The Asbury Park Press, formerly known as the Shore Press, Daily Press, Asbury Park Daily Press, and Asbury Park Evening Press, is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state.^[1] Established in 1879, it has been owned by Gannett since 1997.^[2] It has a history of winning and almost winning national awards for its public service and investigative reporting.

The Asbury Park Press was founded under the name Shore Press in 1879 by Dr. Hugh S. Kinmonth.;^[3] a publication that was only published once a week.^[4] In October 1884 the paper was sold at auction to S. T. Hendrickson and W. W. Conover; men who already owned a considerable amount of stock in the newspaper.^[5] Hendrickson and Conover in turn sold the paper to the brothers Roderic C. Penfield and Norman W. Penfield in December 1884.^[6] The brothers owned the publishing and editing firm Penfield Bros. and took over the publishing and editing of the newspaper at this point with Norman serving as managing editor.^[7]

The Penfield brothers significantly expanded the physical size of the Shore Press, improved the quality of the journalism, and made innovative improvements to the design and layout of the paper.^[8][9] In June 1887 the brothers founded the Daily Press as a companion publication to the Shore Press. When initially established, the Daily Press was published every weekday morning during the summer months.^[4] The brothers continued to own and operate the paper into the year 1895. In August 1895 public notice was given on the financial problems of the Penfield Bros. firm, and the following September the firm was declared bankrupt in orphans court.^[10]

Following the bankruptcy of the Penfields, the Shore Press, Daily Press, and the Penfield's publishing plant in Asbury Park were purchased by Dr. Hugh S. Kinmonth at an assignee's sale in October 1895.^[11] Kinmonth sold the paper to his nephew, Lyle J. Kinmoth,^[3] and after several months of non-publication the paper was relaunched as the Asbury Park Daily Press on March 30, 1896.^[12] Under his leadership the Daily Press expanded into a year-round daily publication,^[3] with the Shore Press serving as the paper's Sunday publication through 1904. The Asbury Daily Press was re-named the Asbury Park Evening Press beginning with the Monday, June 22, 1903 publication of the paper.^[13] It was published under that name until 1974 when its name became the Asbury Park Press, beginning with the Monday, September 30, 1974 publication.^[14]