The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937 Page: 200

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Southwestern Historical Quarterly

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER OF TEXAS: GACETA DE
TEXAS
KATHRYN GARRETT
The word first bestows value and distinction, transforms an
ordinary object into a rare treasure. Since the latter part of the
nineteenth century scholars have been allured to much research
and speculation in order to establish the facts concerning the first
press, the first printer, the first printing, and the first newspaper
in Texas, as well as to search for an extract from the earliest
press in Texas. At the present, to the "Gaceta De Texas,"' dated
Nacogdoches, May 25, 1813, may be awarded the honor of first
in several instances.
The "Gaceta"2 may now be recorded in Texas bibliography as
the first imprint, as well as the first newspaper, from the first
press in Texas. This and the newspaper "El Mexicano," also a
product of the same press, are at the present the only extant
products from the first three presses in Texas.3 The fact that the
GACETA DE TEXAS.
Na o.] NACOGD OCH ES. 25 de Myo, de s813. (Vol.3
LA SALUD DEL PUEDLO ES LA SUPRIrA E.Y
printing of the "Gaceta" was an event in Texas history did not
escape the editors of the paper, for the readers of the "Gaceta"
were told that May 25, 1813 was "undoubtedly a glorious day,"
because not only was it the first time the press was seen in Texas
and not only was it the first time that Texas printed in its ter-
'An issue of the "Gaceta De Texas" may be found in Special Agents,
William Shaler, 1810, II, MSS, State Department.
2Ibid.
8Press of Jose Alvarez de Toledo 1813, press of General Francisco
Xavier Mina 1817, and the press of James Long 1819. See Douglas C.
McMurtrie, "Pioneer Printing in Texas" in The Southwestern Historical
Quarterly, January, 1932, XXXV, no. 3, pp. 173-193.

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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937, periodical, 1937; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101099/m1/222/ocr/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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