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Chronicling America
National Endowment for the Humanities

Newspaper The Suburban Citizen (Washington, D.C.) 1891-1902

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About The Suburban Citizen (Washington, D.C.) 1891-1902

Little is known about the origins of the Suburban Citizen, and no extant issues of its first two years exist. The Library of Congress holdings, which are sporadic and incomplete, are the sole holdings documented; they begin with the February 4, 1893 paper and end with the December 27, 1902 issue.

The newspaper apparently began publication on January 1891 as a four-page weekly that promoted real estate development and sales. According to the Washington Post, however, the Suburban Citizen, in its quest for increased circulation, soon began placing the “raciest bits of scandal” that the editor “could find or invent” amidst its real estate advertising. The Post asserted that one particular issue might have “put the Police Gazette to shame, and it wasn’t published on tinted paper either.” Despite its efforts to titillate and attract subscribers, the weekly apparently encountered financial difficulties. The Post reported in December 1892 that it had ceased publication and that its editor had purportedly run off to Hawaii. Early the following year, however, the paper reappeared with its publisher—the Suburban Citizen Newspaper Company—now identifying it as “a journal devoted to the interests of the residents of the Suburbs of Washington.” It profiled neighborhoods, local businesses, and prominent local citizens, especially those living in Northeast Washington where the paper’s presses operated.

On August 19, 1893, the newspaper doubled in length to eight pages, retaining its $1.00 yearly subscription and five cent per copy pricing. The publisher and business manager was James M. Wood, a thirty-three-year-old former War Department auditor. The newspaper became an advocate for area small businesses and championed the cause of local florists fearful of a proposed federal free flower program. It also endorsed efforts by the Northeast Suburban Citizens’ Association to promote neighborhood growth and business development along Rhode Island Avenue and Bladensburg Road in Northeast Washington. James Wood was secretary of that citizens’ association.

The paper also reported on area Masons, the American Legion, and local railroad and public roads development. Serialized fiction and humor joined columns on farming, household hints, fashion, and science. Over time, advertisements became more numerous, and news coverage expanded to include more national and international stories. Despite these changes, the paper continued to focus primarily on topics of interest to residents of Northeast Washington and its adjacent Maryland suburbs. The reasons are unclear as to why the paper folded. Its publisher, the civic minded James Wood, continued to champion local causes and eventually went on to become the city’s superintendent of street cleaning.

Provided By: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

About this Newspaper

Title

  • The Suburban Citizen (Washington, D.C.) 1891-1902

Dates of Publication

  • 1891-1902

Created / Published

  • Washington, D.C. : Suburban Citizen Newspaper Co.

Headings

  • -  Washington (D.C.)--Newspapers
  • -  Washington (D.C.)
  • -  United States--District of Columbia--Washington

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Weekly
  • -  Began in Jan. 1891; ceased in 1902?
  • -  Also issued on microfilm from the Library of Congress, Photodupliation Service.
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Description based on: Vol. 3, no. 2 (Feb. 4, 1893).

Medium

  • v. : ill. (chiefly advertisements) ; 57 cm.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn82016357

OCLC Number

  • 9298727

ISSN Number

  • 1940-7386

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

The Suburban Citizen Washington, D.C. 1891 to 1902. (Washington, DC), Jan. 1 1891. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn82016357/.

APA citation style:

(1891, January 1) The Suburban Citizen Washington, D.C. 1891 to 1902. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn82016357/.

MLA citation style:

The Suburban Citizen Washington, D.C. 1891 to 1902. (Washington, DC) 1 Jan. 1891. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn82016357/.