Cambridge Chronicle
Frontpage of the first edition, May 7, 1846
TypeWeekly newspaper
Owner(s)Gannett
FoundedMay 7, 1846
LanguageEnglish
Ceased publication2022
Headquarters150 Baker Avenue, Suite 201
Concord MA 01742
 United States
OCLC number9406292
Websitewickedlocal.com/cambridgechronicle

The Cambridge Chronicle was a weekly newspaper that served Cambridge, Massachusetts. The newspaper was founded by Andrew Reid in May 1846. It ceased publication of its print edition in 2022, after being purchased by Gannett. It no longer publishes stories of its own, instead re-publishing regional stories from other Gannett papers.[1]

History

Early Days

The Cambridge Chronicle was first published on May 7, 1846. A few days before, Cambridge was incorporated as a city, and Scotsman Andrew Reid seized on the opportunity to publish a weekly newspaper. Cambridge was home to the first printing press in the Colonies,[2] and nearby Boston was home to the first newspaper. The Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick was founded in 1690, albeit short-lived. But beginning in the 18th century, Boston developed a vibrant newspaper industry.[2]

Several newspapers were started in Cambridge. In 1775 and 1776. Cambridge was home to the New England Chronicle, earlier known as the Essex Gazette.[3] In 1840, the Cambridge Magnolia started its two years of publication.[4]

1846 to 1896

Cambridge developed a vibrant newspaper industry. The Cambridge Press was founded by James Cox in 1866. Its city editor, James W. Bean, became co-owner of the Chronicle in 1891. He set out on this venture with C. Burnside Seagrave, who had been with The Cambridge Tribune. The Cambridge Tribune from 1878 to 1966 was a competitor.[5] It had been founded by D. Gilbert Dexter, who had worked for the Boston Journal as the Cambridge correspondent. The Cambridge News was founded by Daniel A. Buckley in 1879, who used it as a medium to promote his personal views. Since 1873, Cambridge's only daily newspaper has been The Harvard Crimson.[6]

Editors

Years Editor[6]
1846–1847 Andrew Reid
1847–1857 John Ford
1858–1859 John S. Baldwin
1859–1873 George Fisher
1873–1886 Lynn Boyd Parker
1886–1890 F. Stanhorpe Hill
1890–1891 F.H. Buffum
1891–? James W. Bean
1891–1935 C. Burnside Seagrave
1935–1939  ?
1939–1971 Eliot Spalding
1971–?  ?
 ?-1991 David Boraks 1981–1992 Amy Miller
1992–1997 John Breneman
1997–2001 Ken Maguire[7]
2001–2005 Deb Eisner[8]
2003–2005 Michele Babineau[9]
2005–2006 Deborah Eisner[10]
2006 Chris Helms[11]
2006–2012 David Harris[12]
2012 Scott Wachtler[13][14]
Nov. 2012–Oct. 2021 Amy Saltzman[15]

The first publisher, Reid, died on January 4, 1847, and John Ford took over his role.[16] Charles Burnside Seagrave served as editor and publisher for over 40 years, up to his retirement in 1935.[17] Another influential editor of the paper was Eliot Spalding. He joined the Chronicle in 1926, and in 1939 became its editor, a role he held until 1971.[18]

Ownership changes

The Dole family acquired the Cambridge Chronicle in the 1930s. They merged it with its rival paper, the Cambridge Sun, in 1935.[19] The family sold the newspapers to Fidelity Investments in 1991. It was integrated into the Community Newspaper Company, another subsidiary of Fidelity Investment, in 1996.

The Community Newspaper Company was sold to the Boston Herald's owner, Herald Media, in 2001. It was again sold to GateHouse Media, in 2006 (GateHouse Media later changed their name to Gannett). In September 2012, the Chronicle merged with Tab Communications's Cambridge Tab.[20]

Production

The first editions were produced by hand press above the Holmes Grocery Store, on the corner of Magazine and Main Streets in Central Square. The paper is now printed in Framingham.

End of local coverage

In 2022, Will Dowd, the only remaining journalist writing for the Cambridge Chronicle, moved to work for the site Marblehead News.[21] Gannett maintains a section of its Wicked Local website for the Cambridge Chronicle, but the newspaper exists in name only. The Chronicle no longer publishes any local news stories. Instead, it cross-posts regional New England news from other parts of the Wicked Local website. This follows a broader pattern for Gannett, who announced in April 2022 that it was ended print editions of 19 different local newspapers across Massachusetts.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "The Cambridge Chronicle posting no local news; Next step unknown for giant, debt-riddled owner". Cambridge Day. 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Mott, Frank Luther (1962). American Journalism. A History 1690–1960. New York: MacMillan. ISBN 0-415-22894-8.
  3. ↑ "About this Newspaper: The New-England chronicle, or, the Essex gazette". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  4. ↑ "About this Newspaper: Magnolia". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  5. ↑ "About this Newspaper: Cambridge tribune". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  6. 1 2 Spalding, Warren F. (1896), "The Newspapers of Cambridge", in Seagrave, C. Burnside; Bean, James W. (eds.), Semi-Centennial Souvenir of Cambridge, Cambridge (Mass): Cambridge Chronicle
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2014-11-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ "Sign Up". Linkedin.com. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "New Editor at Cambridge Chronicle", WickedLocalCambridge, 2003-06-05, archived from the original on 2012-11-09, retrieved 2010-05-07
  10. ↑ "New Chronicle Editor names", WickedLocalCambridge, 2005-01-27, archived from the original on 2012-11-09, retrieved 2010-05-07
  11. ↑ "New Chronicle Editor Named", WickedLocalCambridge, 2006-05-04, archived from the original on 2012-11-09, retrieved 2010-05-07
  12. ↑ "New Editor at Cambridge Chronicle", WickedLocalCambridge, 2006-11-09, archived from the original on 2012-11-09, retrieved 2010-05-07
  13. ↑ "Cambridge Chronicle & Tab Contact Us". Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  14. ↑ Wachtler, Scott (1 Nov 2012). "So long, Cambridge – thanks for the stories". Cambridge Chronicle & Tab. Retrieved 1 Nov 2012. By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I'll no longer be the editor of the Cambridge Chronicle.
  15. ↑ "Opinion: Former editor Amy Saltzman on her departure – 'Support local journalism'". Wickedlocal.com.
  16. ↑ Cambridge Chronicle, May 9, 1946
  17. ↑ "Charles S. Seagrave". The New York Times. 1941-05-25. p. 36.
  18. ↑ "Cambridge & The Chronicle's 150th". Cambridge Chronicle. 1996-05-30.
  19. ↑ "Massachusetts Newspapers on Microfilm C-E" (PDF). Boston Public Library. 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  20. ↑ Note to readers: Cambridge Chronicle, Cambridge TAB to combine, Wickedlocal.com July 25, 2012, retrieved 4 Oct 2012
  21. ↑ "Will Gannett ghost the Cambridge Chronicle? It sure looks like that's a possibility". Media Nation. 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  22. ↑ "'It's devastating.' As Boston-area weeklies close, towns ponder civic life without local news". Boston Globe. 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
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