LISTING OF YARMOUTH NEWSPAPERS
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The first attempt towards establishing a newspaper in Yarmouth was made by Mr. Younghusband, of St. John, N. B., in 1827, but it died in the bud.
The Yarmouth Telegraph Messrs. Jackson & L’Estrange produced the first newspaper in Yarmouth, and indeed in the portion of Nova Scotia west of Halifax. It was called the Yarmouth Telegraph, and made its first appearance on Friday, November 25, 1831.
On the 24th February, 1832, after issuing 12 numbers, the proprietors of the Telegraph deemed it judicious to add to the heading of the paper Shelburne Advertiser, with the motto: “The noblest motive is the public good.”
The firm of Jackson & L’Estrange, proprietors of the Telegraph, was dissolved by mutual consent on the 13th July, 1832, Mr. Jackson continuing the business.
The publication of the Telegraph ceased with its issue of October 26th, 1832, having been issued 45 times. Several of the numbers were printed on half sheets and there were several omissions of a week or ten days at a time. From that date till August 9th, 1833, the Western portion of Nova Scotia was without a newspaper.
The printing press and type used for the Telegraph were imported from Bermuda in 1831 by Jackson L’Estrange. The press and type were used for printing the Herald from its establishment in August, 1833, until May, 1836. The press was then disposed of to Mr. James Bowes, of Halifax, and was afterwards purchased by George T. Fenerty, to print the St. John News, the first penny paper in the maritime provinces. It was a very primitive machine, with a wooden frame, stone bed and wooden (mahogany) platen, printing only one page at one impression.
The Yarmouth Herald
A. Lawson, founder of the Yarmouth Herald
The first number of the Herald was issued on Friday, August 9th, 1833. It was a sheet 18×24, and was well printed, at the rate of 15s per annum, payable half-yearly.
The Yarmouth Herald was issued semi-weekly (Tuesday and Friday) Dec. 22nd, 1843, and was the first semi-weekly newspaper published in Nova Scotia. It continued to be issued semi-weekly until August 29th, 1850, when it again appeared as a weekly.
On the 21st August, 1845, the management of the Herald was given to Mr. Angus M. Gidney, and it continued under his control until December, 1850. It reverted to its original founder, Mr. A. Lawson, and began publication, after a few weeks’ delay, February 15th, 1851.
The Herald office was first located in the rear half and whole of the upper floor of Nathan Butler’s building, corner of Main and Queen streets. In 1835 it was moved to the small building, owned by O. Viets Dakin, on the present site of Mrs. Geddes’ house, Butler’s hill. In 1837 it was moved to the eastern corner of James Bond’s block, Argyle street, adjoining store of Thomas Barnard. In 1840 a new building was erected by the proprietor on the south-west corner of his homestead lot, corner of Main and Barnard streets, where it remained until 1845, when Mr. Lawson removed to Pictou.
In 1850 Mr. Lawson again became editor of the paper, and located the plant in the rear of his general store, in Moody’s row. The physical location of the office of the Herald changed many times over the years. A number of these moves are outlined in J. Murray Lawson’s Yarmouth Past and Present, page 27.
The Yarmouth Herald was one of the longest running weekly newspapers in Canada. It ceased publication in 1966. Many other newspapers were established in Yarmouth during the time of the Herald’s publication.
The following is a list of all the known newspapers that were published in Yarmouth County. The list is arranged chronologically by the year of establishment. Also given in the list is the newspaper title, the year that the newspaper ceased publication, and frequency of publication.
Note: There were years around the turn of the century when Yarmouth had up to four different newspapers being published at the same time.
| Start Date | Name of Newspaper | End Date | Frequency |
| 1831 | Yarmouth Telegraph | 1832 | Weekly |
| 1832 | Yarmouth Telegraph & Shelburne Advertiser | 1832 | Weekly |
| 1839 | Yarmouth Herald and Western Advertiser | 1843 | Weekly |
| 1839 | Conservative | 1840 | Weekly |
| 1843 | Yarmouth Herald | 1943 | Semi-weekly and weekly |
| 1843 | Yarmouth Morning Courier | 1844 | Semi-weekly |
| 1844 | Yarmouth Courier and Colonial Farmer | 1848 | Semi-monthly |
| 1867 | Argus | 1867 | Weekly |
| 1874 | Bumblebee | 1874 [?] | Unknown |
| 1874 | Liquor Dealers Advocate | [?] | [?] Unknown |
| 1879 | Observer | [?] | Semi-monthly |
| 1880 | L’Avenir | [?] | Weekly |
| 1883 | Yarmouth Times and Western Counties Journal | 1890 | Semi-weekly |
| 1885 | News | 1888 [?] | Weekly |
| 1885 | Telegram | 1891 | Weekly |
| 1889 | Semaphore | 1889 | [?] Quarterly |
| 1890 | Yarmouth Times | 1923 | Semi-weekly and Weekly |
| 1890 | Yarmouth Light | 1966 | Weekly |
| 1891 | Yarmouth Telegram | 1943 | Weekly |
| 1896 | Yarmouth Daily News | 1899 | Daily |
| 1898 | Yarmouth Weekly News | 1899 | Weekly |
| 1890 | Free Baptist Banner | 1906 [?] | Weekly |
| 1906 | Flowers Puzzler | [?] | Monthly |
| 1906 | X-Ray | 1907 [?] | Unknown |
| 1907 | Yarmouth Daily Globe | 1909 | Daily |
| 1908 | Yarmouth Daily Post | 1918 [?] | Daily |
| 1909 | Yarmouth Globe | 1912 [?] | Weekly |
| 1935 | Yarmouth Advertiser | 1937 [?] | Weekly |
| 1937 | Petit Courrier du Sud-Oust de la Nouvelle-Écosse | 1972 | Weekly |
| 1939 [?] | Boom | 1942 | Monthly |
| 1942 | Depth Charge | 1945 | Monthly |
| 1943 | Yarmouth Herald-Telegram | 1949 | Weekly |
| 1948 | Yarmouth Recorder | 1948 | Bi-weekly |
| 1950 | Yarmouth Herald | 1966 | Weekly |
| 1950 | Yarmouth Telegram | 1950 | Weekly |
| 1966 | Light Herald | 1978 | Weekly |
| 1966 | Vanguard | Present | Weekly and Sem-weekly |
| 1966 | Voix de Clare | 1970 | Weekly |
| 1967 | Dialogue | 1984 [?] | monthly |
| 1967 | Viking | 1981 [?] | Bi-weekly (part of the year) |
| 1968 | Sou’ Wester | Present | Twice Monthly |
| 1972 | Petit Courier de la Nouvelle Écosse | 1977 | Weekly |
| 1973 | Farm Focus | Present | Semi-monthly |
| 1977 | Courier de la Nouvelle Écosse | Present | Weekly |
| 1979 | Western Beacon | 1979 | Monthly |
| 1980 | Arts Tab | 1981 | Monthly |
| 1985 | Vanguard Weekend | 1986 | Weekly |
| 1987 | gateway Gazette | 1987 | Weekly |
| 1989 | Yarmouth Sun | 1989 | Weekly |
| 1992 | Dollar Saver | 1993 [?] | Irregular |
| 1994 | Maritime Atlantic Timepasser Magazine | 1994 [?] | Irregular |