Since 1869, The Tribune has told the story of San Luis Obispo County

In 1886, just 17 years after The Tribune was founded, the newspaper was located above the Chicago Brewery Depot next to the Mission in downtown San Luis Obispo at the corner of Chorro and Monterey streets.

One afternoon, some of the gentlemen (dignified women weren’t seen in bars before Prohibition) were enjoying a drink when then-owner Benjamin Brooks attached a kerosene engine to power his printing press. The machine roared, prompting bar patrons to flee, running for their lives onto Chorro Street.

A short time later, The Tribune moved to a ground-floor location a few doors down, where the roar of the engine and the rattle of huge leather drive belts wouldn’t alarm barflies.

That’s just one of the countless colorful stories that mark our history as the oldest continuously operating business in the city — and most likely the entire county.

Since its founding in August 1869 by ambitious former District Attorney Walter Murray, The Tribune has had several owners and has changed over the decades to reflect readers’ interests and needs. What began in print now includes new technologies to ensure that our staff is giving you the news on your doorstep, desktop or phone. News how you want it — in print or online at www.sanluisobispo.com, with social media to engage readers and share news.

In its nearly 150 years of operation (we turn 148 this year), The Tribune has called several buildings home, each with its own history. The first location was in the Murray Adobe, across the plaza from Mission San Luis Obispo. The oldest wood-frame commercial building in the city served as its second location. The third was the two-story Lasar Building, or Mission Garage, which was torn down in August 1955. The Tribune has moved four more times since the Lasar Building was home.

Yet our mission has remained the same: to be the most comprehensive source of news and information in San Luis Obispo County, and to make a difference in your lives — and our communities.

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Since 1869, The Tribune has told the story of San Luis Obispo County."