This paper will be the Friend of the Government, of Morals and Truth - Independent of Politics and Religion. This was the creed of The Norwich Sun circa 1913, and though it may have fallen out of use, the basic premise remains the same.
This history of this newspaper is as rich and deep as the history of Norwich itself. The newspaper business in Norwich saw its inception on Nov. 14, 1816 when J.F. Hubbard began publishing The Norwich Journal for two cents per copy. The Journal continued to be published successfully for several years, changing hands numerous times.
In 1877, publisher B. Gage Berry changed the name to The Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, with an issue coming out every Wednesday and Saturday mornings at a cost of two dollars per year. Eventually, The Telegraph merged with The Norwich Sun nearly a century later.
The year 1891 marked the beginning of Chenango County's first and only daily newspaper, still going strong today. The paper was first known as The Morning Sun, later becoming The Norwich Sun, and finally as it is known today, The Evening Sun.
The Morning Sun was first published on a daily basis by Reed Campbell on March 16, 1891 in a little building on Mechanic Street, which was razed several years ago for a YMCA addition. The first daily issue was six pages long, with 17 columns of display advertising.
In the editorial column of the very first Morning Sun, the following address was delivered by the editor: The Morning Sun will be issued every day except Sundays. It will be thoroughly independent and especially so as regards to politics and religion. It will publish the news from day to day in a truthful and concise manner and in every way try to advocate such needed reforms as will be of lasting benefit to every man, woman and child in the beautiful village of Norwich. The office has been equipped with new and modern presses, type, and everything necessary to make a first class newspaper. The paper will be under efficient management and editorial writers will devote their entire time to making The Morning Sun a bright, interesting and readable newspaper.
On March 7, 1904, the name of the paper became The Norwich Sun, having changed from a morning to an afternoon publication time. In 1961, a similar change from afternoon to later evening publication prompted the name change to The Evening Sun. The name of the newspaper remains so today, even though it is off the presses in downtown Norwich by the noon hour; delivery is later in the outer regions of the county.
Over the years, the paper has been headquartered in several locations, from Mechanic Street to Lackawanna Avenue, to Hale Street and back to Lackwanna Avenue today. The newspaper’s printing plant is located on Borden Avenue, the home of our sister company, Sun Printing Inc. State-of-the-art, full-color presses began printing the newspaper and all editions of The Pennysaver there in 2001.
After a succession of out-of-town owners, The Evening Sun was purchased by Snyder Communications on May 2, 1994, returning the hometown daily to local ownership for the first time in over 15 years. Together with The Pennysaver and Circulars Unlimited, The Evening Sun is part of a family-owned business that employs nearly 200 full-time professionals.