During the mid-1800s, St. Louis had between 20-25 daily newspapers operating concurrently.
On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh talked about a new exhibit at the St. Louis Mercantile Library, "Headlines of History: Historic Newspapers of St. Louis and the World Through the Centuries,” with the library’s director, John Hoover.
“It’s in 11 parts,” Hoover said. “We start in colonial times and even earlier times when newspapers didn’t look like newspapers at all.”
The last time the St. Louis Mercantile Library, which is located at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, had such a large exhibition of historic newspapers was in 1907.
There are 750 items currently on display. The exhibit features many local papers and some from around the world.
“We’re very adamant of showing newspapers as an artifact,” Hoover said.
Esteemed publisher Joseph Pulitzer founded the St. Louis Post and Dispatch in 1878. Within a few years he renamed it the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Hoover noted that the glory days of newspapers in St. Louis were marked by the intense rivalry between the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, which shuttered in 1986.
The Post-Dispatch remains as St. Louis’ only daily newspaper.
Related Event
What: Headlines of History: Historic Newspapers of St. Louis and the World Through the Centuries
When: October 8, 2017 – September 3, 2019
Where: St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
