The first newspaper published in Harrington was called the “Harrington Enterprise” and was begun in May of 1883. The paper lasted less than one year. The proprietors were Robert S. Downes (1841 – 1905, veteran of the Civil War) and Mr. Harney (no further information available). The two men had set up a printing business in 1880. The next newspaper was the Harrington Bits. The paper was published by a gentleman named Bradshaw, who after selling the paper, worked for the next owner for several years. The paper was a single broadsheet newspaper that was published weekly and lasted until the business was sold to the man that started the Harrington Journal.
In 1913, the equipment was purchased by Frank Thomas Fleming (1879 – 1928).
The business was located on Caines and later called Gaines Alley, today this is the location of the rear parking lot for M & T Bank. Mr. Fleming called his newspaper “The Harrington Journal”. For the next 82 years, this weekly newspaper told the story of the greater Harrington area. From local news, marriages, births, deaths, and all the events happening in the area, the paper would flourish.
The next man to take over the reins of the Harrington Journal was J. Harvey Burgess (1884 – 1955). Mr. Burgess had come to Harrington via Arkansas, where he had been in the newspaper industry, publishing papers in Des Arc, Cave City, and Imboden, all small towns such as Harrington. His next stop was Morehouse Missouri where he was publisher for the Morehouse Hustler newspaper. In 1917, Mr. Burgess moved to Harrington and purchased the Harrington Journal from Mr. Fleming.
For the next 60 years the Harrington Journal would have a Burgess at the helm. In 1949, the paper was sold to Harvey’s two sons, Winston Churchill (1908 – 1975) and Carrington Harvey (1906 – 1992) Burgess.
The next owner was the grandnephew of the papers founder. Harry Gilmore Farrow (1933 – 2017) was the fifth and final owner/editor of the Harrington Journal, purchasing the newspaper in 1974. Mr. Farrow moved the paper to its new offices, the original First National Bank Building, located at 1 Commerce St across from the Post Office in Harrington.
He also was the founder of the newspaper, Raceweek, that was dedicated to local and national auto and motorcycle racing affiliations. Mr. Farrow sold the paper to the Chesapeake Publishing Corporation of Maryland. in August of 1995. The paper continued to be produced in Harrington, Carol Ann Porter was named Editor, a role she was already playing under Farrow, with Robin Quillen of Chesapeake’s Southern Delaware Division named publisher. The paper was still being produced out of the Commerce Street building.
In Delaware, Chesapeake Publishing Corp. owned The Chronicle in Milford, The Leader in Seaford, The Newark Post and the Delmarva Shopper. Its Maryland papers included The Times-Record in Denton, the Queen Anne’s County Record- Observer, the Kent County News in Chestertown, the Star-Democrat in Easton, the Dorchester Star in Cambridge and the daily Cecil Whig in Elkton.
In March of 1996 the paper, (along with the other Delaware papers that Chesapeake Publishing had purchased), was again sold. This time to Independent News Media, the owners of several regional papers in the Delaware, as well as, publishing newspapers in Arizona, Florida and Maryland. The Maryland papers include the Daily Banner in Cambridge, Md.; the Salisbury News & Advertiser; the Lower Shore Business Review; and the Crisfield Times and eventually the Delaware State News.
The paper continued as a weekly newspaper, published now out of the offices located on Center St in Harrington, the now home of the Harrington Public Library. In 2009, the Harrington Journal was moved to the offices of the Milford Chroncile, which was now rebranded “The Chronicle” and the Harrington Journal was now called “The Journal”. The paper was also changed to a monthly delivery and distributed frequently at no charge. Finally 2020 saw the end of this Harrington icon as the paper was officially closed.
Today, its spirit lives on in the recent efforts by the Greater Harrington Historical Society. Below is a link to the digital copies of the newspaper that you can read and enjoy. Over the coming years, we hope to add more years to the collection and the Raceweek as well. Until then we hope you enjoy the news!