...this week in Chattanooga, presses began printing the first issue of the Hamilton County Herald. Founder and Editor W.B. Cleage’s venture was revealed to its readers in the form of a four-page, six-column paper of “attractive typography.”
In his announcement to the public, printed in the Chattanooga Times on January 2, 1914, Cleage said, “This newspaper is a business enterprise and will, under no circumstances, be used as the personal organ of any man or men, interest or clique. It enjoys the subsidy of no special interest and asks no subscriptions to its stock. It asks favors of no one save the favor of public approval and patronage as merited.”
Cleage died five years later in 1919 at the age of 45, but his dream of a publication that readers would respect and look forward to lives on today through a dedicated team.
As News Editor David Laprad says, “While the Hamilton County Herald has changed hands more than once during its long, rich history, one thing has never changed: we remain committed to telling the story of Chattanooga by focusing on the stories of the individuals who live here.
“My pleasure in writing for the Herald is sitting down with someone and finding out why they do what they do. Therein lies their passion and their vision, and therein lies the passion and vision of this city.”
Lynda Hood, the executive director of the Chattanooga Bar Association said, “Congratulations to the Hamilton County Herald on their centennial celebration – a great way to start off 2014. The Chattanooga Bar Association thanks everyone at the Herald for many years of support to the legal community and we look forward to many more years of this successful partnership.”
As mentioned, the Herald covers a range of community business news, including real estate. Mark Blazek, 2013 president of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors, says, “Amidst the struggle for printed news to remain viable, we are pleased that the Herald has such a presence in our community. On behalf of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors, I congratulate the Herald on their longevity.”
Susanne Reed, general manager at the 100-year old paper, says, “Since that day when W.B. Cleage’s vision became a reality, the Hamilton County Herald has strived to be a newspaper of rich stories and timely information for the legal, real estate, and business communities.
“We appreciate every one of our subscribers and advertisers. Thank you for reading.”