The Daily Cardinal was first established in 1892 by William Wesley Young, who went on to become the UW's first journalism major. The paper has been a major staple in the UW's history, outlasting its earlier competitors and surviving many attempts at censorship in the early days of its publication. In fact, in 1985 The Daily Cardinal was almost the victim of a takeover by its rival, the Badger Herald.

Today, the Cardinal remains alive and well, and archived issues of The Daily Cardinal dating back to about 1910 are kept in bound volumes at The Daily Cardinal's home in Vilas Hall, 821 University Avenue, on the UW-Madison campus. To inquire about viewing the bound volumes or to request a copy of a particular article, contact The Daily Cardinal office at (608) 262-8000 or visit dailycardinal.com.