On November 19, 1850, the Raleigh Register became North Carolina’s first newspaper to be published daily. The Register traces its roots to 1799 when it was founded by English immigrant Joseph Gales, who had already successfully published several newspapers in England. Gales ran the paper until his retirement in 1833. Under his leadership it was one of the major publications in the state and was widely regarded as the leading political voice for the Republican Party.
Gales started publishing the paper semiweekly only when the General Assembly was in session, but eventually settled upon weekly publication. He brought his son, Weston, in as a partner, and Weston would eventually go on to be the paper’s publisher.
It became a daily under Seaton Gales, grandson of the founder, who enlarged the paper’s operation and added a telegraph service. His efforts, though, soon proved unsuccessful and by January 1851, the Register had stopped publishing each day. Gales tried to revive paper by retrofitting its offices with the latest technology, but it was sold at public auction by 1856.
Other related resources:
- North Carolina’s Digital Heritage, supported in part by the State Library
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