffee, and sat down to read the relatively uneventful news reports reporting on the events from the prior day. What were people reading on the day of Lincoln’s assassination… the bombing of Pearl Harbor… the “twin-towers” attack… the sinking of the Titanic… the Hindenburg explosion… the 1906 San Francisco earthquake/fire… the (atomic) bombing of Hiroshima? In nearly every instance the newspapers printed and read on the day of such events including nothing whatsoever related to what was to come a mere hours later. How could they?
It is this common-sense reality which made our recent discovery of the Chicago Daily Tribune printed on the day of the “Roswell Incident” rather intriguing. See for yourself:
They put it in print, 1926 – “With just the naked eye and a glove…”
March 11, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Some feats seem more like folklore than reality. Can a person, unaided in any way, catch a baseball dropped from a plane with a standard baseball glove? If it weren’t for the many witnesses who observed this amazing feat first-hand, who would have believed this actually occurred? However, on July 23, 1926, the New York Times published details of Babe Ruth’s amazing accomplishment – a record setting one at that. How do we know” They put it in print:
They put it in print – an 1877 opinion of The Press…
January 6, 2022 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Sometimes a picture says it all. The illustration below was printed in a Harper’s Weekly dated June 2, 1877, but left undated some might think it is a recent print. Do these “1000 words” from the 19th century, in fact, have staying power? You decide.
They put it in print, 1917 – “The more things change…”
October 4, 2021 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
A recent post focused on a headline which borrowed Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr’s famous words from 1849: “the more things change, the more they stay the same” (translated from “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”). This tendency, as applied to human behavior, has certainly been substantiated time and time again in the world of politics.
During former President Trump’s term in office “leaks” were springing up everywhere. For a novice to the political realm this may have appeared to have been a new phenomenon; however, the banner headline from a San Diego Evening Tribune dated January 8, 1917 makes it clear that once again, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr was spot-on. How do we know? They put it in print:
They put it in print, 2003 – “Horses with no names?”
September 23, 2021 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Many recognize the names of the most famous racehorses of all time: Seattle Slue, Man o’ War, American Pharaoh, and Citation to name a few – especially if they were featured in a major Hollywood Movie, but what about their sired offspring? Do we recognize their names? How do we even refer to them? Perhaps “Seattle Slue and his Crew”, “Man o’ War and his War Reenactors”, “American Pharaoh and his Royal Subjects”, and/or “Citation and Prized Awards” would be appropriate? While all of these ideas ended up on the drawing room floor, one did make the cut. Thanks to his jockey’s restaurant, we have “Seabiscuit and his Little Biscuits”. How do we know? In the July 10, 2003 issue of the Los Angeles Times, they put it in print.
While none of Seabiscuit’s foals grew up to become famous in and of themselves, the restaurant he inspired is still in business.
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Update 9/28/2021, compliments of K.W. from Illinois…
