Potter's Tavern Lays Claim to Being Home of 1st Paper
Jean Jones
Staff Writer for The Bridgeton Evening News

Cumberland County not only has its own Liberty Bell, there are many other relics of early times that attest to the zeal of local patriots who espoused freedom from Great Britain.

One of those is Potter's Tavern in Bridgeton, where some claim America's first newspaper was issued. The Plain Dealer was a manuscript information tract, hand-written, which some say does not qualify as a newspaper, but it served the same purpose as today's papers, providing information on happenings of the time and in this case, advocating American independence.

A plaque on the front of the building, located on Broad Street, across from the court house, reads:

"POTTER'S TAVERN c.1740, HERE AT THE RISK OF DEATH BY HANGING, PATRIOTS ISSUED THE PLAIN DEALER, A NEWS JOURNAL THAT ADVOCATED AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM IN THE MID-1700s. INNKEEPER MATTHEW POTTER."

The City of Bridgeton bought the tavern in 1958 and in 1996 turned it over to the county. The Cumberland County Historical Society is responsible for maintenance of the building. Since the structure is unheated, it is open only from April to October, on Saturdays and Sundays. The first floor is restored and furnished. The historical society has received a grant to begin work on the second floor.

Charles E. Sheppard, in the History of the Counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland, which he co-wrote with Thomas Cushing, says of the Plain Dealer:

"In December, 1775, when the Bridgeton contained about one hundred and fifty inhabitants, a desire was felt for some means of laying their opinions before the public, and the plan was devised which may well be considered a forerunner of the newspapers. An association was formed, of which Dr. Jonathan Elmer was chairman and Ebenezer Elmer secretary. Notice was given 'that pieces handed in would be corrected and transcribed for public view, that they may be read every Tuesday morning by every one that will take the trouble to call Matthew Potter's bar, and that every one that has a mind may peruse them; 'tis expected that no one will offer to take them out of his house, but every one will be freely allowed to take a copy. It will be entitled the Plain Dealer, and no one is to exceed a half sheet in length.' "

A book containing eight issues was said to be extant in 1883.

Taken from The Bridgeton Evening News;
250 Years of History Special - 6/26/1998