Chicago Tribune's 160th Birthday

My favorite newspaper is the Chicago Tribune and this past June 19th, it celebrated 160 years in business. On June 10, 1847, there were 16,000 people in Chicago and already two newspapers. Four hundred copies were printed in the third floor of a building at Lake and LaSalle streets. It didn't say how many pages it consisted of on that date.

The three founders: James Kelly, John Wheeler, and Joseph Forrest chose the name tribune which dated back to the days of Rome. A tribune was a magistrate who protected the rights of the plebians (regular folks) from the patricians (rich folks).

Unfortunately, none of those copies remain. Info from the June 10th editorial.

In its earliest days, the paper tended to be affiliated with the Whig or Free Soil parties. It wasn't until strongly abolitionist Joseph Medill took over, that it became a major voice for the Republican Party.

Some information from "A Letter from the Publisher" on June 10th. The Tribune and readers had spent 60,000 mornings together. With an exception of about six months, I have been a loyal subscriber since August of 1973: first in Des Plaines, then Vernon Hills, then Round Lake Beach, and now in Spring Grove.

Every week, nearly 3.3 million local residents turn to the print edition.

Three million people use the website every month.

Every week, 685,000 people read the free daily tabloid Redeye.

Every month, 780,000 people read the Chicago magazine.

More than 60,000 businesses advertise in the Tribune, from international and national ones all the way to local.

Mighty impressive stats for an old, but new, paper.

Congratulations to the Chicago Tribune. May you continue for another 160!!!! --RoadDog