Historic Moment: Skaneateles newspapers

By Jorge Batlle

Village Historian

For almost 189 years, various newspapers have proven to be a valuable asset to the Skaneateles Community.

The first one of record was the Skaneateles Telegraph, published by William H. Child, having the first issue dated July 28, 1829. They had an unusual for its time a subscription drive where a paper “will be sent to every dwelling in the Village. If any should be neglected it was unintentional. Those who feel themselves unable or unwilling to subscribe will return this issue as soon as convenient.  There is no comment on how successful this campaign was.

In 1831 The Columbian newspaper was formed. They bought out the Skaneateles Telegraph. The publisher was John Greves. The Columbian published to 1853. During its tenure the Town of Skaneateles was formed in 1830, the Village incorporated in 1833. Davy Crockett dies at the Alamo, and Samuel Morse demonstrates the electric telegraph. There was the big fire in 1835 that took out a large portion of the Village’s business district.

In 1838 William Beauchamp started the opposition paper The Skaneateles Democrat. The price of the paper was $2.50 a year. Compare this with the price of gallon of whiskey costing a $1.00 a gallon at the distilleries in Mottville and Skaneateles Falls. It was located at 56 East Genesee Street. 1853 Beauchamp sold the Democrat to Harrison Dodge who operated the Columbian merging the two publications. Around this time gold was discovered in California.  For 40 years Mr. Dodge was called “The newspaper czar of Skaneateles.”

The newspapers page size were called ‘broadsheets’ measuring in various sizes up to 32 inches by 44 inches. They ran from 5 columns up to 8 columns wide. The first and fourth pages called ‘patent outsides” that contained outside news of national, and foreign, national politics, and advertisements. They seldom contained local news. Mr. Dodge was the first to print local items of interest and comment on them editorially.

During the run of The Democrat  the Civil War started and ended. The transcontinental railroad was completed as was the 5 mile line of the Skaneateles Railroad. Fred and Cora Krebs started serving meals to the neighbors. The Democrat continued in operation until 1922.

March 21, 1874 The Skaneateles Free Press was founded by a group of citizens who wanted their own mouthpiece. John C. Stephenson, a 20 year old, was their leader. In their introductory statement  they said that ‘the leading political parties were notoriously corrupt, and they would not support any party but would pursue an independent – not neutral course.’ They were located on the second floor of the Eckett Block, then in 1878 moved to the first floor. This is the present building for MidLakes Navigation and McCarthy photographer at 9 &11 Jordan Street. They started with a large hand powered printing press, then used a Campbell cylinder press that was powered by steam. It was said that the Free Press was the first Skaneateles newspaper to be printed by steam power. In 1900 a Babcock cylinder press was used. In 1906 the Free Press office was moved to the second floor of the Shear Block.  Subscription was $1.50 a year payable by money order as they were ‘invariably safe’ or by 1 and 2 cent postage stamps. They stated a circulation of over 1,000.

James Hopper, who purchased the Skaneateles Democrat in 1922, purchased the Skaneateles Free Press  and merged the two papers in April 1926, naming the result the Skaneateles Press. During this decade the steamboat era ended on Skaneateles Lake, Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic, and talking pictures came to the Huxford theater in Legg Hall.

The Skaneateles Press was sold to the Beam Brothers in 1935, and again in 1939 to John, Walter, and Wester ‘Cannonball’ Baker. They operated the paper until the sale to W.C. Clark, retired Dean of the School of Journalism at Syracuse University. He combined the Skaneateles Press with the Marcellus Observer in 1965. Other owners were Mr. & Mrs. Lee Wood in 1969,  Elmer Bogardus & George Wortley in 1977, and Stewart Hancock in 1986.

Another paper called the Skaneateles Mirror started in 1927. Their listed office of publication was Davey’s Drug Store at 20 East Genesee Street. It was printed weekly at facilities in Baldwinsville. It was part of the part of the Brown newspaper unit, who published similar editions: Camillus Advocate, Elbridge Courier, and Jordan Leader.  They were bought out by the Skaneateles Press owners Mr. & Mrs. Lee Wood in  September 1971. They were published at the Skaneateles  office changing from the broadsheet size to the current tabloid size still used today.

In 1992 Eagle Newspapers was founded by joining two long-serving publishers Manlius Publishers and Brown Newspapers. They were headquartered in Baldwinsville until 1996 when they moved to the printing facility in Manlius. In 2009 Eagle Newspapers was purchased by Community Media Group, with new offices on James Street in Syracuse. They are responsible for 6 weekly Syracuse area papers including the Skaneateles Press, in addition to a Pennysaver and numerous special publications.  Denton Publications of Elizabethtown, NY took over publication after 2009. The Skaneateles Press had three office locations in the Village. The first was 56 East Genesee Street, followed in 1980 by 44 East Genesee Street, and finally in the office building at 2-4 Fennell Street.  They closed that office in 2008. Today, the Skaneateles Press has a paper edition and is also available on-line.

In 2007, The Citizen  Auburn’s daily newspaper, launched the Skaneateles Journal. Print media was experiencing competition from electronic media. The Skaneateles Journal first used  distribution  by mail and finally by independent motor carrier. They expanded the scope of the coverage by changing the name to West Onondaga County Journal trying to keep the paper alive.  But on May 24, 2017 a headline announced  “The Journal shuts down production.” A front page statement by the publisher said “what we want you to know most is that we’re by no means done covering your communities. It’s just that our 201 year old daily newspaper The Citizen, and its website, auburnpub.com, will be the sole platform for the stories and photos and videos we produce about Elbridge, Marcellus and Skaneateles.”