The Pueblo Chieftain

The Pueblo Chieftain
The Chieftain's former offices on West 6th Street in Pueblo
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
OwnerUSA Today Co.
Founder(s)Dr. Michael Beshoar
Sam A. McBride
PublisherLee Bachlet
Founded1868
LanguageEnglish
Headquarters825 West Sixth Street
Pueblo, Colorado 81002
 United States
ISSN2693-4825
Websitechieftain.com

The Pueblo Chieftain is a daily newspaper published in Pueblo, Colorado.

History

Early years (1868-1933)

Dr. Michael Beshoar, Chieftain co-founder

Founding

On June 1, 1868, the first weekly edition of The Colorado Chieftain was published. It was founded by 35-year-old Dr. Michael Beshoar, who had previously founded two other newspapers and a drug store. Brothers John A. and Mahlon D. Thatcher, founders of Pueblo's First National Bank, financed the paper and Wilbur Fisk Stone was chosen as editor with George A. Hinsdale as his assistant. Moses Hallett was another member of the editorial team.

Samuel A. "Sam" McBride was the paper's first printer. He previously worked at the Colorado Transcript and after getting sick, agreed to work work at and help finance the Chieftain in exchange for medical care, half the profits and co-ownership. McBride left the paper after Dec. 31, 1868, due to poor health. Beshoar then acted as printer until selling the paper to McBride on Feb. 25, 1869. McBride sole managed the paper for the next 18 months.

Expansion

On June 9, 1870, Capt. John J. Lambert, who was stationed at Fort Reynolds, bought the paper from McBride. On April 28, 1872, Lambert expanded the Chieftain from a weekly into a daily. In 1874, the Chieftain bought and absorbed a rival paper called the Pueblo People. In February 1903, Lambert sold the paper to Isaac N. Stevens and C.V. Barton, who sold the Colorado Springs Gazette to finance the purchase.

In June 1907, Walter L. Wilder and J.A. Barclay joined Stevens as co-owners. In March 1911, Stevens leased the paper to a group of local investors. In June 1913, Frederick A. Marvin and George T. Harbrich, owners of the Pueblo Leader, subleased the Chieftain, and then consolidated the two papers. In June 1914, Stevens signed a new lease agreement with Marvin and Harbrich. In December 1915, Stevens sold the paper to G.G. Withers, Wilder and Alva A. Swain. Withers would be business manager while the other two editors and managers.

In August 1925, George H. "Buck" Sweeney became a co-owner with Withers. It was rumored Alva B. Adams bought a controlling interest, which he denied. In January 1926, the paper's printers went on strike demanding a $3 wage increase.

Hoag family (1933-2018)

In 1933, Frank S. Hoag, Sr. owner of the Pueblo Star-Journal, purchased the Chieftain, but the two papers continued to publish separately. In 1947, his son Frank S. Hoag, Jr. took over as publisher. In February 1963, his mother, Louise M. (Allebrand) Hoag, died at age 90, and his father, F.S. Hoag, Sr. died a month later at age 91.

In 1980, Hoag, Jr. retired and was succeeded as publisher by his nephew, Robert Hoag Rawlings. In 1984, the Star-Journal was absorbed into the Chieftain. In 1989, Hoag, Jr. died at age 81. Aside from operating the paper, his other major accomplishment was being of the founders of Pueblo Community College. His estate bequest $100,000 to the school.

In 2016, R.H. Rawlings retired and was succeeded by his daughter, Jane Rawlings, and later that year it was announced she would be inducted into the Pueblo Hall of Fame. In 2017, R.H. Rawlings died at age 92.

Corporate ownership (2018-present)

In 2018, GateHouse Media acquired the Chieftain from the Rawlings family. In 2019, Gatehouse acquired Gannett and merged under the Gannett name. In 2023, the paper's printing plant closed and printing was contracted out to The Denver Post. Around 50 employees at the plant were laid off. The remaining journalists at the paper kept their jobs, but lost their office. In 2024, the Chieftain announced it will switch from carrier to postal delivery. In 2025, Gannett was renamed to USA Today Co.

