A timeline of Freedom Communications and The Orange County Register

March 19, 2016

Updated 4:15 p.m.

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1935: Ohio native Raymond Cyrus Hoiles buys the Register. His son, Clarence, takes over business operations and the elder Hoiles takes control of editorial content. Hoiles also buys the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, the first of several paper acquisitions. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

1957: The Register moves out of downtown Santa Ana to an orchard at 625 N. Grand Ave. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1985: The Register staff wins its first Pulitzer Prize for photography of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The same year, the newspaper is renamed The Orange County Register. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1984: Rowdy Gaines helped U.S. swimmers dominate competition held at USC winning the 100 freestyle and anchoring thewinning 4x100 relay. This image was part of The Register's 1984 Pulitzer entry. HAL STOELZLE, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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1989: Register reporter Edward Humes wins the Pulitzer Prize for Specialized Reporting, based on his coverage of the military. It was the paper's second Pulitzer. Former editor N. Christian Anderson at right pours champagne over Humes. STEVE OUALLINE, FILE PHOTO

2012: Boston businessmen Eric Spitz, left, and Aaron Kushner buy Freedom Communications for $50 million. After years of dwindling staff, the new owners go on a hiring spree and the newsroom balloons from 188 employees to more than 400. They also launch new sections, magazines and expanded community editions across the county. LEONARD ORTIZ, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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2013: Lynette Sewell reads the first edition of the Long Beach Register