IntroductionThe Information Universe of Southern Wisconsin in the mid to late 19th century was quite diverse. The printing and publishing industries were especially prevalent and very influential on society. Wisconsin authors wrote an array of fiction and non-fiction books, many of them publishing through the University of Wisconsin. Newspapers, which first appeared in Wisconsin in the early 1830s, were widely available and primarily covered political events of the day. Territorial newspapers were especially popular, including those which were printed in the German, Norwegian, and Dutch languages. Magazines were also popular with Wisconsin citizens, especially those that had a literary focus. A portrait of the typical Wisconsinite's Information Universe can be developed by looking at the print media that were available to Wisconsin citizens and the topics that were read during this time.
Timeline of Events
Relating to the Information Universe in Print Media |
c. 1830 |
lottery tickets-first printed items in Wisconsin |
|
1833-1848 |
territorial newspapers (newspaper) |
|
1833 |
Green Bay Intelligencer (newspaper) |
|
1834 |
Green Bay Chippewa Almanac printed in Chippewa language (14p.) (book) |
|
1837 |
Milwaukee Sentinel founded (newspaper) |
|
1837 |
Mineral Point Miners' Free Press founded (newspaper) |
|
1836/1842 |
Wisconsin Democrat founded (newspaper) |
|
1838 |
Madison Enquirer-Madison's first newspaper founded |
|
1842 |
Milwaukee's first bookstore opened by Philetus Hale |
|
1842 |
Garland of the West- First periodical printed/distributed in WI (magazine) |
|
1845 |
The Home of the Badgers- booklet printed in Milwaukee (35p.) (book) |
|
1846 |
Charles Dickens' work appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel (newspaper) |
|
1847 |
Young Men's Association special library opened in Milwaukee (libraries) |
|
1847 |
Milwaukee's first city directory published |
|
1847 |
Milwaukee' first bookstore added rental of reading materials |
|
1847 |
Milwaukee Sentinel added reading room for subscribers (newspaper) |
|
1850 |
US Census data indicated state of the printing industry in WI: 209 printers |
|
1850 |
Harper's New Monthly Magazine founded (national magazine) |
|
1852 |
6 local daily newspapers in Madison (including Argus and Democrat and Wisconsin State Journal) |
|
1854 |
Madison public circulating library founded by the "The Institute" society |
|
1854 |
Staats-Zeitung founded (German newspaper) |
|
1857 |
100+ weekly newspapers in state |
|
1857 |
Wealthy Wisconsin residents carry subscriptions to: Atlantic Weekly, Gody's Ladies Book, Saturday Evening Post, Putnam's, Harper's (magazines) |
|
1875 |
Madison Public Library opened |
|
1875 |
Eau Claire Public Library opened |
|
1892 |
The Daily Cardinal University of Wisconsin-Madison student newspaper founded |
 |
Media: Books | Newspapers
| Magazines
|