Iowa Newspapers - 1884 -

IOWA. Area, 55,475 square miles; population, 1,624,615; 99 counties -- newspapers published in all.
The total number of newspapers and periodicals published in 1840 was 4; in 1850- 29; 1860-130; 1870- 233; 1880- 569. The publications during 1880 were divided, according to periods of issue, as follows:
Dailies - 30; weeklies - 500; semi-weeklies - 3; tri-weeklies - 1; bi-weeklies - 2; monthlies - 31; semi-monthlies - 1; quarterlies - 1. In each of 140 towns one paper was published; in 61 two; in 33 three; in 10 four; and in 21, five or more.

EARLY HISTORY. (compiled by John Springer, of Iowa City)
1836, May 11 - Printing was introduced at Dubuque. The publications prior to 1842 were as follows: ¹
1836, May 11 - The Dubuque Visitor, established at Dubuque Lead Mines, Wisconsin territory, by John King. Now published as the Dubuque Herald.
1837, June 3 - The Iowa News, at Dubuque, by Russell & Coriell.
1837, July 8 - The Western Adventurer, at Montrose, by Thomas Gregg.
1837, July 8 - The Wisconsin Territorial Gazette, at Burlington, by Clark & Jacobs. Now published as the Burlington Gazette.
1837, September - The Western Emigrant and Historian, at Montrose, by Thomas Gregg; monthy, 16 pages. But three numbers were issued.
1838, March 24 - The Fort Madison Patriot, at Fort Madison, by James E. Edwards. Removed to Burlington, November 27, 1838, and called the Burlington Patriot. Now published as the Burlington Hawkeye.
1838, August 4 - The Iowa Sun, at Davenport, by Andrew Logan. Now published as the Davenport Democrat.
1840, October 23 - The Iowa Standard, at Bloomington (now Muscatine), by William Crum.
1840, October 27 - The Bloomington Herald, at Bloomington (now Muscatine), by Thomas Hughes.
1841, May 23 - The Fort Madison Courier, at Fort Madison, by R.W. Albright.
1841, June 10 - The Iowa City Standard, at Iowa City, by William Crum. Now published as the Iowa City Republican.
1841, July - The Miner's Express, at Dubuque, by Avery Thomas.
1841, July 30 - The Iowa City Argus, at Iowa City, by Nathan Jackson.
1841, August 26 - The Davenport Gazette, at Davenport, by Alfred Saunders. The first steam press in Iowa was used in this office in 1855. The daily (first in the state) was established October 16, 1854. Still published.
1841, December 3 - The Iowa Capital Reporter, at Iowa City, by Hughes & Van Antwerp. Now published as the Iowa State Press.

Footnote:
1. Compiled from the First Biennial Report of the State Board of Agriculture, 1878.

 

Adair co. - Clayton co.
- publications in census year 1884 -
Clinton - Hardin - Harrison - Madison - Mahaska - Sac - Scott - Wright

County/Town Publication Frequency Character Established Notes
           
ADAIR          
Fontanelle Fontanelle Observer Weekly News & politics 1879  
Greenfield Adair County Reporter Weekly News & politics 1872  
Greenfield Greenfield Transcript Weekly News & politics 1875  
Greenfield Adair County Patriot Weekly News & politics 1878 Suspended August, 1879
           
ADAMS          
Corning Adams County Gazette Weekly News & politics 1867  
Corning Adams County Union Weekly News & politics 1874  
           
ALLAMAKEE          
Lansing Lansing Mirror Weekly News & politics 1852  
Lansing Lansing Journal Weekly News & politics 1880  
New Albin Spectator Weekly News & politics 1879 Suspended March, 1880
Postville Postville Review Weekly News & politics 1873  
Waukon Waukon Standard Weekly News & politics 1868  
Waukon Waukon Democrat Weekly News & politics 1877  
           
APPANOOSE          
Centerville Centerville Citizen Weekly News & politics 1864  
Centerville Centerville Journal Weekly News & politics 1872  
Centerville Appanoose Times Weekly News & politics 1877  
Centerville Tribune Weekly News & politics 1878 Suspended July, 1879
Moulton Inter-State Normal Monthly Monthly Educational 1877  
Moulton Multon Weekly Ensign Weekly News & politics 1878  
           
AUDUBON          
Audubon Audubon County Sentinel Weekly News & politics 1871  
Audubon Audubon County Times Weekly News & politics 1879  
Audubon Audubon Advocate Weekly News & politics 1879  
Exira Audubon County Defender Weekly News & politics 1872  
           
BENTON          
Belle Plaine Belle Plaine Union Weekly News & politics 1867  
Belle Plaine Belle Paine Review Weekly News & politics 1874  
Blairstown Blairstown Independent Weekly News & politics 1876  
Shellsburg Shellsburg Record Weekly News & politics 1873  
Vinton Vinton Eagle Weekly News & politics 1855  
Vinton People's Journal Weekly News & politics 1868  
Vinton Mistletoe Monthly Collegiate 1878  
Vinton Benton County Herald Weekly News & politics 1878  
Vinton Echo Weekly News & politics 1879 Suspended July, 1880
Vinton Freie Presse Weekly News & politics 1879 German
           
BLACK HAWK          
Cedar Falls Cedar Falls Gazette Weekly News & politics 1860  
La Porte City La Porte City Progress Weekly News & politics 1870  
La Porte City La Porte City Local Review Weekly News & politics 1879  
Waterloo The Waterloo Courier Weekly News & politics 1858  
Waterloo Iowa State Reporter Weekly News & politics 1868  
Waterloo Der Deutsch Amerikaner Weekly News & politics 1872 German
Waterloo Burroughs' Journal Weekly Religious 1873 Unsectarian
Waterloo Waterloo Tribune Weekly News & politics 1879  
           
