Portland Press Herald 150th Anniversary



e've come a long way in
150 years.


As the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram celebrates its sesquicentennial year, we look back over decades of change that reflect the society in which we live.

Technological advances since 1862 have greatly altered the way we gather and disseminate news, especially following the advent of the Internet and the continuing development of our website. Knuckle-numbing manual typewriters have given way to hand-held electronic devices with delicate touch screens and built-in video cameras.

In that time, our journalism ethics have evolved, too. Political parties that once defined our coverage now but inform our effort to provide a balanced report on local, state, national and international news of all kinds and in a variety of media.

Together, we have thrived, struggled and survived through horrific wars and presidential assassinations, economic booms and downturns, political controversies, energy crises, natural disasters, human tragedies and seemingly unstoppable social change. We look to the future with an unflinching desire to keep you, our readers, engaged and informed.



The stories behind the stories

Yesterday's news
 The paper you're holding today traces its ancestry back to the time of Lincoln and the Civil War.


Time machines
 Where once there was hot type, now there is the coolest cutting-edge technology delivering the news.


Selling points
 After years under Guy Gannett Communications, the Press Herald publishes with a series of new owners.


Page turners
 Readers like Maurice Whitten, Roy Fairfield and others have made the Press Herald a part of their lives - and they way they stay informed - for decades.

The future of the Portland Press Herald
Cliff Schechtman, executive editor of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, talks about the newspaper's future.


Front Pages
The Press Herald's front page captures historic moments




Portland Press Herald timeline

150th Anniversary on Dipity.