The Daily News

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Today was a really hot day in Galveston. I knew that even before I saw the headline in today’s edition of The Daily News. It is, after all, a typical August day on the island!

Still, I read the Page One story with interest. It was good to learn the high temperature we were “enjoying” had set the record for high minimum temperature. I couldn’t help but think, for a minute at least, “That’s cool.”

Of course, it wasn’t cool, but it was different. The heat in Galveston in August is nothing new or, until today, particularly newsworthy!

But, as a career journalist, I truly appreciate The Daily News. It’s a good newspaper! Its staff is excellent and, as a team, it does a terrific job of delivering the news we islanders care about most.

I also appreciate The Daily News for another reason - its history. It is as interesting and illustrious as it comes.

The first edition of The Daily News appeared April 11, 1842. No doubt its publisher, George French, never dreamed it would still be around today and recognized as the oldest continuously published newspaper in Texas.

The Daily News was located in this beautiful historic building in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street, for more than 80 years.

The Daily News was located in this beautiful historic building in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street, for more than 80 years.

At the time of the newspaper’s founding, Texas was an independent republic, and Sam Houston was finishing his last term as president.. Galveston was a fairly new village, just a few years old, with about 4,000 citizens. And, I’ve read, the newspaper was a force to be reckoned with, even back then.

During The Civil War, the newspaper was briefly published in Houston. Afterwards, from 1866-1884, The Daily News occupied three floors of an iron-fronted building in the 2200 block of Market Street in downtown Galveston. And, for more than 80 years, the newspaper occupied a brick structure in the 2100 block of Mechanic Street — the first building in the United States designed solely for a newspaper plant.

Ownership of The Daily News has changed many times over the years.The Moody family of Galveston owned the paper for a time and, in the 1960s, it was owned by Oveta Culp Hobby, who also owned The Houston Post during the same period.

The Daily News moved to its current location, at 8522 Teichman Road, in 1965.

The Daily News moved to its current location, at 8522 Teichman Road, in 1965.

In 1965, The Daily News moved to 8522 Teichman Road, where the newspaper's Galveston offices are still located today.

Galveston Newspapers Inc. acquired ownership of The Daily News in 1967, and the newspaper converted to morning delivery. It was renamed The Galveston County Daily News on November 1, 1993, when the newspaper started serving the entire county.

Two years later, on Christmas Day, 1995, The Daily News made its online debut, one of the first newspapers in Texas to provide both print and digital editions.

In November 2011, the paper dropped the "Galveston County" moniker and returned to its original name, The Daily News.  It is currently published by Galveston Newspapers Inc., and owned by the Carmage B. Walls family.

The Daily News has won many first place awards from the Associated Press and the Texas Press Association - for breaking news articles, editorial writing, headline writing and general excellence.