{"id":315,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-03-04 21:31:59","latitude":41.50658871177800079976805136539041996002197265625,"longitude":-81.680431365967024248675443232059478759765625,"title":"Cleveland Plain Dealer","subtitle":null,"fullsize":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/391ea8b84f9b4c356f40559bf9aa0da8.jpg","address":"1801 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44114","zoom":15,"creator":["Jason Fritsch"],"description":"The Cleveland Plain Dealer was founded as a weekly newspaper on January 7, 1842 by Joseph Gray. By 1845 it had transitioned to an evening daily. Joseph Gray died in 1862, and his paper was controlled by a series of editors until Liberty Holden purchased the paper in 1885. Holden introduced a number of changes to the paper, such as adding a morning and Sunday edition, and by 1905 had abandoned the evening edition. He also took the paper in a completely different editorial direction, ignoring Gray's politically slanted coverage (the paper had been an ardent supporter of the Democratic Party) and instead assuring readers that "We shall at all times be watchful of the right man, holding that man is superior to party and that all government should be for the good of the governed."
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\r\nLiberty Holden was born in Maine and began his career as a teacher at the age of 16. In 1856, Holden began attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After completing his education he became a professor of literature at Kalamazoo College where he met his wife, Delia, and married in 1860. He moved to Cleveland in 1862 to study law and also began investing in mining interests around the country. Holden purchased the Plain Dealer in 1885, and his heirs owned the paper until the late 1960s.
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\r\nHolden also owned the Hollenden Hotel, one of the most glamorous hotels in Cleveland. The 8-story hotel at Superior and East 6th Street opened in 1885 and featured electric lights, 100 private baths, fireproof construction, and a lavish interior with crystal chandeliers. Holden, as president of Cleveland's building committee, also played an important role in the construction of Wade Park, Rockefeller Park and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He served as Mayor of Bratenahl for a time, too. Liberty Holden died in 1913.
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\r\nUpon Holden's death in 1913 the Plain Dealer was transferred to his heirs. In 1933, the Plain Dealer purchased the Cleveland News and became the largest newspaper in Cleveland, although it continued to operate the two papers independently. In 1960 the Cleveland News was sold to the Cleveland Press, and The Plain Dealer moved to its present location, the Cleveland News building, at E. 18th and Superior.
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\r\nFollowing the demise of the Cleveland Press in 1982, the Plain Dealer became Cleveland's only major daily newspaper. ","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"","lede":null,"website":"www.plaindealer.com","related_resources":["\"Plain Dealer.\" Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. case.edu/ech/articles/p/plain-dealer"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/391ea8b84f9b4c356f40559bf9aa0da8.jpg":{"id":2694,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":""No breakfast complete without one"","description":"This postcard, ca. 1910, is advertising the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It shows a little girl in her pajamas reading the newspaper.
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\r\nImage courtesy of the J. Mark Souther Postcard Collection","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/391ea8b84f9b4c356f40559bf9aa0da8.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/d199261f95e7612163fcf73d76346206.jpg":{"id":2695,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Holding the Paper, 1914","description":"A man holding the Cleveland Plain Dealer in October, 1914. The headline reads "Boston Braves Score First Blood in Series with Athletics." The paper is discussing the first game of baseball's World Series between the Boston Braves and the Philadelphia Athletics, played on October 9th. The man is sitting in front of a chicken coop.
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\r\nImage courtesy of Cleveland State University, Michael Schwartz Library, Special Collections","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/d199261f95e7612163fcf73d76346206.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/6373faa7d7e13ba8bf95bd9fea327ca2.jpg":{"id":2696,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Liberty Holden","description":"Liberty Holden (1833-1913) was one of the most influential men in Cleveland, involved in the construction of the Hollenden Hotel, Wade Park, Rockefeller Park, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He also served as mayor of Bratenahl.
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\r\nHe is buried in Lake View Cemetery.
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\r\nImage Courtesy of the Library of Congress","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/6373faa7d7e13ba8bf95bd9fea327ca2.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/2f8a1588de818da73a8e2aeef8ca3082.jpg":{"id":2697,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Hollennden Hotel","description":"The original Hollenden Hotel, built by Liberty Holden at East 6th Street and Superior Avenue in 1885, was torn down in 1962.
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\r\nImage courtesy of Cleveland State University Library Special Collections","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/2f8a1588de818da73a8e2aeef8ca3082.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/4f0809cf5cd2eb547c696ace13090690.jpg":{"id":2698,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Hollenden Hotel","description":"Opened in 1885, the Hollenden Hotel was once the most glamorous of all of Cleveland's hotels. In 1926, a $5 million annex was added to the east side of the hotel. After Liberty Holden's death the hotel rotated through a series of owners until its demolition in 1962.
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\r\nImage Courtesy of the Western Reserve Historical Society","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/4f0809cf5cd2eb547c696ace13090690.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/18b02709b1b276763334aef304d03430.jpg":{"id":2699,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Burning of Plain Dealer Building, 1908","description":"This postcard shows the burning of the Plain Dealer Building at E. 6th and Superior. The 1908 fire damaged the structure. Editor Elbert Baker used the fire to rebuild and enlarge the facility to harmonize with the surrounding buildings.
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\r\nImage Courtesy of Cleveland State University, Michael Schwartz Library, Special Collections","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/18b02709b1b276763334aef304d03430.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/54d92f2d8c00123d0cf295c5f7575622.jpg":{"id":2700,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"View of Fine Arts Garden from Holden Terrace","description":"The Fine Arts Garden of the Cleveland Museum of Art is visible in this view from the Holden Terrace, named in honor of Liberty Holden. Holden, president of Cleveland's building committee, played a role in the construction of the museum. | Cleveland State University, Michael Schwartz Library, Special Collections","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/54d92f2d8c00123d0cf295c5f7575622.jpg"},"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/16efb207221e794ebd74b29d8c2a7b7a.jpg":{"id":2702,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Home of Liberty Holden","description":"This 1876 print, created from a wood engraving, shows the residence and grounds of Liberty E. Holden on Euclid Avenue's Millionaire's Row. Pedestrians and a horse & buggy are shown in the streets.
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\r\nImage Courtesy of Cleveland State University, Michael Schwartz Library, Special Collections","thumbnail":"https://clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/16efb207221e794ebd74b29d8c2a7b7a.jpg"}}}