OLDEST -- Newspaper West of the Brazos River: The Albany News, Albany TX
N 32° 43.514 W 099° 17.828
14S E 472157 N 3620865
The weekly Albany News has been covering rural Shackelford County and West Texas since 1883. That makes it the oldest paper west of the Brazos.
Waymark Code: WMJEB7
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/07/2013
Views: 4
In 2013, the Shackelford County Historical Society erected a new State Historic marker in front of the offices of the Albany News, which has been pubishing a weekly newspaper in this remote rural community since 1883.
The marker reads as follows:
"In 1866, a Union Army regular, Harry Hall (H. H.) McConnell (1837-1895) left Pennsylvania and traveled to Fort Belknap near Jacksboro. A natural journalist, he was a talented writer with an inquisitive mind and sense of humor. Along with his partner, R. Chandler, McConnell began a newspaper in Jacksboro called the Frontier Echo on June 30, 1875. Later that year, Captain George W. Robson (1837-1918), a Union officer from Kansas, bought the Echo. In 1878 Robson relocated to Fort Griffin and renamed the newspaper the Fort Griffin Echo, and from 1883-1884, it was named the Albany Echo. Robson’s newspaper was a success with much to say about crime, religion, politics, civic responsibility, and public morals.
In 1879, Edgar Rye, a Kentucky man who briefly worked with Robson, began a newspaper called the Albany Tomahawk. For four years Robson’s and Rye’s newspapers rivaled each other through print. Finally, in 1884, Rye purchased the Echo, merged it with the Albany Star to form the Albany News (Also known as the Albany Weekly News from 1891-1894).
With the talents of Don H. Biggers of Breckenridge, Rye’s newspaper was lively, unusual, and excellent for the West Texas journalism world of the 19th century.
The 20th century editors, Paul Baker from 1908-1917, Col. Dick McCarty from 1917-1944 and John McGaughey from 1939-1971, gave the newspaper more creativity and stability. Many historians regularly use these noteworthy newspapers foe historical research and to gain insight into West Texas history. These significant publications and contributors gave future Texans knowledge and understanding of frontier life, people, and events."
The marker ceremony was covered regionally by the big-city Abilene TX Reporter News. That story is reproduced here:
"Marker commemorates longtime newspaper Albany News
By Mark Smith
Posted June 28, 2013 at 5:12 p.m.
A Big Country newspaper was honored Friday afternoon with a historical marker for the 135 years it has served the area.
The Albany News, a weekly newspaper located in Albany for 130 years, received a historical marker from the Shackelford County Historical Commission at 1 p.m. outside its office.
Melinda Lucas, Albany News editor and owner, said the marker commemorates the publication’s dedication to documenting frontier development, beginning in the late 19th century. Jess Phillips, who spoke at the event on behalf of the historical commission, said the news publication deserved the honor for its long history in west Texas.
“It’s the oldest newspaper on the west side of the Brazos River,” Phillips said.
The marker, Lucas said, documents the history of the newspaper, which began in Jacksboro, near Wichita Falls, in 1875 as the Jacksboro Frontier Echo. It relocated 70 miles west three years later to Fort Griffin, in Shackelford County, and became the Fort Griffin Echo. Five years after that, the newspaper moved south to Albany, also in Shackelford, and took the name of the Albany Echo. The next year, it changed its name to the Albany News.
The commemoration specifically revered the newspaper’s earliest leaders for reporting the news of the frontier." [end]
Type of documentation of superlative status: newspaper story, historic documentation for marker
Location of coordinates: in front of the Albany News building
Web Site: [Web Link]
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