The Onion's 25th anniversary: 10 of our favorite stories

We dig into the archives of America's self-proclaimed "Finest News Source"

The Onion, 2009
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Twenty-five years ago today, University of Wisconsin-Madison juniors Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson published the first-ever issue of The Onion — America's self-proclaimed "finest news source," and a brilliant, incredibly consistent home for some of the sharpest satire in modern discourse. Though the first headline ("Mendota Monster Mauls Madison") isn't exactly a classic, it set the stage for a publication that has since become a national treasure and the core component of a far-reaching media empire.

How did The Onion grow from its low-rent local roots to such heights? Here, track the growth of the publication with 10 of our favorite stories from The Onion's 25-year history:

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.