Norwich News- Then and Now

Norwich News- Then and Now

The city of Norwich has been full of rich history for centuries. Examining the historical newspapers of Norwich provides a unique perspective on the city. Newspapers founded in Norwich proved to hold their own weight among titans of the industry like the Connecticut Courant.

In 1769, Isaac Doolittle of New Haven created the first printing press made in America.[1] The first Norwich Newspaper, The Norwich Packet, was created by Alexander Robertson, James Robertson, and John Trumbull in 1773. In the same year, a rival newspaper was created by Timothy Green and Judah Paddock Spooner. Both rival newspapers used paper from Leffingwell’s mill located on the Yantic River.

The government of Vermont extended an invitation to Green and Spooner to print in the state. Green and Spooner left Norwich and The Norwich Packet’s rival paper company vanished with them. In addition, the Robertson brothers left Norwich and moved to New York after openly admitting dissent before the Revolutionary War. John Trumbull was left alone to print and publish The Norwich Packet. Trumbull’s role as sole publisher of the newspaper was generally viewed as positive, however, Trumbull made minor changes to font and paper size due to scarcity of materials.[2] Publishing newspapers became especially difficult at this time due to the harsh implications of the Stamp Act.[3] The date the Stamp Act became effective, November 1, 1765, became known as Black Friday in the printing business.[4]

In the late 1800s, the Norwich Bulletin was created after the Chelsea Courier and the Norwich Morning Bulletin Today were combined. The early editions of the paper were political, dealing with issues of race and immigration. The Norwich Bulletin was a progressive paper at that time, opposing legislation meant to restrict Chinese immigration. Later, a regular column was created with the title “Interest of Local Colored Citizens”.[5] The Norwich Bulletin gave all citizens a voice, regardless of race or class.

Today, newspapers have evolved and changed with time. Though newspapers still provide us with information, it is in a much different way than in the days of the Norwich Packet. For example, Bill Stanley, noted city historian, describes his firsthand experiences working at the Norwich Bulletin in The 9 Mile Square. According to Stanley, the newsroom has changed even since the 30’s and 40’s. For example, instead of the sound of typewriters, the sound of keyboard clicks can be heard throughout the newsroom. The Norwich Bulletin has published an online edition since 2001.[6] Articles are published daily to provide the reader with current local news stories. Each month the website receives about 2.5 million page views. Additionally, The Norwich Bulletin became known as The Bulletin in 2011.[7] The gradual changes made by the newspaper reflect a changing society.

As society grows and changes, the future of news reporting will too. One factor has remained constant throughout the centuries; news is vital to provide information. Small local newspapers such as, The Norwich Packet, have paved the way for modern newspapers to lead us into the future.

[1]Richard L. Merritt, “Public Opinion in Colonial America: Content Analyzing the Colonial Press” The Public Opinion Quarterly (1963), 356-71.

[2]Frances Manwaring Caulkins, History of Norwich Connecticut. 1845. (New London Historical Society, 2009).

[3]Arthur M. Schlesinger, “The Colonial Newspapers and the Stamp Act” The New England Quarterly 8 (1935).

[4]Richard B. Marrin, Abstracts from The New London Gazette Covering Southeastern CT 1763-1769. (Heritage Books, 2007).

[5] Arthur Lester Lathrop, Victorian Norwich, Connecticut. (Higginson Book Co; First Edition, 1999).

[6]Bill Stanley, The 9 Mile Square. Norwich : The Norwich Historical Society, 2005. Print.

[7] The Bulletin,Norwich Memories: A Pictorial History of Norwich from the 1800s through the 1960s. (Pediment Group, 2013).