Myrtle Point Herald

The ''Myrtle Point Herald'' is a weekly newspaper in Myrtle Point, Oregon.

History

Myrtle Point's first newspaper was called the ''West Oregonian''. The name was mocked at the time as ''The Oregonian'' of Portland and ''East Oregonian'' of Pendleton were already in circulation. The ''West Oregonian'' was founded as a Republican paper. The owner was merchant W.L. Dixon, who served was publisher, with Orval Dodge as editor and Dr. J. J. Gussenhoven as the business manager. It was printed by Washington hand press and first published on Dec. 3, 1889. The press was delivered by steam schooner from San Francisco to Bandon, then by river boat into town. At the time Myrtle Point had 300 residents who all came out to see the press delivered to its new home.

After experiencing early financial difficulties, a group of local merchants called The Board of Trade of Myrtle Point bought the paper and installed Dodge as publisher/editor. The next owner was John H. Roberts, followed by Dodge, then attorney W. O. Philips, who failed and returned the paper to Roberts. After many changes in management and location, the plant was eventually sold off. The paper officially ceased sometime in August 1895.

Myrtle Point was without a newspaper for a time. But E. P. Thorp and W. C. Conner saw an opportunity. The duo published the ''Riddle'' ''Enterprise'' in Riddle for two years before deciding to move their plant to Myrtle Point to launch the ''Myrtle Point'' ''Enterprise'' on November 16, 1895. Conner operated the paper for four years until selling it to G. M. Short and J. C. Roberts. In October 1901, E. C. Roberts acquired Short's interest, and sold it in May 1905 to L. J. Roberts.

In 1909, L. C. Bargelt bought out Roberts, later selling his stake to C. M. Schultz. In 1917, Schultz sold the ''Enterprise'' to W. R. Smith, who then immediately changed the name to the ''Southern Coos County American'' out of patriotic fervor inspired by World War I. In 1923, J. M. Bledsoe bought the paper from Smith, who then sold it in George E. Hamilton about two years later. Hamilton soon renamed the paper to the ''Myrtle Point'' ''Herald'' because he disliked the long name, feeling it gave subscribers writer's cramp writing it across checks. Hamilton put the paper into its own building for the first time. He sold it in 1932 to father and son R. L. and J. L. Tucker.

After Tucker died, his widow sold the paper in 1940 to Arthur R. Jones. Jones was a Presbyterian minster who previously published papers in John Day, Prineville and Condon. In 1947, Jones sold the paper to Logan White. In 1948, Elbert Floyd Hall, who a year prior sold the ''Canby Herald'', and his brother George Hall of Tampa, Florida, purchased the ''Herald'' from White. Elbert Hall worked as the business manager and George Hall as the paper's editor. In 1953, a defective oil burner conversion unit caught the ''Heralds office and printing plant on fire. Ten tons of newsprint was destroyed but important machinery were not affected. Damages were estimated at $4,000.

In 1961, ''Herald'' publisher E. F. Hall died. His son Al Hall then bought out George Hall and back the ''Herald'''s new publisher. In 2013, Matt and Kim Hall purchased the ''Herald.'' At the time, the Halls also owned the '' Port Orford News'' and '' Curry County Reporter''.

References

{{Reflist
Coos County, Oregon
Newspapers published in Oregon
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Newspapers established in 1889
1889 establishments in Oregon