Local newspaper marks 125 years!

It’s often been said that newspapers record the first draft of history for a community. For over 125 years, the Amery Free Press has been doing just that, on a weekly basis. 

The paper’s small but mighty staff celebrated that milestone this week, with an open house, and a special-edition vintage cover.

The paper began on June 4, 1889, when C. B. Dodge beganw publishing the first newspaper in Amery called the Amery Echo. He discontinued issuing it by the end of that year. 

The Amery Free Press arrived on the scene in 1892 and was published for a few years by M. S. Frissell. Early in the 1900’s, it was purchased by B. R. “Barney” Atwood, who served as its editor and publisher until 1935. In that year he formed a partnership with Robert A. Broad, which lasted two years, with Broad purchasing the Atwood interest.

Broad continued to publish the newspaper until October 1, 1942, when he leased the business to Palmer H. Sondreal, an employee of the firm. In April, 1943, Sondreal purchased the newspaper.

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