by Andy Ludlum, Museum of Ventura County Volunteer
Read more Ventura County History in the Museum of Ventura County Blog at www.venturamuseum.org/research-library-blog.
Early Ventura County newspapers offered one of the few ways to connect pioneer communities with stories, opinions, and news of the day. The first newspapers in Ventura County were all closely identified with political parties and had unyielding editors who loved to rile up the community and often teetered on the edge of libel. None of them were shy about picking a fight with City Hall or, better yet, with each other. One editor was even beaten by the unhappy subject of one of his harangues.
Since the first Ventura County newspaper was printed in 1871 there have been more than 80 in the county. Most of them were short-lived. One paper put out a single edition. Two or three lasted only weeks. There was a monthly and even one yearly newspaper. Most were only noticed with short obits when they died.
