Tom Carolan first published the Vancouver Columbian on October 10, 1890.[4] He started the paper with S. D. Dennis as a means to promote the Democratic Party and act as counterweight to the local Republican newspaper The Vancouver Independent.[5] Dennis left the paper in 1896 and was replaced by Joseph A. C. Brant. Republican Samuel J. Miller took the reins in 1900. Less than a year later the paper was turned over to M. M. Banister. Five years later he sold out to E. E. Beard, publisher of The Olympian.[5] Under Beard, the paper went from weekly to daily print publication on October 19, 1908.[6] After twelve years Beard sold the paper to George Hyland, who sold out after six months to William H. Hornibrook in April 1919.[5] Hornibrook sold the paper to Herbert Campbell, with the ownership change going into effect on May 1, 1921.[7]
In 1928, the newspaper moved from the Odd Fellows' building at 4th and Washington streets[8] into a newly constructed office building at the northwest corner of 10th and Broadway made specifically for the paper. The construction costs was $40,000.[9] One person remarked the property looked like a bank.[10]
In August 1947, rival newspaper Vancouver Daily Sun shuttered after publishing for four decades[11] and its subscriber list and advertising accounts were taken over by the Vancouver Columbian.[5] In 1954, construction on a new printing plant for the paper costing $375,000 began at West 8th and Grant street. The project was scheduled to be completed in July 1955.[12]The Columbian published its first Sunday edition on Aug. 6, 1972,[13] and added a Saturday edition on July 10, 1999.[14]
The paper briefly relocated to new offices just south of Esther Short Park on Jan. 13, 2008,[15] but, citing declining revenue, relocated to their original building at 701 W. 8th St. by December of the same year in an attempt to avert bankruptcy.[16] On May 1, 2009, The Columbian filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[17] On Feb. 5, 2010, the company emerged from bankruptcy.[18] On June 10, 2010, the city of Vancouver purchased the former Columbian building and surrounding land downtown for $18.5 million from the Bank of America to become its new city hall.[19]
Ben Campbell, the paper's fourth generation owner, was named publisher in 2020.[20]
