The New York Herald's first issue was published May 6, 1835 as the Morning Herald. James Gordon Bennett was its publisher, followed by his son James Gordon Bennett, Jr. The paper survived until 1924, when it was purchased by the New York Tribune, forming the New York Herald Tribune.

The Library owns a copy of the very first paper, which a fascinating time capsule, as well as a clipping from the newspaper on the 100th anniversary of the paper's founding. It was donated by Oscar "Ted" Connor.

This issue is currently on display in the Ridgewood Room on the 3rd level of the Library.

Front Page, Morning Herald, May 6, 1835

MORNING HERALD

VOL. I.—NO. I. NEW YORK WEDNESDAY MORNING MAY 6, 1835
PRICE ONE CENT

Later called

NEW YORK HERALD

Established as a low-cost paper, equal to the more expensive ones and available to “the great masses of the community—the merchant, mechanic, working people—the private family as well as the public hotel—the journeyman and his employer—the clerk and his principal. … [W]e commit ourselves and our cause to the public, with perfect confidence in our own capacity to publish a paper that will seldom pall on the appetite, provided we receive moderate encouragement to unfold our resources and purposes in the columns of the Morning Herald.”

The Herald was edited by James Gordon Bennett, Sr. and Jr. from 1835 to 1924, when it was acquired by the New York Tribune, creating the New York Herald Tribune.

Front Page Contents

Biographical Sketch of Matthias the Prophet

Mattahias is an “eccentric looking man with a long beard, red sash, and oriental cap” who is a self-styled Christian prophet the author calls an “ imposture ”. This article is three and one half columns long!

Books (a brief essay)

A love for Shakspeare

FASHIONS FOR APRIL

“we have reason to believe that open pelisses composed of summer silks, and edged with two or three pipings of different and striking color, will be much in request towards the end of the month. … The new colors are expected to be different shades of green, primrose, lilac, fawn, cherry, and a bright blue.”

“He who loves to employ himself well can never want something to do.”

Page 2 Contents

Jas. GORDON BENNETT & Co. “commence this morning the publication of the MORNING HERALD, a new daily paper, price $3 a year, or six cents per week, advertising at the ordinary rates.”

Publishing office No. 20 Wall street
Printing office, No. 34 Ann street, 3d story

“In the commencement of an enterprise of the present kind, it i[s] not necessary to say much—‘we know,’ Says the fair Ophelia, ‘what we are, but know not what we may be.’ “

LATE AND IMPORTANT FROM EUROPE . Defeat of the Peel Ministry—Reported rencontre between a Russian squadron and a British ship of war in the Dardanelles

“Last evening the arrival of the St. Andrew, Taubman [Master of the ship], from Cork, brought dates from the 8 th of April, giving some important intelligence from various points of Europe.” …. “The cotton market in Liverpool was firm—some sorts going up.” More than a column of political and economic news from across Europe

EMPIRE STATE

News from William’s New York Register and references to Fanny Kemble’s “saucy journal” [published in 1835]: The article is a statistical description of New York State . “Scholars talk and twaddle about the States of Greece—the supremacy of Athens—the moral grandeur of Sparta---the magnificence of republican Rome. Mere shadows to New York as she is and means to be.”

Domestic Items

 Theatrical Chit Chat

 An Odd Fancy

”Silver forks are to be used at Rockaway and West Point Hotels during the coming summer.”

Page 3 Contents

THE MECHANICS
“What does the journeyman mechanic stand most in need of? Plenty of work and good wages.” Discussion of “monopoly, anti-monopoly, banks, circulation, mechanics, small notes, and many other matters supposed to be appertaining to the interests and feelings of the mechanics and working people.”

A SMALL SAMPLE .
Observations on a walk to the outskirts of New York City… “on the borders of civilization north of Washington Square.”

“The Union Races begin yesterday.”

POLICE REPORTS

The editor promises to do better than “Ignorance, insipidity and inanity” in other papers, then quotes from the other papers and doesn’t offer anything of his own!

Court Circular.

Tells where the president and other leaders are and how they are doing. Also “Davie Crockett, at the last accounts, was grinning the bark off the trees in Tennessee.”

Explosion of the Steam Boat Advocate

 A most wanton murder

MARRIED

 DIED

 LA REVUE FRANCAISE ad for a journal in French published in New York City

First of two columns of classified ads including those for schools, cravats, capitalist wanted, to let, Badeau’s Celebrated Strengthening Plaster, locks, printers type, 60 gallon cask of ‘””Vin de Macon” for $30, etc.

Page 4 Contents

“A Health” and “Like Southern Birds” Two poems

THE BROKEN-HEARTED An essay on death

Better lose your life than your wager

 The Dying Infant

Anecdote of Rev. Robert Hall

The Female Heart “There is nothing so delicious as the possession of pure, fresh, immutable affections.”

Half Price

Death by suffocation from charcoal .

 A prim Lady

 More classified including:
EMIGRANT PASSAGE OFFICE
THE NEW YORKER new literary journal by H. Greely & Co.
FOR ALBANY ships sailing for Albany
The World for Twenty-Five Cents! SEAR’S CHART OF THE WORLD