Chicago’s newspaper history extends back to 1833, when the Chicago Weekly Democrat became the city’s first newspaper. Chicagoans have long supported a number of local newspapers. In 1860, the city boasted 11 daily papers. As these papers chronicled the times, they also saw changes in ownership, formatting and news coverage.
Below is a Family Tree listing of Newspapers that were published in Chicago:
Men and boys standing and reading newspapers outside the Chicago Daily News building at 123 North Wells Street, 1911
Chicago Democrat, 1833 – 1861 (merged with Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Tribune, 1847 – Present
Weekly Chicago American, 1835 – 1837
Daily Chicago American, 1839 – 1842
Chicago Express, 1842 – 1843
Chicago Daily Journal, 1844 – 1929
Chicago Daily Times, 1929 – 1948 (merged with Chicago Sun)
Chicago Sun, 1941 – 1948 (merged with Chicago Daily Times)
Chicago Sun-Times, 1948 – Present
Englewood Times (Economist), 1906 – 1924 (renamed Southtown Economist)
The (Tinley Park) Star, 1901-2007 (absorbed by Daily Southtown)
Southtown Economist, 1924 – 1993 (renamed Daily Southtown)
Daily Southtown, 1993 – 2007 (merged with The Star)
Southtown Star , 2007 – Present
Chicago Democratic Press, 1852 – 1857
Chicago Times, 1854 – 1895 (became Chicago Times-Herald)
Chicago Morning Post, 1860 – 1865 (became Chicago Republican)
Chicago Republican, 1865 – 1872 (became Inter Ocean)
Chicago Times-Herald, 1895 – 1901 (became Chicago Record-Herald)
Inter Ocean, 1872 – 1914 (became Chicago Record-Herald)
Chicago Daily Telegraph, 1878 – 1881 (became Chicago Morning Herald)
Chicago Herald, 1881 – 1918 (merged with Chicago Examiner)
Chicago Examiner, 1902 – 1918 (merged with Chicago Herald)
Chicago Herald-Examiner, 1918 – 1939 (became Herald-American)
Chicago Record, 1881 – 1901 (merged with Chicago Morning Herald)
Chicago Morning Herald, 1893 – 1901 (merged with Chicago Record)
Chicago Record Herald, 1901 – 1914
Chicago American, 1900 – 1939, (became Chicago Herald-American)
Chicago Herald-American, 1939 – 1958 (became Chicago’s American)
Chicago’s American, 1958 – 1969 (became Chicago Today)
Chicago Today, 1969 – 1974
The Skandinaven, 1866 – 1941
Chicago Courier, 1874 – 1876
Chicago Evening Mail, 1870 – 1874 (became Chicago Post & Mail)
Chicago Evening Post, 1865 – 1874 (became Chicago Post & Mail)
Chicago Post & Mail, 1874 – 1878 (absorbed by Chicago Daily News)
Chicago Evening Post, 1886 – 1932 (absorbed by Chicago Daily News)
Chicago Daily News, 1876 – 1978
Chicago Mail , 1885 – 1894
Chicago Globe, 1887 – 1895
Chicago Chronicle, 1895 – 1908
Chicago Defender, 1905 – Present
Chicago Reader, 1972 – Present
StreetWise, 1992 – Present
Chicago’s Newsboys and Newsboy Alley
Chicago paper boys using carts.
Lake and Laramie Streets, 1934.
Chicago Tribune, June 10, 1947
Sixty-two daily newspapers have died in Chicago since The Tribune was founded 100 years ago. More than a third of these lived less than a year. Almost another third expired within five years of their first issue. Some died by suspension, some merged with others to lose their identity, and others were bought out by stronger competitors. From this great field of newspaper enterprise, five daily newspapers remain today. The Herald-American’s birth year is given as 1939 because it was then that the American, born in 1900, took into its masthead half the name of the expiring Herald and Examiner, and absorbed the morning paper’s Sunday edition.
Chart showing the history of Chicago’s present daily newspapers (white letters in black blocks) to their origins. Each horizontal bar represents 100,000 circulation or fraction thereof. The shaded area of the chart covers the period since the last consolidation of any newspaper with The Tribune.
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