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Introduction to Print Culture
With the boom of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of immigration to the United States, American print culture shifted to include various forms of news, advertising, and stories. The advent of trade cards, the penny press, and dime novels allowed for information to become more easily accessible to the American population and helped shape the culture of the middle and working class. The affordability of print aided in the circulation of advertising, ideas, and opinions in the growing nation -
The First Cylinder Press
The first cylinder press was invented by Frederick Koenig and finished by David Napier in England. It was first used in America in 1825. A more refined version of this press was established in 1832, produced by Richard Hoe in New York. -
The New York Sun was Created
On September 3, 1833, Benjamin Day printed and sold his newspaper, the New York Sun. Selling copies for only a penny, it took Day two years to sell over 15,000 copies daily. To meet popular demand for his newspapers, Day adopted the steam press in 1835. Building on this success, in 1868, Charles A. Dana became part owner and editor of the Sun. -
Penny Press in American Cities
By 1836, the penny press was circulating in many urban areas, such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The Boston Daily Times and the Philadelphia Public Ledger both began in 1836. In addition, the Baltimore Sun was created in 1837. These penny papers were the start of private interests gaining public importance. -
The Story of Helen Jewett
In April, 1836, James Gordon Bennet produced the “Most Atriocus Murder” and “Visit to the Scene” in the New York Herald. Through these stories, Bennet built tabloid journalism. He did so by sensationalizing the story of Helen Jewett, and her murderer, Richard P. Robinson, as a way to draw readers in. -
Louis Prang Publishes Mostly Black and White Prints
By the mid-19th century, advancements in print technology due to the booming industrial revolution allowed for printed artwork to be produced more quickly & less expensively. In the 1850s, German immigrant Louis Prang began publishing mostly black and white advertising trade cards, small cards that displayed a company’s info along with “eye-catching images.” The advent of these cards reflected the expansion of consumer culture in the US. -
Publication of "Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier"
The term “dime novel” originated from Beadle’s Dime Novels, which were “pamphlet bound books” that could be purchased for a dime or a nickel. Many told fictitious stories about white heroes in frontier life, such as the story of Seth Jones- a backwoodsman hero, who saves a white woman who was captured by Mohawk Native Americans. The story depicts Native Americans as enemies and savages, who abducted the woman in an unprovoked attack. The story was very popular, selling around 400,000 copies. -
Rise of Detective Stories
Mysteries & detective stories emerged as popular dime novel publications during the 1870s & 80s. The introduction of the "Old Sleuth" series in 1872 fueled this demand for urban detective stories. Old Sleuth stories featured an independent detective in New York who follows clues, solves crimes, & faces dangers of the city. Although this deviated from the typical dime novels about western/ frontier adventures, it still shared a common theme of the glorification of heroes & of outlaw disparagement -
Prang Wins Prize at Vienna International Exposition for Full-Color Printed Advertising Trade Card
In 1873, Louis Prang produced a full color trade card for the Vienna International Exposition. He continued to create colorized prints after his return to the US. By 1875, the popularity of multicolor prints was due in part to the development of color lithography, spawning a competitive printing industry. “Stock cards” were developed with an intentional blank space where trades could insert their own text. These cards enabled multiple businesses to promote their products on the same card design -
Publication of "Belles & Beaux"
While many dime novels were written by and about men, there was also a notable market for dime novels written by and about women. "Belles & Beaux" was launched in 1874 by Beadle and Adams, with a targeted audience of working class women. It was one of the first dime novels to be catered exclusively toward a female audience. It contained a mix of “serialized love stories,” discussing matters such as marriage and courtship. -
The Decline of Trade Cards
For a quarter of a century trade cards were the most modernized form of print advertising. At the turn of the century, colorized printing was becoming more mainstream and commonly available. Additionally, new printing technologies brought rise to colorized magazines and other casual news mediums. Soon, trade cards became less exceptional and their presence in advertising dwindled. However, into the mid twentieth century, trade cards and other prints had become popular collectable items. -
Introduction of Buffalo Bill Dime Novels
Col. Prentiss Ingraham wrote dime novels about the adventures of Buffalo Bill, published by Street and Smith from 1901- 1912. The stories and images depict the western hero and bison hunter, William Cody (Buffalo Bill) embarking on wild adventures out west, like battling Native Americans & riding the Pony Express. Buffalo Bill was already an established pop culture icon when these novels were written, so working class Americans were eager to ingest more content through a new, inexpensive medium. -
The Demise of Dime Novels
The popularity of dime novels began to wane in the early 20th century. Dime novels were gradually replaced by “thickbooks,” which had greater page counts, and by pulp magazines. Also, many of the adventures and stories depicted in dime novels were becoming increasingly accessible to watch in motion picture films. By 1920, dime novels were practically extinct. -
Conclusion
New technologies spurred the development of print culture in the 19th century & early 20th century. These advancements enabled the penny press, trade cards, & dime novels to emerge as available & affordable mediums. The masses had access to a variety of content, including sensationalized news stories, colorful advertisements, & depictions of Native Americans & frontier life. This content reflected the national values & interests of the time period, as well as an emerging sense of consumerism. -