''The Star Democrat'' is an American newspaper published and mainly distributed in
Easton, Maryland
Easton is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,945 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population in 2019 of 16,671. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the secondary ...
, in
Talbot County, as well as in the surrounding counties of
Caroline
Caroline may refer to:
People
* Caroline (given name), a feminine given name
* J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player
* Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player
Places Antarctica
* ...
,
Dorchester,
Queen Anne's
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensvil ...
and
Kent. ''The Star Democrat'' is published on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Tuesday edition is currently digital only.
History
1799–1977
''The Star Democrat'' was founded in 1799 by Thomas Perrin Smith as ''The Republican'' and then ''The Star''. The newspaper competed against the ''Maryland Herald'' (1790–1799). Smith bought the property where ''The Republican'' would print in 1801 and would use as his office and residence. The newspaper was a supporter of
Thomas Jefferson. 'The Star' became known as ''The Republican Star and Eastern Shore Political Luminary'' sometime between the beginning of the newspaper and 1802. ''The Star'' became known all over the
state of Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to it ...
when the
War of 1812 broke out. The newspaper in defiance of the
British claiming rights to seize American ships, "To the citizens: Your independence, the legacy of the heroes of '76, has been attacked by a band of sea robbers and pirates. You are now called upon to assemble around the standards of your country and adopt measures that will convince the cowardly assins that we are the descendants of those heroes who once drove from our country, that we are willing and ready to do it again or perish with our constitution." In 1814, the newspaper bought the ''Eastern Shore General Advertiser'' (1802–1814) and became known as ''The Republican Star and Eastern Shore General Advertiser''. On September 20, 1814, the newspaper's name changed to ''The Republican Star''. In 1841, 'The Star' bought ''Whig & Advocate'' (1828–1841).
In 1841, Smith retired and turned the newspaper over to George W. Sherwood. Sherwood bought the ''Eastern-Shore Star''.
In 1843, Sherwood turned the newspaper over to T.K. Robson. Robson bought ''The Easton Star''.
In 1889, John Todd had publishing duties. Sometime between 1889 and 1896 the newspaper bought the ''Easton Democrat''.
In 1896, ''The Republican Star and Eastern Shore Political Luminary'' merged with a rival newspaper, ''The Democrat'', to become ''The Star-Democrat''. Sometime between 1896 and In 1911, the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club bought the original property that Smith had bought and used.
1974–present
''The Star Democrat'' expanded from a county weekly to a regional weekday paper in 1974 and added a Sunday edition, ''The Sunday Star'', in October 1988. A website
www.stardem.com was launched in 1996.
In the fall of 1978, the newspaper moved from downtown Easton to its current plant at 29088 Airpark Drive.
The paper is owned by
Adams Publishing Group.
References
Citations
Sources
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External links
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Star Democrat, The
Easton, Maryland
Newspapers published in Maryland
Talbot County, Maryland
Publications established in 1799
1799 establishments in Maryland