Muscatine Journal
Encyclopedia
The Muscatine Journal serves 25,000 adult readers in Muscatine and Louisa counties and is delivered to nearly 8,200 homes Monday through Saturday. The Post, its sister shopper publication, is delivered every Tuesday to nearly 16,000 households. Both publications are part of the Quad-Cities Group of Lee Enterprises
, which is located in Davenport
. The role is to provide as much local news coverage as possible, while giving readers both local and regional advertising information.
According to the Iowa Newspaper Association, the Muscatine Journal has a circulation of 7,598.http://www.inanews.com/apps/displaypapers.php?mod=About&action=City&city=Muscatine
The late John Mahin played the most significant role in the newspaper’s early history and headed the Journal for more than a half-century. John Mahin was apprenticed by his father in 1847, at the age of 13 to the owners of what was then still the Bloomington Herald to learn the printing trade. Mahin and his father, Jacob, purchased the Journal in 1852. Mahin became the Journal’s editor at that time, at the age of 19, and continued to publish the newspaper until his retirement in 1903. It was through Mahin that Alfred W. Lee came to Muscatine and later founded the newspaper group, which evolved into what now is Lee Enterprises, Inc.
The most famous contributor to Muscatine Journal articles was Samuel Clemens otherwise known as Mark Twain. Clemens contributed writings to the Journal in 1953,1954, and 1955. Clemens lived in Muscatine in 1954.
In September 1864, John Mahin married Anne Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Lee of West Branch. In about 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Lee moved to Muscatine and Mahin’s father-in-law (John Lee) became the Journal’s bookkeeper. With them came their youngest son, Alfred, to take a position in the Muscatine post office under John Mahin, who was the postmaster as well as the newspaper editor. Alfred W. Lee later joined the staff of the Journal and started his newspaper career here. In 1886, Lee moved to Chicago where he continued his self-education in the newspaper business. Lee returned to Iowa to buy his first newspaper in the early 1890s when he took charge of the Ottumwa Courier. In about 1899 he acquired a controlling interest in the Davenport Times. Lee and his associates purchased the Muscatine Journal in 1903 when John Mahin had reached the age of 70 years and was ready for retirement. Walter Lane was named as the Journal’s publisher when the Lee group assumed control and served until death in 1907. The Journal has had many locations throughout its history, including the second floor of what is now DC Arnold’s on Iowa Avenue.
In 1919, the current building was constructed, with the pressroom and mailroom added in the early 1970s. That remodeling was made to accommodate a new Goss Community offset press, and coincided with the Journal’s conversion to cold type composition. In 1999, the Muscatine Journal began printing remotely at the Quad City Times and the press area was remodeled to become the Muscatine distribution center for delivery of the Journal, Times, and The Post.
Lee Enterprises
Lee Enterprises is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 54 daily newspapers in 23 states, and more than 300 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by A.W. Lee and is based in Davenport, Iowa....
, which is located in Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. The role is to provide as much local news coverage as possible, while giving readers both local and regional advertising information.
According to the Iowa Newspaper Association, the Muscatine Journal has a circulation of 7,598.http://www.inanews.com/apps/displaypapers.php?mod=About&action=City&city=Muscatine
History
The Muscatine Journal traces its history to October 27, 1840, when the first issue of the weekly Bloomington Herald was released. On June 7, 1849, the town’s name was officially changed from Bloomington to Muscatine, and the newspaper then became the Muscatine Journal.The late John Mahin played the most significant role in the newspaper’s early history and headed the Journal for more than a half-century. John Mahin was apprenticed by his father in 1847, at the age of 13 to the owners of what was then still the Bloomington Herald to learn the printing trade. Mahin and his father, Jacob, purchased the Journal in 1852. Mahin became the Journal’s editor at that time, at the age of 19, and continued to publish the newspaper until his retirement in 1903. It was through Mahin that Alfred W. Lee came to Muscatine and later founded the newspaper group, which evolved into what now is Lee Enterprises, Inc.
The most famous contributor to Muscatine Journal articles was Samuel Clemens otherwise known as Mark Twain. Clemens contributed writings to the Journal in 1953,1954, and 1955. Clemens lived in Muscatine in 1954.
In September 1864, John Mahin married Anne Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Lee of West Branch. In about 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Lee moved to Muscatine and Mahin’s father-in-law (John Lee) became the Journal’s bookkeeper. With them came their youngest son, Alfred, to take a position in the Muscatine post office under John Mahin, who was the postmaster as well as the newspaper editor. Alfred W. Lee later joined the staff of the Journal and started his newspaper career here. In 1886, Lee moved to Chicago where he continued his self-education in the newspaper business. Lee returned to Iowa to buy his first newspaper in the early 1890s when he took charge of the Ottumwa Courier. In about 1899 he acquired a controlling interest in the Davenport Times. Lee and his associates purchased the Muscatine Journal in 1903 when John Mahin had reached the age of 70 years and was ready for retirement. Walter Lane was named as the Journal’s publisher when the Lee group assumed control and served until death in 1907. The Journal has had many locations throughout its history, including the second floor of what is now DC Arnold’s on Iowa Avenue.
In 1919, the current building was constructed, with the pressroom and mailroom added in the early 1970s. That remodeling was made to accommodate a new Goss Community offset press, and coincided with the Journal’s conversion to cold type composition. In 1999, the Muscatine Journal began printing remotely at the Quad City Times and the press area was remodeled to become the Muscatine distribution center for delivery of the Journal, Times, and The Post.
Sources
- "Muscatine Journal Handbook: Includes a the history of the newspaper titled "How Did We Get Here? pages 42-43.