Origins of Free Republic

Self

[festus]

So how far back does the Free Republic archive articles and how can I go back and find some of the first threads that started the whole thing off ?

It struck me I've hung out for a while and it was well established when I joined.

Be fun to see what we were focused on day one. For me anyway.

[festus]

Thanks.

[diamond6]

You should ping Jim Robinson.

[unkus]

Thank you in advance ping.

[Jet Jaguar]

Okay, I lurked well before 2000 elections. Some changes, but the 1997 FR alums would know the real story.

[Always Right]

Be fun to see what we were focused on day one.

A lot of anti-bubba stuff, plus many quasi-militia types. A lot more attention to Constitutional issues.

[RushCrush]

Have you ever seen the birth of a kitten?

[quidnunc]

I believe that all the early Free Republic threads were deleated as part of the settlememt of a lawsuit by the LA Times and WaPo.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

*** ASH ALERT ***

[jdm]

I think you originally had to log-in through a DOS prompt.

[mylife]

viking kittens?

[Remole]

I first found FR on that fateful day in early 98, when Drudge posted the headlines about Clinton and an affair. While scrolling through the column headings on Drudge, I saw the one entitled "Whitewater," and clicked, and was hooked.

[Screamname]

Here`s a cool website for that.......

http://web.archive.org/web/*/freerepublic.com

[Dog Gone]

I hope you never find some of the dumb posts I made last century.

[boomop1]

Yep old Ash alert I am member 500 and something so long my memory is fading.

[Wolverine]

Review

[Mr. Jeeves]

I came in January, 1998, when Drudge linked Free Republic during the Lewinsky scandal. That's all anyone talked about back then - it was a long, strange trip with much more bizarre characters posting than we have today. Fewer Calvinist vs. Catholic death matches and more personal interaction between a smaller group - mostly on the theme of "Impeach Bill Now".

FR was a BBS in the mid-90's before moving to the Internet, but that was well before my time.

[Always Right]

FreeRepublic: How it looked in 1996! 1997! 1998!

[BARLF]

Me too. Changed screen name and lost my original date.

Doug from upland is one of the oldies.

[onyx]

You're member number 522.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?id=522

[girlangler]

I had a friend direct me to the DrudgeReport, and I found a link for FR from there. I have been addicted ever since, but only started posting 1 1/2 to 2 years ago. But, I was on here (lurking) back in the 1990s, during the Clinton administration days.

Some early things I remember is that crazy woman in Idaho, and her kids holding law enforcement at bay with guns. And the shovel brigade. I also learned about the stolen FBI files (Clinton administration) and watched with fascination the Clinton impeachment, became a BIG fan of Henry Hyde during that period.