Middletown Transcript Archive

The Middletown Transcript of Middletown, Delaware, was founded as a weekly newspaper by Henry Vanderford, a former publisher of the Cecil Democrat. First published on January 4, 1868, the Middletown Transcript is recognized as the first newspaper established in southern New Castle County. Published every Saturday, it cost $2 per year and contained both local and national news as well as advertisements. Like other newspapers of the day, the Middletown Transcript published political editorials, many of which expressed the belief that government policies of Reconstruction were unnecessary and which, on occasion, attacked the political opinions of rival newspapers such as the Wilmington Daily Commercial.

In 1870, Henry Vanderford turned over leadership to his son, Charles Vanderford, who remained the sole proprietor of the Middletown Transcript until June 1872 when he entered into partnership with Edward Reynolds. Three months later, Vanderford sold his interest to Reynolds who remained owner and editor for the next five years. Reynolds sold the Transcript to W. Scott Way in September 1877. In June 1885, Way sold the paper to John B. and Alexander L. Moreau. T. S. Fouracre published the Middletown Transcript from 1908 to 1920, during which time it had a circulation rate of approximately 1,200. The newspaper remained in the Fouracre family through the 1980s and remains in publication today. The Middletown Transcript is currently owned by GateHouse Media Delaware and is housed on West Main Street in Middletown. It is recognized as one of the longest consecutively running newspapers in the state of Delaware.