Open Court Publishing Company
Open Court Publishing Company traces its origins not to a university, but to a zinc foundry. Edward C. Hegeler ran the Matthiessen-Hegeler Zinc Company, at one time the largest zinc producer in the United States. In 1887, he founded a press. What drew a zinc magnate toward academic publishing? And how did a house devoted to reconciling science with religion come to publish volumes on The Simpsons and Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Hegeler's intention for his new press was precise. The firm would apply the scientific world-conception to religious and psychological questions. He chose Paul Carus as the company's first managing editor. Carus had joined the Hegeler family through his marriage to the engineer Mary Hegeler Carus.
For the first eighty years of Open Court's existence, its offices occupied the Hegeler Carus Mansion. The press developed a specialty in philosophy, science, and religion. It was among the first academic publishers to form in the country, and among the earliest to issue inexpensive editions of the classics.
One of the journals Open Court launched, The Monist, continues to be published today.
The journal The Open Court launched in February 1887 as the official publication of the Free Religious Association. Its first editor, Benjamin F. Underwood, resigned before the year was out. Paul Carus then stepped into the role and held it for thirty-two years, until his death.
The Open Court Monthly Magazine carried a distinctive motto. It read: "Devoted to the Science of Religion, the Religion of Science, and the Extension of the Religious Parliament Idea." Open Court Publishing Company continued to produce the journal until 1936.
The company continues to maintain offices in Chicago alongside its base in LaSalle.
George Reisch edits the Popular Culture and Philosophy series, one of Open Court's best-selling lines. The series appears on a semi-annual schedule, with each volume exploring the philosophy behind a piece of popular culture. Volumes on Star Trek, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer brought the series to broad public attention. Today Open Court remains part of the Carus Publishing Company of Peru, Illinois.
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Common questions
Who founded the Open Court Publishing Company and when?
Edward C. Hegeler founded Open Court Publishing Company in 1887. Hegeler ran the Matthiessen-Hegeler Zinc Company, at one time the largest zinc producer in the United States.
What subjects does Open Court Publishing Company specialize in?
Open Court Publishing Company specializes in philosophy, science, and religion. It was among the first academic presses in the United States and among the first publishers to release inexpensive editions of the classics.
Who was Paul Carus and what was his role at Open Court Publishing Company?
Paul Carus was Open Court's first managing editor and the son-in-law of founder Edward C. Hegeler through his marriage to the engineer Mary Hegeler Carus. He edited the journal The Open Court until his death.
What was the journal The Open Court and how long did Open Court Publishing Company produce it?
The Open Court was a journal Open Court Publishing Company produced from February 1887 until 1936. It launched as the official publication of the Free Religious Association, and its editor Paul Carus held the role for thirty-two years.
What is the Popular Culture and Philosophy series from Open Court Publishing?
The Popular Culture and Philosophy series is a semi-annual line edited by George Reisch. Volumes on Star Trek, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are among the titles that brought it to broad public attention. It is one of Open Court's best-selling series.
Is The Monist still being published by Open Court Publishing Company?
The Monist is a journal that Open Court Publishing Company launched, and it continues to be published today. Unlike The Open Court, which the company produced until 1936, The Monist remains an active publication.
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6 references cited across the entry
- 1NewsPower HouseJeffrey Felshman — May 31, 2001
- 3BookWritings of Charles S. Peirce: A Chronological EditionCharles S. Peirce — Indiana University Press — 2010
- 4BookA History of American MagazinesFrank Luther Mott — Harvard University Press — 1938
- 5JournalPaul Carus and the Open Court: The History of a JournalConstance Myers — 1964