The History of the North Carolina Gazette, Our State’s First Newspaper

Via Sister Anne

North Carolina was one of the last colonies to have a printer’s office, opening operations in New Bern in 1749. Two years later, on August 9, 1751, the first issue of the North Carolina Gazette was born.

Despite our state’s long-running reputation for award-winning local and regional news publications, North Carolina and Georgia were in fact the last two of the original colonies to establish a printing press. North Carolinians mainly relied on Virginia and South Carolina newspapers to keep up with current affairs, as it had economic ties to Williamsburg and Charleston. The Virginia Gazette, established by William Parks, was highly regarded at the time.

More @ Our State