BOONE          
Boone Boone Standard Weekly News & politics 1865  
Boone Boone County Republican Weekly News & politics 1865  
Boone Boone County Democrat Weekly News & politics 1868  
Ogden Ogden Reporter Weekly News & politics 1874  
           
BREMER          
Waverly Waverly Republican Weekly News & politics 1856  
Waverly Bremer County Independent Weekly News & politics 1866  
Waverly Volks-Zeitung Weekly News & politics 1877 German
Waverly Waverly Democrat Weekly News & politics 1880  
           
BUCHANAN          
Independence Independence Conservative Weekly News & politics 1855  
Independence Buchanan County Bulletin Weekly News & politics 1865  
Independence National Advocate Weekly News & politics 1878  
Independence Buchanan County Messenger Weekly News & politics 1874 Suspended October, 1879
Independence Christian Advocate Monthly Religious 1879 Unsectarian; suspended June 1880
Jesup Buchanan County Journal Weekly News & politics 1879  
           
BUENA VISTA          
Alta Alta Advertiser Weekly News & politics 1876  
Newell Newell Mirror Weekly News & politics 1874  
Storm Lake Storm Lake Pilot Weekly News & politics 1870  
Storm Lake Buena Vista Sentinel Weekly News & politics 1878 Suspended December, 1879
Storm Lake Storm Lake Tribune Weekly News & politics 1880  
           
BUTLER          
Bristow Bristow Dial Weekly News & politics 1879 Suspended December, 1880
Clarksville Clarksville Star Weekly News & politics 1867  
Clarksville Butler County Standard Weekly News & politics 1877 Suspended December, 1880
Greene Butler County Press Weekly News & politics 1873  
Parkersburg Parkersburg Eclipse Weekly News & politics 1872  
Shell Rock Shell Rock News Weekly News & politics 1872  
           
CALHOUN          
Lake City Dollar Weekly Blade Weekly News & politics 1880  
Manson Calhoun County Journal Weekly News & politics 1874  
Pomeroy Pomeroy News Weekly News & politics 1880  
Rockwell City Calhoun County Republican Weekly News & politics 1879  
           
CARROLL          
Carroll Carroll Herald Weekly News & politics 1868  
Carroll Der Carroll Demokrat Weekly News & politics 1874 German
Glidden Glidden Sentinel Weekly News & politics 1876  
           
CASS          
Anita Anita Times Weekly News & politics 1877 Suspended July, 1880; re-established Jan, 1881
Atlantic Atlantic Messenger Weekly News & politics 1865  
Atlantic Daily Telegraph Daily News & politics 1879 Evening
Atlantic Telegraph Weekly News & politics 1871  
Griswold Griswold Advocate Weekly News & politics 1880  
Lewis Lewis Independent Weekly News & politics 1880  
           
CEDAR          
Clarence Gazette Weekly News & politics 1877  
Mechanicsville Mechanicsville Press Weekly News & politics 1866  
Tipton Tipton Advertiser Weekly News & politics 1853  
Tipton Tipton Conservative Weekly News & politics 1875  
West Branch Local Record Weekly News & politics 1878  
           
CERRO GORDO          
Clear Lake Clear Lake Mirror Weekly News & politics 1870  
Mason City Cerro Gordo Republican Weekly News & politics 1861  
Mason City North Iowa Journal Weekly News & politics 1867  
Mason City Mason City Express Weekly News & politics 1870  
Rockwell Rockwell Phonograph Weekly News & politics 1879  
           
CHEROKEE          
Cherokee Cherokee Times Weekly News & politics 1870  
Cherokee Iowa Free Press Weekly News & politics 1877  
           
CHICKASAW          
Lawler Lawler Herald Weekly News & politics 1874  
Nashua Weekly Post Weekly News & politics 1867  
New Hampton New Hampton Courier Weekly News & politics 1860  
New Hampton New Hampton Tribune Weekly News & politics 1876  
New Hampton Freie Presse Weekly News & politics 1879 German
New Hampton Greenbacker Weekly News & politics - Suspended
New Hampton Iowa Volksfreund Weekly News & politics 1879 German
New Hampton People's Advocate Weekly News & politics 1879 Suspended
           
CLARKE          
Murray Murray News Weekly News & politics 1876  
Osceola Osceola Sentinel Weekly News & politics 1859  
Osceola Osceola Democrat Weekly News & politics 1877  
           
CLAY          
Spencer Clay County News Weekly News & politics 1870  
Spencer Spencer Reporter Weekly News & politics 1878  
Spencer The Owl Monthly Miscellaneous 1880  
           
CLAYTON          
Elkader Clayton County Journal Weekly News & politics 1851  
Elkader Nord Iowa Herald Weekly News & politics 1868 German
Elkader Elkader Register Weekly News & politics 1878  
McGregor North Iowa Times Weekly News & politics 1856  
McGregor The McGregor News Weekly News & politics 1858  
Strawberry Point Strawberry Point Press Weekly News & politics 1874  
Volga City Volga City Times Weekly News & politics 1879 Suspended March, 1880

Source: "History and Present Condition of the Newspaper and Periodical Press of the United States, with a Catalogue of the Publications of the Census Year", by S.N.D. North, Special Agent; Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.; 1884; pages 237-245 & 366

Transcribed for Iowa Old Press by Sharyl Ferrall, August 2004

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Clinton co. - Hardin co.
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