The McGraw-Hill Companies has been a leader in providing trusted information and analysis for well over a century. From the Industrial Revolution to the Internet Revolution, The McGraw-Hill Companies has filled a critical need for information and insight by helping individuals and businesses in a broad range of markets.

Founder James H. McGraw, a teacher in upstate New York, began working in publishing in 1884, and purchased the American Journal of Railway Appliances in 1888. At the same time, co-founder John A. Hill was working as an editor at Locomotive Engineer. Over the next fifteen years, the two men pursued their separate careers specializing in technical and trade publications. In 1899, McGraw incorporated his publications under the heading of "The McGraw Publishing Company;" in 1902, John Hill followed with "The Hill Publishing Company."

The two men had crossed paths over the years and their mutual interest in science and technology led to an alliance in 1909. The book departments of the two publishing companies merged to form the McGraw-Hill Book Company. John Hill took the office of President; James McGraw became the company's Vice-President. The rest of the functions of the McGraw and Hill companies continued their separate existence, buying and expanding on numerous publications.

The partnership was developing well, but the sudden death of John A. Hill in 1916 was a blow to the growing company. Business continued despite the loss, with James McGraw taking over as Book Company President. In 1917, the remaining parts of the companies merged to form the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Inc. and moved into the Hill Building on Tenth Avenue in New York City. Much as the companies merged, some of the publications that duplicated each other merged as well—Hill's Engineering News and McGraw's Engineering Record became McGraw-Hill's Engineering News-Record.