About the Macon Telegraph Archive

Myron Bartlett established the Macon Telegraph in 1826 as a weekly newspaper three years after the incorporation of the city. For the price of three dollars for a year's subscription, readers were treated to reports on the political and economic affairs of the state, reprinted poetry, and local advertisements for hotels, steamboats, and otter skins. In 1848, the paper gained access to instant news stories when the world's longest telegraph line, reaching from New York to New Orleans, was run through Macon. During the early 1840s, the paper began to align itself with the policies and candidates of the Democratic party and in the following decade became a staunch supporter of Georgia's secession from the Union. Joseph Clisby became owner and editor in 1855, converting the Telegraph to a daily newspaper in 1860. On April 21, 1865, the paper suspended publication, for the only time in its history, when Federal troops occupied the city toward the end of the Civil War. The interruption was short-lived, as the paper resumed publication a few weeks later. The Telegraph merged with the Journal and Messenger in 1869. Both names appeared on the masthead for the next fifteen years. Clisby served as editor of paper until 1881. Under his editorship, the Telegraph dropped its partisan alignment, creating a more objective news organ. Despite Clisby's leanings toward unbiased reporting, he and his successors used the pages of the Macon Telegraph to steadfastly oppose the "Atlanta Ring" of politicians promoted by Atlanta Constitution editor and New South advocate Henry W. Grady. Clisby also established the golden eagle as the symbol of the newspaper, which continues to adorn the Macon headquarters today. In 1914, Brothers William T. Anderson and Peyton T. Anderson purchased the newspaper, serving as editor and manager, respectively and the Macon Telegraph remained in the hands of the Anderson family until 1969.

Known today as simply the Telegraph, the newspaper continues daily publication, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1985, among numerous other prestigious awards. The McClatchy Company is the current owner, having acquired Knight Ridder, the Telegraph's parent company, in 2006. As of 2008, the Telegraph is the third largest newspaper in Georgia, with a circulation of over sixty thousand issues daily.

Sources:

Ed Corson, "Newspapers an Enduring Part of Macon's History," Macon Telegraph, 13 September, 1998.

Louis Turner Griffith and John Erwin Talmadge, Georgia Journalism, 1763-1950 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1951).

Alan Sverdlik, "Macon Telegraph," New Georgia Encyclopedia, 2006.


Scope:

The Macon Telegraph Archive spans the years 1826-1908 and includes over 51,000 images.


Title Changes:

The Macon Telegraph has been published under many titles. Listed below are those included in this online presentation.

Weekly

  • 1826-1832: Macon Telegraph
  • 1832-1835: Georgia Telegraph
  • 1836-1844: Macon Georgia Telegraph
  • 1844-1858: Georgia Telegraph
  • 1859-1860: Weekly Georgia Telegraph
  • 1860-1869: Georgia Weekly Telegraph
  • 1869-1880: Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Georgia Journal & Messenger
  • 1880-1884: Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger
  • 1884-1885: Weekly Telegraph and Messenger
  • 1885-1899: Weekly Telegraph

Daily

  • 1860-1864: Macon Daily Telegraph
  • 1864-1865: Macon Daily Telegraph and Confederate
  • 1865-1869: Macon Daily Telegraph
  • 1869-1873: Telegraph and Messenger
  • 1873-1873: Daily Telegraph and Messenger
  • 1873-1885: Macon Telegraph and Messenger
  • 1885-1905: Macon Telegraph
  • 1905-1926: Macon Daily Telegraph

Semi-Weekly

  • 1862: Macon Tri-Weekly Telegraph
  • 1899: Twice-a-Week Telegraph

Library of Congress Subject Headings

  • Macon (Ga.) --Newspapers.
  • Bibb County (Ga.) --Newspapers.

Creation of the Web site: The following UGA Libraries employees contributed to the production of the Macon Telegraph web site:

  • Kristyn Blackburn
  • Brittany Emge
  • Philip Fitzpatrick
  • Erin Gentry
  • Toby Graham
  • Anne Marie Hamilton-Brehm
  • Bob Kobres
  • Jeanie Ledford
  • Meagan Logsdon
  • Mandy Mastrovita
  • Sheila McAlister
  • Kelly Nielsen
  • Donnie Summerlin
  • Mike Wages
  • Mary Willoughby
  • Constantine Wright

Publisher: The Digital Library of Georgia, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, GA 30602

Date: 2008

Master image file details: 400 ppi, TIFF 4.0

Credit: The Macon Telegraph database is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia as part of Georgia HomePLACE. The project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.