Longtime Maine Business Celebrates 200 Years This Week

When it comes to businesses in Maine, there are so many that have been around for dozens of years.

Some of those businesses have even been around for literally hundreds of years.

When you consider how difficult it is to start, maintain and operate a successful business for even as long as five years, hundreds is pretty impressive, right?

The Kennebec Journal in Maine Is 200 Years Old

One of those businesses turning 200 years old this week is the popular Maine news publication The Kennebec Journal.

They printed their very first issue on January 8, 1825, and, incredibly, they've managed to navigate the changing media landscape through the decades and remain in business.

Has The Kennebec Journal Thrived Over The Years?

Not only has the Kennebec Journal managed to stay in business, but they have continued to be a pillar of the community for towns across Central Maine and beyond.

As a matter of fact, a lot of what you hear us talking about online and on the radio originally came from something we read in the Kennebec Journal.

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Sure, printed newspapers being delivered to every home across the state is kind of a thing of the past.

And while many still do receive a daily newspaper, so many more are consuming their daily content online.

The KJ does a phenomenal job keeping their online paper current, relevant and up-to-date- no doubt a major part of their continued success.

What Does The Kennebec Journal Think About Turning 200 Years Old?

Well, according to an article about the KJ's birthday written by none other than, you guessed it, The Kennebec Journal, they included in their story in part,

The Kennebec Journal, the oldest Maine newspaper still in publication, turns 200 Wednesday, the anniversary of its first issue, published Jan. 8, 1825, out of a shop on the corner of Bridge and Water streets in downtown Augusta.

In 1929, the Kennebec Journal was bought by Guy Gannett, a prominent resident of Augusta who was quickly becoming a media magnate, having purchased a series of Portland newspapers as well as the Waterville Morning Sentinel in the previous eight years.

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So whether you still get a paper copy of your local paper or you prefer to log in and read everything digitally without the risk of ink on your fingers, one thing still remains true: The Kennebec Journal has been and continues to be a trusted publication containing all things local news, community events and things "we need to know" for all of Central Maine and beyond.

Happy Birthday, KJ!