Sentinel Mural

Keene traces its daily paper back to March 23, 1799, when it began publication as a weekly issue. First called the New Hampshire Sentinel, it has been published continuously since that date. It added a daily in 1890, with the inauguration of the Keene Evening Sentinel.  

John Prentiss of Leominster, MA, moved to Keene in 1799 to publish the first NH Sentinel on his 21st birthday.  His newspaper began with 70 subscribers at $1.50 a year.  The business continued to grow and purchased its own building at 55 Main Street in 1893, where it remained for 37 years before moving to a new location at 60 West Street in 1930.  In addition to his newspaper, John Prentiss became a commercial printer, publishing books including novels and textbooks well into the 19th century. 

Today, the Sentinel is the fifth-oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States . It covers Keene and 30 towns in Cheshire County. 

Mural location:

South facing 28 Washington St

Designed by:

Joe Diaz – Diaz Sign Art Pontiac, IL

• 55 Main Street, Keene-  the original Sentinel building

• 30 West Street, Keene- the current Sentinel building

Keene Sentinel newspaper