The Graham Leader's founding on Aug. 16, 1876 predated the city of Graham's incorporation by 16 years. Former Confederate Army Col. J.W. Graves came to Young County in 1876 to launch the newspaper. By October of the following year, the newspaper had grown to serve 700 readers. In 1944, Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Harris Sr. bought The Leader. Their son, E.B. Harris Jr., who saw The Leader through its conversion from hot metal to photo offset reproduction, became publisher in 1978. Today, The Graham Leader is the flagship of Palo Pinto Communications, LP, which also includes the Breckenridge American and Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.
