The Chronology of Newspapers in the Grand Rapids Area

NOTE: The early information is from the Michigan Pioneers Collection, Vol. 6, 1883; pg 82-3

  • Grand River Times - begun in 1837 by George W. Pattison
  • Enquirer – May, 1841 new owners changed the name from Grand River Times, weekly
    19 Nov 1855 issued a daily edition.
  • The Grand Rapids Herald – 26 Mar 1855 – 1 May 1857 daily paper begun by A. E. Gordon
  • In 1857 the Inquirer and the Herald merged and August, 1865 became owned by Merrill H. Clark and was renamed The Grand Rapids Democrat. In 1902, it became the Evening daily and the names was changed to the Post until 1910 when it became the Grand Rapids News until 19 December 1922.
  • The Grand River Eagle – a weekly paper begun 25 Dec 1844. It was soon changed to Grand Rapids Eagle. The Daily Eagle – 26 May 1856 the name was changed when it became a daily. In September, 1856 it became an evening daily until 1894.
  • The Grand Rapids Times (daily and weekly) – begun April, 1870 by C. C. Sexton. On 21 Jul 1886, it merged with the G. R. Democrat.
  • The Grand Rapids Post (two editions weekly) - established 4 Oct 1873 by D. H. Foster and was still being published in 1883.
  • The Grand Rapids Daily Leader – 8 Feb 1879 – 29 May 1880. It also published the Grand Rapids Weekly Leader from 20 Feb 1879 - ??. It became the Evening Leader until 1891?
  • There was a Morning Press begun September, 1890. It was the city’s first penny newspaper.  The Morning Press and the Grand Rapids Daily Leader merged into the Evening Press and Leader starting 26 Dec 1892 and ending by 10 Jan 1893. It became the Evening Press.
  • The Evening Press started 11 Jan 1893 and continue through 7 Oct 1913 when it became the Grand Rapids Press and has been published continually to the present.
  • Grand Rapids Morning Telegram was published from 30 Sep 1884 – 16 Apr 1886
  • Brezee’s Grand Rapids Herald was published from 20 May 1885-1886.
  • Then the G. R. Morning Telegram and Brezee’s G. R. Herald merged forming the Telegram-Herald with a Sunday edition of social news.
  • The Telegram-Herald was published from 17 Apr 1886 – 2 Jan 1892. It became the Grand Rapids Herald and was published from 3 Jan 1892 – 29 May 1959.

Created: 25 Oct 2005