[Posted by Samuel Crompton, Professor of History, Holyoke Community College]

Where else but the Watkinson would I find original, bound copies of the little-known newpspaper THE WAR, printed in New York City between 1812 and 1814? Where but the Watkinson could I examine it in the original, crumbly form, and see the occasional pencil mark made by an owner? Only at the Watkinson!

[Curator’s Note: The below was created by the staff of the Lilly Library at Indiana University; their copy is digitized here]

The War. New York: S. Woodworth & Co., 1812-1817.  Samuel Woodworth is better known today as a poet and playwright, but he published a number of newspapers and journals. The War began publication in June of 1812, and Woodworth intended the paper to serve both as a news source and as a history. In a notice published in the first issue of volume three, the editor saw the end of the war in sight and announced plans to include a chronological index to the publication as well as his intent to publish various state documents which “want of room has heretofore excluded.”