How a $20 gold piece launched a West Coast media empire
In short: In 1865, two teenage brothers used a borrowed $20 gold piece to found a newspaper. Decades later, that same publication would command the largest circulation west of the Mississippi, survive devastating earthquakes, and pioneer the very first large-market newspaper website in the world.
The San Francisco Chronicle began its life as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle, established on January 16, 1865, by brothers Charles and Michael H. de Young. The paper underwent several identity shifts, including a brief period as The Daily Morning Chronicle, before settling on its current name on August 15, 1869. By 1880, the publication had achieved a dominant market position, boasting the largest circulation on the American West Coast.
The paper's history is physically etched into the city's architecture. The de Young brothers commissioned the first San Francisco skyscraper, a headquarters at 690 Market Street, which was completed in 1889. Though damaged during the 1906 earthquake, the structure was rebuilt and remains a historic landmark today. Later, in 1924, the paper moved to a Gothic Revival headquarters on Mission Street, a building that served as its base through 2017.
The Chronicle also acted as a digital pioneer. In 1994, the paper launched SFGate, which was the first website of its kind for a large-market newspaper globally. While the print edition faced significant challenges—including a 25.8% circulation drop in 2009 and a period of heavy financial losses under the Hearst Corporation—its digital arm, SFGate, maintained massive reach, recording 135.9 million pageviews per month by 2020.
Beyond news, the paper's culture was defined by unique traditions, such as the 'Little Man' movie rating system and the green-tinted pages of its 'Sporting Green' sports section. It has also been a site of significant investigative triumph, notably winning recognition for uncovering the BALCO performance-enhancing drug scandal.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: San Francisco Chronicle
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