Isabella history

Blanchard

The Tri-County Banner began publishing circa 1921. By 1928 it was published by C.F. and B.F. Grim.

Mount Pleasant

The Northern Pioneer began publishing on Nov. 30, 1864 by O.B. Church. It was Republican. It was continued by Isabella County Enterprise.

Isabella County Enterprise began publishing circa 1865. By 1868 it was published by Albert Fox. It was Republican. Fire destroyed the offices in 1875, and was printed the following week out of the publisher’s home. It ceased on Aug. 27, 1926 when it merged with Mount Pleasant Times to form Mount Pleasant Times and Isabella County Enterprise.

Morgan’s Watchtower began publishing as Isabella County Herald on Sept. 24, 1875 by J. Morgan. It was independent. “It was a scurrilous sheet, each week belching out foul and malicious odors through its columns until the people could stand it no longer, when criminal proceedings were commenced and in the end the paper was discontinued and the editor skipped the country and, so far as the historian knows, never returned. The Watchtower died and has been forgotten, if not forgiven.” (Past and present of Isabella County, Michigan by Isaac A. Fancher, p. 194.)

Mt. Pleasant Times began publishing in 1877 by Henry H. Graves. It went from Democratic, to Greenback to independent.

Mt. Pleasant Observer began publishing on Aug. 19, 1880 by George F. Lewis & Co. It was Democratic and short lived.

The Mt. Pleasant Democrat began publishing circa 1886 by Fred Russell and William T Whitney. By 1889 it was published by Brandon & McGrath. It eventually changed titles to Isabella County Courier.

Mt. Pleasant Independent began publishing circa April 1894 by the Independent Co. It published daily except Sundays.

Mount Pleasant Daily Bulletin began publishing on May 31, 1894 by Arthur S. Coutant. Coutant went on to publish a newspaper in Oregon.

Central Michigan Times began publishing circa 1895 by Theron A. Johnson who quickly sold it to Fred Olmstead and F.C. Crego. It likely absorbed The Shepherd Advocate. On Oct. 7, 1910 it changed titles to Mount Pleasant Times.

The Isabella County Courier was publishing by Apr. 1900 by Courier Publishing Co. and edited by Harry G. Miller. It likely absorbed The Mt. Pleasant Democrat.

Mount Pleasant Times began publishing on Oct. 14, 1910 by W.O. Hullinger. It continued Central Michigan Times. In Sept. 1926 it merged with Isabella County Enterprise, to form Mount Pleasant Times and Isabella County Enterprise.

Central Normal Life began publishing on Dec. 2, 1919 by Students and Faculty of the Central Michigan Normal School. It was published every Tuesday during the school year. On Aug. 3, 1927 it was continued by Central State Life which continued till 1941 when the title changed to Central Michigan Life and the publishing frequency increased.

Mount Pleasant Times and Isabella County Enterprise began publishing on Sept. 9, 1926 by Times Press. On Dec. 1, 1927 its title was shortened to Mount Pleasant Daily Times. This title continued until May 16, 1931 when it merged with Isabella County News, to form Isabella County Times-News. It was published daily, except Sundays.

Isabella County News began publishing on Dec. 21, 1928. It was Republican. In 1931 it merged with Mount Pleasant Daily Times to form Isabella County Times-News.

Isabella County Times-News began publishing on May 21, 1931 by Times Press. It published weekly from 1931 to 1948 when it went to daily, except Sundays. In June 1950 the title was shortened to Daily Times-News published by James L. Slattery. It ceased in 1977.

Central Michigan Tribune began publishing on Oct. 28, 1948 by Roe Publications. It published daily, except Sundays.

Dimension began publishing on Apr. 21, 1966 with Rick Fradl as editor. It started as a biweekly and changed to a weekly.

Morning Sun began publishing on Mar. 5, 1977 by Panax Corp. It published daily except Sundays and holidays. It continued Daily Record-Leader of Ithaca, Gratiot County.

Isabella County Herald began publishing circa Feb. 1989 by MacDonald Publications. It continued Shopper.

Rosebush

Rosebush Advertiser began publishing on Mar. 29, 1934 by T. E. Anderson. It began as a semimonthly and increased to weekly on Apr. 19, 1934.

Shepherd (formerly Salt River)

Northwestern Tribune began publishing circa Sept. 1879 by Simeon C. Brown and sons. It was Republican. It moved to Mount Pleasant in Mar. 1881. It published a daily edition for ten days in 1890. In 1910 it merged with Isabella County Enterprise.

The Shepherd News began publishing circa Nov. 1887 by A.W. Hurst.

Isabella County Republican began publishing Dec. 13, 1893 by Willis E. Brown & Son. It was continued by Shepherd Argus.

The Shepherd Graphic began publishing circa May 1897 by J.A. Sutton.

The Shepherd Argus was publishing by 1960 by Grim Printing Co. It continued Isabella County Republican.

Weidman

Weidman Messenger began publishing circa 1913. By 1925 it was published by H.L. VanOmmeren.

The Weidman Dispatch began publishing on June 6, 1946 by Banner Printing Co.

Weidman Messenger began publishing on June 12, 1952 by Minnie Roe, Constance Roe, