The Lincoln Journal Star: A history
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September 7, 1867 - First edition of the Nebraska Commonwealth. Founded by Charles H. Gere. Printed in Nebraska City, delivered to Lincoln and Omaha
November 2, 1867
Nebraska Commonwealth printed in Lincoln
May 22, 1869
Gere changes newspaper name to Nebraska State Journal
January 8, 1871
First Sunday edition
December 11, 1882
Sunday edition renamed Sunday State Journal
Nov 28, 1887
First Monday edition of Nebraska State Journal
April 1890
A.W. Lee purchases and becomes publisher of the Ottumwa, Iowa Daily Courier
1881
The State Journal moves into a new building at Ninth and P streets, the present site of the Lincoln Journal Star
1893-1896
Willa Cather wrote for The Nebraska State Journal, serving as fine arts critic
1897
J. C. Seacrest (former Journal reporter) buys Lincoln Evening News, which is printed by State Journal as an evening edition
1889-1901
Three other Lincoln Dailies fold
July 1, 1899
Lee acquisition of Davenport Times marks beginning of newspaper syndicate
1899
Journal Sports Editor Cy Sherman tagged the term "Cornhuskers" because he hated seeing the Nebraska teams called Bugeaters and Rattlesnake Boys.
1901
Only year in Lincoln's history in which Lincoln had only one newspaper (until merging in 1995)
October 1902
Lincoln millionaire and utility magnate D. E. Thompson establishes Lincoln Daily Star, located at 11th and M Streets
1910
Thompson sells Star to Lincoln grain operator Herbert E. Gooch
Nov. 1, 1917
Evening News becomes Lincoln Evening Journal
June 1922
Seacrest majority owner of State Journal Company
June 1930
Depression forces Gooch to sell Star to Lee Group of Davenport, Iowa for $1 million
September 1931
Financial conditions force Journal and Star owners into legal arrangement, with each owning minority interest in the other. The arrangement permits each paper to control its own content.
November 1931
Sunday Journal and Star editions merge
1931
Editor James Lawrence received Pulitzer honorable mention for editorial writing for a piece titled "Iowa's Disgrace"
1935
J.C. Seacrest turns over leadership of Journal to sons Joe W. and Fred S. Seacrest
1937
J.C. Seacrest creates trust that ensures that the State Journal Co. would remain in family hands throughout the lifetimes of his sons, Joe W. and Fred S. Seacrest and their children
1942
J.C. Seacrest dies; sons become co-publishers
1949
The Lincoln Journal wins Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for sponsorship of the "all-star presidential primary" an open presidential nomination
1950
State Journal Printing Company and Star Printing Company merge to form Journal-Star Printing Company. Newspapers retain competing news and editorial staffs for the morning Star and evening Journal
September 22, 1950
Lee Enterprises Inc., created
January 8, 1951
Morning and Evening Journal merge into the Lincoln Evening Journal and Nebraska State Journal. The evening Lincoln Star becomes the morning Lincoln Star.
1958
Joe R. Seacrest becomes managing editor of Journal
March, 1971
Joe W. Seacrest retires, hands reigns to son Joe R. and Fred's son, Mark
December 1990
Journal and Star merge Saturday and holiday editions
March, 1995
The Seacrest family sells its interest in the newspaper to Lee Enterprises
August 4, 1995
The Lincoln Journal and The Lincoln Star, already combines for Saturday and Sunday editions, print their final separate editions
August 7, 1995
Lincoln Star and Lincoln Journal merge to become the Lincoln Journal Star and first edition is printed
May, 2000
Production moves to new building at Ninth and Q, using a new Flexoman press
July, 2000
Newspaper was redesigned, adding numerous new sections
Factoids
* Charles Gere was founder, publisher and editor of Nebraska State Journal 1867-1904.
* Charles (C.H.) Gere, editor, was a founder of the Lincoln City Library in 1875 (The Gere Branch, named after him, was built in 1971), a founder of the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Lincoln postmaster and was instrumental in getting Lincoln named as Nebraska's capital city
* Journal Sports Editor Cy Sherman tagged the term "Cornhuskers" in 1899 because he hated seeing the Nebraska teams called Bugeaters and Rattlesnake Boys
* Mari Sandoz was a proof reader for the Nebraska State Journal
* The Lincoln Star established Nebraska's first broadcast station in its 12th and M building (year unknown)
* Pulitzer-prize winning author Willa Cather writes for the Nebraska State Journal as a fine arts critic (1893-1896)
* 1901 was the only year Lincoln had one newspaper until the merging in 1995
* Lincoln Journal won Pulitzer Prize in 1949 for sponsorship of the "all-star presidential primary" an open presidential nomination
* August 7, 1995 was first printed merged edition of the Lincoln Journal Star
* The Nebraska State Journal moved into the 900 P Street building in 1881; in 1950 work began the 926 P Street building, where the Lincoln Journal Star is still located today.
* Many Journal and Star editors and reporters went on the University of Nebraska: Will Owen Jones (Cather's Journal editor) went on to start the first journalism classes; Charles H. Gere (The Nebraska State Journal's founder, publisher and editor) was one of the founders of NU; J.E. Lawrence (editor of The Star) taught classes; R. Neale Copple (Journal city editor) became Dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Sources: articles from The Lincoln Journal Star, The Lincoln Star, The Nebraska State Journal and The Lincoln Evening Journal
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