Milwaukee Journal Sentinel History and Impact

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It serves as the primary newspaper for the city and is the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it maintains a wide readership. In 2016, the publication was purchased by the Gannett Company.

Operational Updates

In early 2003, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel transitioned to printing at a new facility in West Milwaukee. By September 2006, the publication announced a strategic agreement to print the national edition of USA Today for distribution across the eastern half of Wisconsin and the northern and western suburbs of Chicago.

History of the Milwaukee Sentinel

The Founding and Early Years

The Milwaukee Sentinel was founded on June 27, 1837, born out of a period of city rivalry known as the "bridge wars." It was established in response to disparaging statements made by the Milwaukee Advertiser, a partisan newspaper supporting the west side of town. Co-founder of Milwaukee, Solomon Juneau, provided the initial funding for editor John O'Rourke to launch the paper.

Early operations were marked by financial struggles and partisan politics. Under the leadership of Harrison Reed, the Sentinel became entwined with the Democratic Party and later the Whig party. By 1844, the paper transitioned into a daily publication on December 9, 1844, while continuing to publish a weekly edition, eventually establishing itself as a major political force in Wisconsin.

Editorial Leadership and Growth

The paper saw a variety of editorial changes. Rufus King, a West Point graduate and grandson of a U.S. Constitution signer, became editor in 1845. Under King's leadership, the paper provided thorough coverage of Wisconsin's constitutional convention in 1846 and was instrumental in the encouraging the rejection of the first adopted constitution in 1847.

To reach the wider community, the Sentinel launched Der Volksfreund, a German-language paper, to bring the city's large German immigrant population to the Whig cause. Rufus King also held several prominent roles, including being the first superintendent of Milwaukee public schools.

Civil War Era and Innovation

The Sentinel prospered during the American Civil War, sometimes printing five editions in a single day. Due to a shortage of skilled printers, the Sentinel began hiring and training "female compositors" in 1863 to typeset the paper, which caused tension with the Milwaukee Typographical Union.

Notably, editor C. Latham Sholes, frustrated by the lack of skilled help, attempted to build a typesetting machine. Although his attempt at a typesetting machine failed, his efforts led to the invention of the modern typewriter.