The Times They Are A Changin'"

It's a sad time in Colorado with final publication of "The Rocky Mountain News" in Denver.

In 1859, along with the hopeful gold seekers, came William Byers with a printing press which he set up on the banks of Cherry Creek, Kansas Territory, and printed the first newspaper on April 23, in what was to become Denver, Colorado. The "Rocky Mountain News" has reported all the important events of the region, country, and world to those of us who lived in Colorado. The "Denver Post" later came into being and the two newspapers carried on a lively competition through the years, but "The News" has always been my favorite.

Joe's hometown, Byers, was named for the original publisher and editor, who was also one of the movers and shakers getting the railroad to Denver, and naming a town for him was a way the railroad showed their appreciation.

The final edition, which came out just short of the 150th anniversary of the paper, showed famous headlines from the years as well as facsimiles of the masthead as it changed through the years. Most of them pictured the Rocky Mountains and a lighthouse shining light into the region.

The front page is pictured here with the goodby superimposed over the very first edition of the paper. It interested me to read the advertisements from businesses in Nebraska and Iowa since there was only a rough mining camp with few businesses to buy an ad in the area, yet. He must have sold ads to places he passed on his trip to the "diggings". Please click on the photo to enlarge it so you can read the ads, also.

I love the internet, which makes it so simple to gain information and news, as well as communicate individually, but it is heart breaking to see this historic newspaper, that grew up with the territory and state of Colorado, go out of business. It has been one of the biggest stories in Colorado media this weekend.