The Genesis of Godey's Lady's Book

Abstract

T HE first American periodicals for women were founded in Boston and Philadelphia, cities later distinguished as the two theaters of activity of that greatest of all lady magazinists, Sarah J. Hale. Earlier journals had held out alluring bait to the females, but the first to cater openly to them was the Gentleman and Lady's Town and Country, which began publication in Boston in 1784.1 It lived but nine months. Eight years later appeared the Philadelphia Lady's Magazine and Repository of Entertaining Knowledge. This, the first of our exclusively women's periodicals, lasted about a year.2 For the next quarter-century the record is blank. New York, rapidly becoming a publishing center, put forth the Weekly Visitor and Ladies' Museum in 1817, and the Ladies' Literary Cabinet in 1819. In the latter year a weekly tid-bit was offered Southern dames and misses-the Ladies' Magazine of Savannah. But when summer came and subscribers betook them-