Oxnard Press-Courier records, circa 1890s-1993, bulk circa 1970-1990

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Summary

Creators:
Oxnard Press-Courier (circa 1940-1994)
Abstract:
The Oxnard Press-Courier was a newspaper located in Oxnard, California from roughly 1899-1994. The paper ceased publication in June 1994 due to stiff competition from the Los Angeles Times. This collection consists of the paper's morgue and negatives. A newspaper morgue is a reference collection that includes clippings, old files, notes, and photographs kept by reporters for quick reference. Materials include clippings, photographs, subject files, and negatives.
Extent:
116.04 Cubic Feet
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Oxnard Press-Courier records, (Collection MVC082), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of the Oxnard Press-Courier's morgue and negatives. A newspaper morgue is a reference collection that includes clippings, old files, notes, and photographs kept by reporters. Prior to the widespread use of online and computerized databases, a newspaper morgue served as a quick reference collection. A morgue may also include post-production content.

The paper's morgue consists of clippings on both persons and subjects, mugs, photographs, and subject files. Mugs here refers to photos of people and not necessarily to a criminal mug shot. The negatives were images taken by photographers for the newspaper. Some negatives may not be found in this collection as freelance photographers retained ownership of their work and may be in possession of some negatives.

Biographical / historical:

The Oxnard Press-Courier was a newspaper located in Oxnard, California. It ceased publication in the summer of 1994, ending a 95-year run. The paper first started publication as a weekly titled the Oxnard Courier in 1899. The paper adopted the title Oxnard Press-Courier in 1940, following the consolidation of the Oxnard Evening Press, Oxnard Daily Courier, and Oxnard News.

The paper was purchased in 1945 by George and Eva Grimes, and David Calvert and his wife. Then in 1963, the Brush-Moore Newspapers group bought the paper. In 1967 Toronto-based Thomson Newspapers purchased the paper. Thomson owned the paper until it ceased publication in June 1994. The paper largely closed due to pressures to secure advertising funding and competition from larger regional papers. The Los Angeles Times began publishing a daily Ventura County edition in 1990, which competed with the paper for readership. In 1994 the Press-Courier was the third Ventura County paper that ceased publication due to competition with the Los Angeles Times during that time. In fact, the Los Angeles paper reported on June 14, 1994 that "in addition to the Press-Courier, the Camarillo Daily News and the Santa Paula Chronicle have ceased publishing recently, the result of what Editor and Publisher magazine calls "one of the hottest newspaper wars in the nation."

Acquisition information:
Kirk A. Davis (publisher); gift; 1994.
Processing information:

Processed by Krystell Jimenez, 2022. Updated by Marcia Stock, 2025.

Our collections are processed using MPLP methods so that we can prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org. Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.

Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged in the following series:
  • Series 1: Morgue, circa 1890-1993
  • Series 2: Negatives, 1982 August - 1993 July 18

The morgue portion of the collection was originally in filing cabinets. The cabinet contents are arranged in alphabetical order. Original order has been maintained, and items in the same drawers and cabinets have been kept together. Folder labels are either the original labels or shortened forms of the original label. Descriptive labels created by the archivist appear in brackets "[]". There is a more detailed contents list available for certain portions of the morgue.

The negatives were originally stored in yellow boxes and labeled by year. The negatives are organized chronologically. Original order has been maintained and negatives that were in the same boxes have been kept together. Many of the negatives have cards attached that describe the image, what it was used for, the date it was taken, and the photographer.

Physical location:
Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior to your visit.
Physical facet:
(131 boxes)
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access materials must be made in advance by contacting the Research Library staff via email: library@venturamuseum.org.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Oxnard Press-Courier records, (Collection MVC082), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.

Location of this collection:
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001, US
Contact:
(805) 653-0323, ext 320
library@venturamuseum.org
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