The Breckenridge American

E.W. Davenport and John C. McConnell set up the first newspaper in Breckenridge in spring 1878, called the Northwest Texian. Davenport bought out his partner in the early 1880s and changed the name to the Breckenridge Texian. Eventually B.B. Greenwood bought The Texian, but on Aug. 10, 1899, Davenport established another newspaper, the Breckenridge Democrat. When Davenport died in 1910, his son, Herbert Davenport, assumed the reins. A new owner bought the Democrat in 1920 and the name changed to The American. The first edition as the Breckenridge American was dated June 18, 1920. A fire in 1921 destroyed all the files. Virgil Moore Sr., who had worked at the newspaper in the 1920s, acquired The American in 1963 and with his wife, Frances, owned the paper until 1989 when they sold to Virgil Moore III and his wife, Elaine. The present plant was built in 1930 and remodeled in 1973 when the paper went to offset. Graham Newspapers Inc., purchased the Breckenridge American in October 2000.