[2] The Journal traces its history back to the foundation of the weekly Mendocino Democrat in 1868 by Alex Montgomery.
B. Sanford purchased the paper, and in 1913 took on partner E. P. Thurston, who managed many of the day-to-day operations.
[3] Thurston would edit and publish the paper for 36 years, eventually selling it to Ben Cober.
In 1999, MediaNews Group (California Newspaper bought the paper as part of a ten newspaper deal with Donrey meant to expand MediaNews's holdings in Los Angeles and Northern California.
[11] In 2017, the Ukiah Daily Journal won 1st place in the Coverage of Local Government category in its division of California's Better Newspapers Contest.