References

  1. ↑ "Contact Us". The Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Our Paper". The Colorado Weekly Chieftain. Pueblo, Colorado. June 1, 1868. p. 1.
  3. ↑ "Colorado Chieftain". Lawrence Daily Republican. Lawrence, Kansas. July 9, 1868. p. 3.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "100 Years Ago Today | Doctor Printed First Chieftain". Pueblo Chieftain. June 1, 1968. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Withdrawn". Columbia Missouri Statesman. Columbia, Missouri. January 22, 1869. p. 3.
  6. ↑ "The Colorado Chieftain". The Daily Journal of Commerce. Kansas City, Missouri. March 19, 1869. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "Colorado Newspapers". The New North-West. Anaconda, Montana. July 22, 1870. p. 4.
  8. ↑ "Editorial Items". The Borderer. Las Cruces, New Mexico. May 15, 1872. p. 1.
  9. ↑ "Notice". Las Vegas Daily Optic. February 23, 1903. p. 2.
  10. ↑ "The Colorado Springs Gazette Sold". The Kansas City Times. July 27, 1903. p. 7.
  11. ↑ "Control of Pueblo Chieftain Is Sold by I.N. Stevens". The Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colorado. June 24, 1907. p. 1.
  12. ↑ "The Pueblo Chieftain Sold By I.N Stevens". The Paonia Newspaper. March 17, 1911. p. 1.
  13. ↑ "Stevens Quits | Noted Pueblo Editor Retires as Moulder of Public Opinion". The Montrose Enterprise. March 20, 1911. p. 3.
  14. ↑ "Pueblo Chieftain and Leader Join". The Chronicle=News. Trinidad, Colorado. June 2, 1913. p. 5.
  15. ↑ "Pueblo Chieftain Is Leased". The Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colorado. p. 5.
  16. ↑ "Pueblo Chieftain Is Brought By Present Lease Holders". The Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colorado. December 7, 1915. p. 5.
  17. 1 2 "Pueblan Purchases Chieftain Interest". The Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colorado. August 29, 1925. p. 2.
  18. ↑ "Pueblo Chieftain's Printers Strike For $3 Increase In Wage". Albuquerque Journal. Associated Press. January 7, 1926. p. 1.
  19. ↑ "Two Pueblo Newspapers Consolidate". The Daily Sentinel. Grand Junction, Colorado. Associated Press. January 24, 1933. p. 1.
  20. ↑ "Star-Journal Buys Out Pueblo Chieftain". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. United Press. January 25, 1933.
  21. ↑ "Frank S. Hoag Jr., Now Publisher of Chieftain-Journal". Pueblo Chieftain. April 27, 1947. p. 26.
  22. ↑ "Mrs. Frank S. Hoag Dies After Prolonged Illness". Pueblo Chieftain. February 12, 1963. p. 1.
  23. ↑ "Frank Hoag dies At 91 Closing Colorful Career". Pueblo Chieftain. March 17, 1963. p. 1.
  24. 1 2 "Frank S. Hoag Jr. dies at age of 81". Pueblo Chieftain. July 25, 1989. p. 1.
  25. ↑ "To our readers". Pueblo Chieftain. April 30, 1984. p. 1.
  26. ↑ "Hoag estate leaves $100,00 to USC". Pueblo Chieftain. November 2, 1990. p. 9.
  27. ↑ "Jane Rawlings takes reins". Pueblo Chieftain. December 11, 2016. p. 6.
  28. ↑ Mestas, Anthony A. (December 8, 2016). "Rawlings named to Pueblo Hall of Fame". Pueblo Chieftain. p. 5.
  29. ↑ Henson, Steve (March 25, 2017). "Chieftain's Rawlings dies at 92". Pueblo Chieftain. p. 1.
  30. ↑ Henson, Steve (May 9, 2018). "Pueblo Chieftain to be sold". Pueblo Chieftain. p. 1.
  31. ↑ "Owner of Pueblo Chieftain agrees to sell; terms not released". The Denver Post. Associated Press. May 8, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2026.
  32. ↑ Tracy, Marc (November 19, 2019). "Gannett, Now Largest U.S. Newspaper Chain, Targets 'Inefficiencies'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  33. ↑ Jha, Rhea (June 14, 2023). "Dozens set to lose their jobs following shutdown of The Pueblo Chieftain's printing facility". Fox 21 local news. Colorado Springs, Colorado: KXRM-TV. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  34. ↑ "The Pueblo Chieftain is transitioning to postal delivery. Here's what to know". Pueblo Chieftain. June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  35. ↑ Robertson, Katie (November 4, 2025). "Gannett Changes Name to USA Today Co". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 28, 2026.