History of Newspapers in Willimantic, Connecticut
The first newspaper published in this village was the Public Medium,
started by John Evans, about January,. 1847. After a few years its name
was changed to the Willimantic journal, under which name it is still
published. From Evans it passed into the hands of a Mr. Simpson, then to
William L. Weaver, whose literary career was a very important and
conspicuous one to the people of this town and county. His footprints on
the intellectual sands of this locality were deeply impressed and the
influence thereof will go out to many generations. From him the Journal
passed to the hands of a Mr. Curtis, later of the Norwich Bulletin, and
again it changed to the hands of Walt Pierson. A little later we find it
in the hands of W. J. Barber, from whom again it passed to Henry L. Hall.
Later the firm became Hall & French, then Hall & Bill, and still later the
Hall & Bill Publishing Company, by whom the paper is now issued. It
occupies commodious quarters at the foot of Railroad street, near the
depot, where it has been located for several years. Its form was changed
from folio to quarto about 1872. It is now a six column quarto, republican
in politics, published on Fridays. The business of job printing is also
carried on quite extensively in connection with the publication of the
paper. Eight presses are employed, and the force numbers fifteen hands.
Extensive job work for manufacturers is done, besides general printing.
The paper has a circulation of 3,000, and goes to every state and
territory in the Union, as well as to Canada.
The first issue of the Willimantic Enterprise was sent out January 4th,
1877, from an office in the Franklin Building. It was started by the
Enterprise Publishing Company, of whom N. W. Leavitt was the principal
spirit. . It passed to Fayette; & Safford in the early part of 1879. In
November of that year John A. McDonald bought an interest, added capital,
and increased the facilities of the office. The paper was changed from a
4-page to an 8-page paper, and its name changed to the
Willimantic Chronicle, the firm name at the same time being changed to
McDonald & Safford. In May, 1887, the proprietorship adopted the name
Chronicle Printing Company, the former owners still holding the principal
interest. From Franklin Hall the office was removed to H. C. Hall's
building on Main street, then to the present building, which had been
erected for it, at No. 10 Church street, into which it moved in October,
1887. At first politically neutral, it was made a democratic paper since
its name was changed, and is now claimed to be the only living paper which
sustained the democratic banner during the period from 1872 to 1889.
The Connecticut Home was started in September, 1886, by Allen B. Lincoln,
editor and proprietor; A. E. Knox is its present business manager. It is a
seven-column folio, and has a circulation rising three thousand. It is the
temperance paper, and an exponent of the prohibition movement. It is also
a family newspaper of general departments. It was started on Church
street. the paper at first being printed by another concern. It now has a
well fitted and--furnished office on Main street, over Buck's store.
Other newspaper ventures have been made here that have closed up their
accounts in time and manner more or less summary. The Willimantic Record
was started by W. C. Crandall in 1881. After a very brief existence it was
suspended March 24th of the same year. The Willimantic Daily News was
started in E. A. Buck's building on Main street in 1887. Its editorial and
business management was in the hands of J. Harry Foster, though John L.
Hunter was a frequent editorial writer. Its publication was suspended
April 1st, 1887, after an existence of about four months.
In connection with the subject of printing, it may be of interest to
notice the enterprise of wood type manufacture which was once carried on
in this village. Among the employees in the shop of Edwin Allen at South
Windham, were Horatio N. and Jeremiah C. Bill. After that shop failed
these two brothers started the business at Lebanon in 1850. In the
following year they removed to Willimantic and located in a room in the
old cotton mill now owned by the Linen Company as mill No. 3. Here they
carried on the manufacture of wood type for three years, having a trade
mostly with New York. They gained a wide and favorable reputation in their
art, in which they were not excelled by any other wood-type manufacturers
in the world. Indeed they were the, only firm exhibiting wood type at the
World's Fair in New York, and their specimens were burned when the ill
fated Crystal Palace was 'destroyed. About the year 1853 they had
associated with them a man by the name of Stark, the firm name being Bill,
Stark & Co. Afterward the firm name was simply H. & J . Bill. The business
not proving profitable, disaster followed, and the material was sold to
William H. Page in 1854, and he moved it to Greenville, Conn.
Back to: Willimantic,
Windham County, Connecticut History
Source: History of Windham County, Connecticut,
Bayles, Richard M.; New York: W.W. Preston, 1889 Back to: Windham County, Connecticut
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