CEO/Publisher Richard Graziano Talks About the Hartford Courant Turning the Big 245!

On October 29, 1764, the first Connecticut Courant was printed on a wooden, hand-powered press in Hartford. It was four pages and was meant as a prospectus to draw subscribers for a regular newspaper that would appear on Mondays.

The publisher's statement in the Oct. 29 Courant said:

"The benefit of a Weekly Paper,must in particular have its Advantages, as it is the Channel which conveys the History of the present Times to every Part of the World.

"The Articles of News…that shall appear to us, to be the most authentic and interesting shall always be carefully inserted; and great Care will be taken to collect from Time to Time all domestic Occurrences, that are worthy the Notice of the Publick; for which,we shall always be obliged to any of our Correspondents,within whose Knowledge they may happen."

The newspaper was first published in 1764 as a four-page weekly called The Connecticut Courant. Thomas Green, a local printer, was the original publisher of the newspaper and kept The Courant afloat at first by selling clothing, stationery, hardware and spices out of a store in front of the newspaper's office.

He sold the newspaper to his assistant, Ebenezer Watson, who ran the business successfully until he died of smallpox in 1777. Watson's widow, Hannah, took over the paper and became one of the first women publishers in America.

Although the daily edition of The Courant began in 1837, the weekly Courant continued until 1896.

Some famous people have been associated with The Courant.
George Washington placed an ad to lease part of his Mount Vernon land.
Noah Webster's "Blue-Backed Speller" was first published in The Courant.
Thomas Jefferson sued the newspaper for libel - and lost.
Mark Twain tried to buy stock in The Courant, but his offer was turned down.

Famous people who have written letters to The Courant include Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, Katharine Hepburn and Carole King.


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