Key dates in the history of The Washington Post, 1877-present

WASHINGTON — Key dates in the history of The Washington Post:

— 1877: The newspaper is founded by Democrat Stilton Hutchins and published its first edition on Dec. 6, with an initial circulation of 10,000.

— 1889: Hutchins sells to Republican Cabinet member Frank Hatton and former Democratic Congressman Beriah Wilkins.

— 1905: John R. McLean, owner of The Cincinnati Enquirer, purchases the paper, which becomes loyal to the Democratic Party.

— 1916: McLean dies. His son, Edward, becomes publisher and switches the paper's allegiance to the Republican Party. Circulation and advertising drops, and the paper falls into receivership.

— 1933: The Post is purchased at a bankruptcy auction by Eugene Meyer, a California-born financier and a member of the Federal Reserve's board of governors. Under Meyer, the paper's reputation improves, and circulation triples to 162,000 by 1943.

— 1946: Meyer's son-in-law, Philip L. Graham, succeeds him as publisher.

— 1954: The Post purchases its last morning rival, the Washington Times-Herald, increasing circulation to 380,000. The paper is known as The Washington Post and Times-Herald until 1973.

— 1961: The Washington Post Co. purchases Newsweek magazine.

— 1963: Philip Graham commits suicide at his farm in Virginia. His widow, Meyer's daughter, Katharine Graham, succeeds him as publisher.

— 1971: The Washington Post Co. goes public, selling stock on the New York Stock Exchange at $26 per share.

— 1972: The Post begins reporting on a break-in at the Democratic National Committee's offices at Washington's Watergate hotel. The ensuing scandal would lead to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

— 1984: The Washington Post Co. purchases Stanley H. Kaplan Educational Centers Limited, which would grow into a leading test-preparation company.

— 2000: Boisfeuillet Jones Jr. becomes publisher and CEO of The Post. Donald Graham becomes chairman.

— 2001: Katharine Graham dies at age 84.

— 2008: Katharine Weymouth, Katharine Graham's granddaughter, is named publisher and CEO of The Post.