Pioneer journalism: Nevada County newspapers 1850-1900
Special to The Union
Editor’s note: A former photographer and staff member of The Union, Robert “Bob” Wyckoff also served our community as a historian.
His master’s thesis “History and Analysis of Newspapers in Nevada County, California 1850-1900” chronicled the birth of journalism in Nevada County’s pioneer days and remains on file at the Doris Foley Library in Nevada City. Wyckoff died last Saturday at the age of 85.
Newspaper — First published — Location — Original proprietor
Nevada Journal — 1851 — Nevada City — Warren B. Ewer
Grass Valley Telegraph — 1853 — Grass Valley — Wilkins Lilly and Moore
Young America — 1853 — Nevada City — Robert A. Davidge
Nevada Democrat — 1854 — Nevada City — Niles Searles/I.J. Rolfe
Campaign Tribune — 1855 — Grass Valley — Unknown
California Mining Journal — 1856 — Grass Valley — Warren B. Ewer
Grass Valley Intelligencer — 1856 — Grass Valley — Edwin R. Budd
Grass Valley Telegraph — 1856 — Grass Valley — Warren B. Ewer
Republican Banner — 1856 — Grass Valley — Unknown
Pioneer — 1856 — North San Juan — Unknown
North San Juan Star — 1857 — North San Juan — Olmstead/Waters
Nevada National — 1858 — Grass Valley — George D. Roberts
Hydraulic Press — 1858 — North San Juan — Benjamin Avery/Thomas J. Waters
Morning Transcript — 1860 — Nevada City — Nat P. Brown
North San Juan Press — 1860 — North San Juan — William Bausman
Grass Valley National — 1861 — Grass Valley — John Rollin Ridge
Nevada Daily Gazette — 1864 — Nevada City — W.H. Searles
Grass Valley Union — 1864 — Grass Valley — H.M. Blumenthal/J.W.E. Townsend
The Phantom — 1865 — North San Juan — Franchre/Butler
Meadow Lake Sun — 1866 — Meadow Lake — William B. Lyon/E.B. Boust
The Meadow Weekly Sun — 1866 — Meadow Lake — Unknown
Freedom’s Sentinel — 1868 — Grass Valley — Benjamin F. Hollis & Co.
The Tanner — 1868 — Nevada City — Unknown
Truckee Tribune — 1868 — Truckee — J.W. Ferguson
Grass Valley Republican — 1871 — Grass Valley — D.B. Frink/E.W. Hayden
War Club — 1872 — North San Juan — Oliver P. Stidger/P.H. Butler
Truckee Republican — 1872 — Truckee — Frink/Hayden
San Juan Times — 1873 — North San Juan — A.J. Patrick/Oliver P. Stidger
Foot-hill Weekly Tidings — 1874 — Grass Valley — S.G. Lewis
Cherokee National — 1875 — Cherokee (near North San Juan) — James Morgan
Nevada Tri-Weekly Herald — 1878 — Nevada City — Gray, Davis & Co.
Independent — 1878 — North San Juan — A.O. Porter/J.R. Robinson
Nevada County Free Lance — Around 1880 — Grass Valley — Unknown
Tidings and Free Lance — Around 1880 — Grass Valley — Unknown
Daily Tidings — 1880 — Grass Valley — J.C. Tyrell/A.B. Champion
Daily Evening Herald — 1886 — Nevada City — B.J. Watson
Evening Telegraph — 1889 — Grass Valley — William F. Prisk/Rufus Shoemaker
Source: “History and Analysis of Newspapers in Nevada County, California 1850-1900”; Nevada Journal, Dec. 24-31, 1858: “Newspaper History of California-Nevada and the Northern Mines.”

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