The Punta Gorda Herald (Punta Gorda, Fla.)
Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.
526 issues from 1902 to 1922, published in Punta Gorda, Florida, digitised for Chronicling America.
The Punta Gorda Herald was founded by Robert Kirby Seward in 1893 and published weekly during its early years. The Herald oversaw the development of the city of Punta Gorda, beginning with the arrival of the Florida Southern Railway in Charlotte (then DeSoto) County.
Seward’s foot-operated press produced two pages that were smaller than today’s newspapers. Under the masthead of the Herald was the slogan, “In God We Trust, All Others Cash.” One paper cost five cents, while an annual subscription cost a dollar. The “inevitable” fire–they were common in Florida’s journalism history–destroyed Seward’s print shop in November 1895. The printing press was too large and cumbersome to move, so Seward was left with only a few cases of type and a small cabinet. After much encouragement and the financial backing of his brother-in-law, James Sandlin and other businessmen, Seward rebuilt his press at the same location. He bought new equipment and boasted later that he never again missed publication.
The Punta Gorda Herald covered such lively events as rum running, other smuggling activities, and lawlessness in general. Among news items of note was a visit by Carry Nation (1846-1911), self-described “bulldog” for Prohibition. Nation came to Punta Gorda in 1908 to counter the influence of a favorite son, General Albert W. Gilchrist, who favored the availability of alcohol. Nation’s arrival had been orchestrated by Neva Chase Child, publisher of the Champion in nearby Arcadia. In its June…
- Genres
- News
- Published in
- Punta Gorda, Florida, United States
- Language
- English
- Collection
- Chronicling America
- Licence or status
- None stated by the archive
- Rights
- The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety.
- Credit
- Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities
- Who can read it
- Teens profiles and older (placed by Invisible Network from what the archive says; archives give no ratings)
- Archive
- Library of Congress