Editorial Page
History of the Hinds County Gazette
A historic Raymond newspaper with roots in the 1840s and a long record of community, Civil War, and Reconstruction-era coverage.
The Hinds County Gazette, established in Raymond, Mississippi, near Jackson, around 1845, is a historic weekly newspaper with active records dating from 1845 to 1987. It alternated titles between the Raymond Gazette and Hinds County Gazette, and famously documented the 1863 Battle of Raymond and Reconstruction-era politics.
Establishment and location: The paper was published in Raymond, the county seat of Hinds County.
Title variations: It appeared as the Raymond Gazette from 1845 to 1849 and again from 1882 to 1904, and as the Hinds County Gazette from 1849 to 1882 and from 1904 to the present.
Role in history: Under editor George W. Harper, the Gazette provided significant, detailed accounts of the Civil War, including the battle at Raymond. The newspaper was a staunch voice for the local community, reporting on everything from local agriculture to state politics.
Archives: The Mississippi Department of Archives and History holds extensive microfilm records, with digital copies of 19th-century issues available through Chronicling America.
Significance: The Gazette serves as a primary source for Southern history, documenting the social, economic, and political shifts in Hinds County through the Civil War and beyond.