Preston Newspapers 1875-1903

The Preston Republican (Preston, Minn.) 1875-1884 Browse the title

The Preston democrat (Preston, Minn.) 1884-1886 Browse the title

Preston times (Preston, Minn.) 1886-1947 Browse the title

The courier (Preston, Minn.) 1893-1900 Browse the title

The town of Preston is located directly in the center of Fillmore County, situated on the border with Iowa in Southeastern Minnesota. The area now known as Preston was first settled in 1853 and was officially organized in 1855. Preston is situated on the banks of the Root River, one of the primary waterways of Fillmore County and the main source of power for the local gristmill, one of Preston’s earliest employers. Preston’s water power would make it a local center for milling in the decades that followed.

The Preston Republican was under the direction of P.P. Wall (editor and proprietor, October 28, 1875-May 3, 1883) and, later, H.S. Bassett (editor and proprietor, May 10, 1883) until publication ceased on February 21, 1884. By 1887, according to an advertisement in the Preston Times (December 15, 1887), Mr. Bassett had moved on to real estate law.

The Preston Democrat (February 28, 1884-July 1886) was a short lived title that continued the Preston Republican (October 28, 1875-February 21,1884) and became the Preston Times in July 1886. Though its masthead claims an established date of 1861, one would be hard-pressed to trace the chain of titles back to its original incarnation, the Republican, not to be confused with the Preston Republican which is another, later incarnation.

The Preston Times, under the direction of S.A. Langum, began publication in July of 1886, continuing the Preston Democrat. The Times would continue publication until 1947 when it merged with a newspaper also title the Preston Republican which had begun publication in 1903. The Times covered an array of news from local, county, state and national sources. Though the Times states no direct political affiliation, there appears to be a more coverage given to Republican Party events and Conservative agenda items, such as conventions and candidates.

The Courier began publication in 1893, alongside the Times. The Courier touted itself as a practical farmer’s magazine, advertising with the lengthy line: "Every Farmer should take at least one good county paper, and keep posted on the happenings of Fillmore County. Such a paper we intend to make The Courier". In its inaugural issue the Courier states its intent to publish ongoing articles related to the temperance movement, among many other subjects. One might also take note of the high occurrence of "cure-all" tonic and syrup advertisements present in this self-described farmers circular. The Courier ran from 1893 to 1900 at which point it was absorbed by the Harmony News and the Wykoff Messenger.

Sources

Upham, Warren. Minnesota Place Names. Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2001.

Bassett, H.S. "Attorney and Counsellor at Law." Preston Times, December 15, 1887