Princeton University Library Digital Collections

Items in this collection:

Title:

The Local express.

Alternative Title:

Princeton news.

Publication / Origin:

Princeton, N.J., 1935 – 1939.

Abstract:

The Local Express began publication in Princeton on Thursday, October 24, 1935. It described itself as "A newspaper devoted to the interests of the people of Princeton and vicinity." The first several issues were distributed as complimentary copies. William L. Stout and Lloyd Dilks published the newspaper and gave Dilk’s home, 87 Jefferson Road, as its office address. Stout and Dilks were young men, as indicated by listings for their families in Polk’s Princeton Directory for the late 1930s. In an era when jobs were scarce, it made sense to try to capitalize on one’s knowledge of the local community and youthful energy. An early partner, Joseph R. Bourne dropped out after the first issue and was replaced quickly by Henry A. Rosso. Stout and Dilks quit the paper just six months later, leaving Rosso on his own in late March 1936. Rosso dubbed the Express to be “Princeton’s Progressive Newspaper,” clearly trying to distinguish it from the two well established local newspapers The Princeton Herald and The Princeton Packet. With the issue of May 12, 1938 (vol. 3, no. 30), the Local Express became The Princeton News. Rosso was sole editor, with Edward E. Felker serving as business manager. Clearly costs were affecting production; the new title was smaller in trim size and printed on cheaper paper stock. The final issue appeared March 9, 1939. The Princeton University Library’s copy of the Local Express and its successor The Princeton News is the only surviving recorded copy. The Library received issues of the newspaper as they were published, then bound them for addition to the Library’s PB (Princeton Borough and Township History) collection. An important source for local history, the PB collection was formed by the Library sometime between 1900 and 1920, and was added to regularly for several decades thereafter. .

Language of material:

English

Subjects:

Princeton (N.J.) — Newspapers.

Medium / Genre:

Newspapers.