Be sure to save the date! This event will be the biggest party in Claremont for 2023! It’s open to the public and a unique time to celebrate our community, while raising money for the Claremont Courier nonprofit.

Questions? Here’s my email or check out the story below. paweinberger@gmail.com

Come celebrate with us

One could say the Claremont Courier’s first-ever hardcover, coffee table photography book, Timeless Claremont, literally shows the people and places that made Claremont the destination city it has become. But this book is so much more than that!

This photo-driven, 170-page project has over 200 award-winning images produced by Courier photojournalists over the past 50 years. All together, this one-of-a-kind, stunning collection of images will amaze, delight and make you laugh, and maybe even cry.

Given the Courier’s decades-long reputation for strong photography, publishing a book has been discussed before. The hard part was the time and cost it takes to produce and design over 170 pages. Especially including the demands of producing a weekly newspaper and daily website.

This one-of-a-kind, 170-page coffee table photography book, sells for $79 including tax. Check our story below for details and link to payment page. A limited number of copies will be exhibited at the Courier’s book party on December 2 at CGU. All are welcome!

This year however, has been different. The staff now includes not one but two strong designers — Skylar Anderson and Grace Felschundneff — plus two seasoned editors — Steven Felschundneff and Mick Rhodes — to help with photo and copy editing. Not to mention yours truly, who has been wanting to publish this book for over a decade.

What also changed is our nonprofit status. This enabled us to connect with a group of people willing to sponsor the production in advance, offsetting enormous upfront costs. Make no mistake, this is a book self-published by the Claremont Courier, printed by a world-class printer.

The first two pages of Timeless Claremont show members of the Claremont Police Department and friends getting drenched for a good cause.

When it all started

Both Martin and Janis Weinberger had a love affair with photography. Both were experienced photographers, and their work filled Courier pages for years. But, the Courier was growing during the 1970s, and by 1974, Martin knew it was time to hire a staff photographer.

That person was George Rose, the first of many accomplished photojournalists whose work graced Courier pages. After the Courier won several nationwide awards from the National Press Photographers Association in 1976 for its use of photography, representatives from large publications like the Chicago Tribune complained that they could not compete with this little community newspaper near Los Angeles. Soon two circulation categories were established for large and small publications to keep everyone happy.

Gaining national recognition also helped the Courier become a vital career stepping stone for photographers and photo interns. We’ve had seven former staffers and interns jump directly to the Los Angeles Times alone, including myself.

Even as the industry has changed and expanded into digital, the Courier’s reputation for fine photojournalism still exists today. This book represents some of our finest work.

We believe this book will become part of Claremont’s long history. Yes, it represents a visual history of the city. But it’s edited to present only our best photography. So it’s not a typical history book. And I guarantee it presents a rare opportunity to own or gift a truly unique treasure. All while supporting the Courier and our local, fact-based journalism.

In honor of Village Venture Saturday, here are two wonderful award-winning images by Steven Felschundneff. There are over 200 images in our book.

How to own a copy

Timeless Claremont will cost $79, including tax. It is currently at the printer going through a long printing process. The book has a cloth hardcover, with the photo indented like a frame. Printed on heavy paper, the book will last a lifetime. It will debut at a party hosted by the Courier and Claremont Graduate University on December 2, to celebrate all the people who made a difference. Mark the date! Everyone is invited!

You can reserve your copy or copies of Timeless Claremont by going to our website’s payment page (QR code is shown below), or by visiting claremont-courier.com/payments-form, by emailing Anna Hoy at anna@claremont-courier.com, or by calling us at (909) 621-4761. All reservations must be paid in advance. Our preferred options are via website or email.

Courier staff will handle all procurement. We will contact you when the book(s) are available for pick up at the Courier office, 114 Olive St., Claremont.

We also hope you will consider making a donation when purchasing your copy (not mandatory). This book represents hundreds of hours of labor, all focused on showing the marvelous ways we live our lives.

Thank you all once again for all your support of the Claremont Courier. We could not have done this without you!

—Peter Weinberger