1906 – 1989
The Townsman is available through this archive. Articles, photos, dates can be searched for all issues from 1906 – 1989.
1990- 2005 Unavailable at this time
2005 to Present: available here
Other Wellesley newspapers available in the Wellesley Free Library Research Department:
Wellesley Courant 1883-1885
Microfilm only
Our Town: 1898 – 1903
Microfilm only
The Wellesley Townsman began publication in 1906. Prior to that there were several short lived papers.
Wellesley’s first paper, the Wellesley Advertiser was published in the 1870s by Bigelow & Mansfield, the local grocers in Wellesley Square. The Library has no issues of this paper.
In the 1880s came the Wellesley Courant, which covered news and personal notes to discussions on important issues facing the town. This paper was acquired by a Natick publisher and shortly thereafter went out of business.
The immediate precursor to the Townsman was Our Town, a monthly magazine-like newspaper that was published from 1898 to 1903. Established by the pastors of St. Andrew’s, the Unitarian Society, and both Congregational churches, this publication was never intended to fill the role of a true newspaper. Instead, as the editors wrote in their very first issue, its purpose was to have “an earnest and honest discussion of the problems relating to the moral and spiritual development of the town.” Not necessarily to discuss all the pressing issues of the time. And certainly not to publish personal notes and gossip that were the hallmarks of the Courant, and later, the Townsman.
This digital archive was made possible by the Centennial Fund of the Wellesley Free Library Foundation.
Query | |
Title |