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The Independent Voice of Our Community for 137 Years
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Serving Norwalk, Weston, Westport, Wilton and Stamford, Connecticut |
Classifieds
free access
free access
Friday, May 16, 2008
The evolution of newspapers in this country began with itinerant printers who moved from town to town with a shirtful of type. They generally were outspoken types who put their thoughts down on paper, and too often riled enough people in the newest town to depart quickly--just ahead of the tar and feathers.
Later printers, who became more permanent town fixtures, had their own agendas or special causes. One such person was Brainerd W. Maples who founded a newspaper to carry on a war of words with the New Haven Railroad.
The story of The Hour begins in 1871, when a commuter to New York City was unceremoniously put off the train to New York because he couldn't produce a ticket.
That commuter was Brainard W. Maples, a teacher. He couldn't find his monthly commutation pass and a conductor, not the usual one, did not recognize him as a regular. He ordered Maples off in White Plains. As the train pulled out of the station, the ticket fell to the ground from his vest pocket.
He was so outraged by this treatment at the hands of the New Haven Railroad, he began a letter-writing campaign to area newspapers. Neither the New York Times nor The Hartford Courant would print them, saying their were too vitriolic. His only answer to start his own newspaper.
Thus began The Hour, printed at first with a Westport dateline and coming out once a week. Maples would have them printed in New York and bring the bundles home with him on the train. The weekly flourished enough to become a daily in 1895 and by that time was esconsed in Norwalk. After several different locations, it finally landed at the corne The newspaper referred to the area in front of its building as "Hour Square."
There was competition in those days, first from The Norwalk Gazette and later from The South Norwalk Sentinel. When they went out of business, the Hour became firmly entrenched as the voice of the city.
Ownership passed on after the turn of the century to Edward J. Thomas, who continued as publisher until his death, whereupon his widow, Nellie M. Thomas, took over as publisher. She held that post until her death. The paper is now owned by a charitable trust, The Nellie M. Thomas Foundation.
As technology changed, so did The Hour. Typewriters disappeared from the newsroom, and automatic typesettng machines were replaced by computer-generated type. Reporters now sit at computer terminals and editors prepare pages on the same devices.
This came about when The Hour moved to 346 Main Ave. in 1976 to a facility housing a spanking new offset press. Now called The Hour Newspapers, the paper has added the Wilton Villager and the Stamford Times, both weeklies, to its stable.
It is the only independent daily newspaper in Fairfield County and one of six independents in the state. Others are properties of out-of-state chains.
As its slogan states, "the Independent Voice of our community for 135 years."
Later printers, who became more permanent town fixtures, had their own agendas or special causes. One such person was Brainerd W. Maples who founded a newspaper to carry on a war of words with the New Haven Railroad.
The story of The Hour begins in 1871, when a commuter to New York City was unceremoniously put off the train to New York because he couldn't produce a ticket.
That commuter was Brainard W. Maples, a teacher. He couldn't find his monthly commutation pass and a conductor, not the usual one, did not recognize him as a regular. He ordered Maples off in White Plains. As the train pulled out of the station, the ticket fell to the ground from his vest pocket.
He was so outraged by this treatment at the hands of the New Haven Railroad, he began a letter-writing campaign to area newspapers. Neither the New York Times nor The Hartford Courant would print them, saying their were too vitriolic. His only answer to start his own newspaper.
Thus began The Hour, printed at first with a Westport dateline and coming out once a week. Maples would have them printed in New York and bring the bundles home with him on the train. The weekly flourished enough to become a daily in 1895 and by that time was esconsed in Norwalk. After several different locations, it finally landed at the corne The newspaper referred to the area in front of its building as "Hour Square."
There was competition in those days, first from The Norwalk Gazette and later from The South Norwalk Sentinel. When they went out of business, the Hour became firmly entrenched as the voice of the city.
Ownership passed on after the turn of the century to Edward J. Thomas, who continued as publisher until his death, whereupon his widow, Nellie M. Thomas, took over as publisher. She held that post until her death. The paper is now owned by a charitable trust, The Nellie M. Thomas Foundation.
As technology changed, so did The Hour. Typewriters disappeared from the newsroom, and automatic typesettng machines were replaced by computer-generated type. Reporters now sit at computer terminals and editors prepare pages on the same devices.
This came about when The Hour moved to 346 Main Ave. in 1976 to a facility housing a spanking new offset press. Now called The Hour Newspapers, the paper has added the Wilton Villager and the Stamford Times, both weeklies, to its stable.
It is the only independent daily newspaper in Fairfield County and one of six independents in the state. Others are properties of out-of-state chains.
As its slogan states, "the Independent Voice of our community for 135 years."
The Hour • 346 Main Avenue • Norwalk, CT • 06851 • (203) 846-3281
Copyright 2007