From New Haven Outset to Hartford Gain
The story of the Courant begins not in Hartford, but with a slight twist of fate involving Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. A man named Thomas Green was the publisher of a newspaper in New Haven, Connecticut (possibly the New Haven Gazette). Benjamin Franklin wanted to secure a job for his nephew, also named Benjamin, at that paper. Franklin found a way to push Thomas Green out of his job at the New Haven paper, giving the spot to his nephew.
However, “New Haven’s loss is going to be Hartford’s gain,” as Green traveled to Hartford, Connecticut, and started a new publication.
The newspaper, first named the Connecticut Courant, was established in 1764. It initially operated out of a tavern in Hartford called the Heart and Crown Tavern. Can you imagine early colonists grabbing a beer and a paper from the tavern? The paper was small at first, maybe just four pages long.
A Voice for the Patriots
The Hartford Courant quickly transformed into a crucial voice during the tumultuous pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary periods, eventually becoming known as a Patriot paper.
Its pages were filled with reports on pivotal events leading to the war, including:
- The Boston Tea Party
- The Stamp Acts
- The Intolerable Acts
- The Coercive Acts
The Courant printed the Declaration of Independence in full and actively encouraged colonists to unite and break away from England.
Its influence extended to the highest levels of government. President George Washington was documented reading the Hartford Courant and sharing it with his people during the Revolutionary War.
The paper’s commitment to speaking truth to power continued even after the war. When the third president, Thomas Jefferson, took issue with content being printed about him, he sued the Hartford Courant. The Courant stood firm, insisting that what they were printing was the truth. Jefferson ultimately lost the lawsuit, and the paper was allowed to keep printing its coverage.
Decades later, the Hartford Courant became a staunch supporter of the new Republican party and Abraham Lincoln, constantly writing about them and advocating that they needed to win the election. The paper is credited with helping to put Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party into the president’s House.
Trailblazers and Literary Giants
The Hartford Courant has also been a place of historic firsts and important cultural connections:
- First Female Publisher: The paper featured a woman named Hannah Bruce Watson, who became the country’s first female publisher. This demonstrates the paper’s history of inclusivity.
- Pulitzer Prizes: The Courant has gone on to win not one, but two Pulitzer Prizes.
- Nook Farm Connection: The paper had an outsized influence on the country due to its strong ties to Hartford’s Nook Farm community. Joseph R. Hawley, the publisher of the Courant, regularly associated with figures like Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe there.
Adaptation and Leadership in the Digital Age
While the Hartford Courant has survived centuries, it has recently had to demonstrate immense adaptability. The author of this blog, Dan Blanchard, had been a Hartford Courant newspaper boy throughout the 1980s, and has many fond memories of his time with the Courant.
Sadly, the iconic Hartford building behind him eventually closed around 2020, with COVID cited as the reason. The closure resulted in workers being moved to work from home, meaning the paper no longer has a newsroom where they can collaborate. This transition highlights the challenges and differences of the new “digital world”.
The history of the Hartford Courant provides clear leadership lessons for us today:
- Courage under Pressure: Demonstrated by speaking out against the British and later against President Jefferson.
- Inclusivity: Shown through having Hannah Bruce Watson as the country’s first female publisher.
- Adaptability: Proven by the transition from a print magazine operating out of a tavern all the way to a modern digital format where employees work from home.
The Hartford Courant remains an amazing piece of Connecticut and Hartford history. Though the world has changed drastically since 1764, this incredible newspaper is still going today.
It’s been a fantastic journey mixing travel, history, and leadership lessons. Thanks for joining me on “Travel in Time with Dan” show!
Uncovering History. Inspiring Leadership. The Travel in Time Show is where travel, history, and leadership intermingle with history teacher, author, and speaker Dan Blanchard
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