To mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph (formerly the Quebec Gazette), a plaque was unveiled on Monday at the newspaper’s former home at the corner of Buade and du Trésor. It was in that building that the newspaper was published from 1925 to 1949.
And then I read the plaque… What?! Founded in 1875? I did the math, and 1875 was only 139 years ago. Did I miss something. I Googled and confirmed that the newspaper was founded in 1764. So, what’s with the date on the plaque? The folks at the Morrin Centre checked with the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, and this is the newspaper’s explanation.
“The plaque … commemorates the building, not the Quebec Gazette, which was founded in 1764. The line of continuity of the Quebec Gazette was carried by the Morning Chronicle, which merged with the Daily Telegraph in 1925. The Ville de Québec chose to honour the historical building that was on the same site from 1875 to 1907, when it burned down. The Palais de la presse (newspaper’s home) was built after that fire.”
Photo courtesy of the Morrin Centre, Quebec City, 2014.
The Morrin Centre reminds us that historian Charles André Nadeau will speak this evening, Wednesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m., about the history of the Chronicle-Telegraph, North America’s oldest surviving newspaper, that has ties to Benjamin Franklin, Benedict Arnold, former common gaol inmate Phillip Aubert de Gaspé, and Lord Dalhousie. Details about this presentation are available on the Morrin Centre’s website.
Earlier this week, I wrote another blog post about the Chronicle-Telegraph’s anniversary, North America’s oldest newspaper.
