The first issue of The Daily Bee is published in Sacramento, Calif., on Feb. 3. An editorial on that first day of publication explained the newspaper's unusual name: "The name of The Bee has been adopted as being different from that of any other paper in the state and as also being emblematic of the industry which is to prevail in its every department."

The News and The Observer, founded in Raleigh, N.C., in 1872 and 1876, respectively, merger to form The News & Observer. The Tacoma Ledger begins publication and The News starts a year later.

James McClatchy, a founding editor of the Bee, dies, and within a few months, his sons Valentine Stuart and Charles Kenny - known as V.S. and C.K. - buy out the last remaining co-owner of the newspaper.

Ridder Publications is formed in New York when Herman Ridder buys the German-language Staats and then the Zeitung, merging them to form the largest foreign-language newspaper in the United States.

Josephus Daniels buys The News & Observer.

Knight Newspapers is born when Charles Landon Knight, a lawyer turned editor, buys the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio.

The Tacoma Tribune begins publishing, and five years later is purchased by Cleveland Publisher Elbert H. Baker and his son Frank S. Baker. In 1913 they buy their Tacoma competitors, The Tacoma Ledger and The News.

The Fresno Bee is founded by the descendants of James McClatchy. C.K's only son, Carlos, becomes the editor, but would die a decade later at the age of 42.

After nearly 40 years of running the company as equals, brothers C.K. and V.S. - sons of founding editor James McClatchy - agree to bid privately against each other for sole control of the family company. C.K. submits the higher bid and takes over on Sept. 1.

The McClatchys buy the News-Herald in Modesto, Calif. Six years later it was renamed The Modesto Bee.

Charles Landon Knight dies, leaving the Akron Beacon Journal to his two sons, John S. and James L. Knight, known as Jack and Jim.

C.K. McClatchy dies, leaving his daughter Eleanor McClatchy to run the family business, which she does until 1978.

The Knights buy The Miami Herald. Jim Knight moves to Miami to oversee the operation of the paper.

The first issue of the Anchorage News debuts as a weekly tabloid under the direction of Publisher Norman Brown, who has started the paper with two partners.

On Nov. 13, Seattle businessman Glenn C. Lee and his partner, editor Hugh Scott, put out the first edition of the newly renamed Tri-City Herald, whose history as a weekly dates to the 1880s.

Knight Newspapers acquires The Charlotte Observer in North Carolina.

Knight Newspapers becomes a public corporation. The company acquires several newspapers that year, including The Telegraph and News in Macon, Ga. Ridder Publications becomes a public corporation. Bernard H. Ridder Jr. becomes president and chief executive officer.

Knight Newspapers acquires the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky and Ridder Publications acquires The Wichita Eagle in Kansas.

Knight Newspapers and Ridder Publications merge.

C.K. McClatchy, grandson of the first C.K., becomes president of the family company after the retirement of his aunt Eleanor McClatchy.

McClatchy expands outside of California for the first time with its acquisitions of the Anchorage Daily News and the Tri-City Herald. Knight Ridder acquires the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa.

McClatchy buys The Tacoma News Tribune from the Baker family. Knight Ridder purchases several newspapers in South Carolina and Mississippi, including The State in Columbia, S.C., the Sun News in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the Sun Herald in Biloxi, Miss.

McClatchy issues stock and becomes a public company.

Shortly after the unexpected death of C.K. McClatchy, Erwin Potts becomes the first non-family member to head The McClatchy Company.

McClatchy purchases three dailies in South Carolina - The Herald in Rock Hill, The Island Packet in Hilton Head, and The Beaufort Gazette - from the Daniels family in a deal that also includes three weeklies and a shopper.

NandO.net online service is created by The News & Observer in Raleigh.

McClatchy buys The News & Observer from the Daniels family and several smaller North Carolina non-dailies.

Gary Pruitt becomes chief executive officer upon the retirement of Erwin Potts.

Knight Ridder acquires several newspapers, including The Kansas City Star in Missouri; The Olathe News in Kansas; the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas; the Belleville News-Democrat in Illinois; and what would become The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Nando becomes the technology hub for the entire McClatchy company, and a year later changes its name to Nando Media.

The Cowles family sells the Star Tribune to the McClatchy Company.

McClatchy Company revenues exceed $1 billion for the first time.

The McClatchy Company achieves its 20th consecutive year of daily circulation growth - a record unmatched in the U.S. newspaper industry. McClatchy buys the Merced Sun-Star in California's Central Valley and five nearby non-dailies.

Nando Media changes its name and becomes McClatchy Interactive.

McClatchy acquires Knight Ridder and announces its intentions to sell 12 Knight Ridder newspapers that don't meet McClatchy's longstanding acquisition criteria, chiefly involving growth markets. McClatchy now publishes 32 daily newspapers in 16 states, making it the second-largest newspaper company in the United States by circulation.

On Feb. 3, The McClatchy Company and its first newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, mark their 150th anniversary.

In March, McClatchy sells the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The sale of its largest newspaper makes McClatchy the third-largest newspaper publisher in the United States with 31 daily newspapers in 15 states.

In April, The Olathe News converts from daily to twice-weekly publication, leaving McClatchy with 30 daily newspapers in 15 states.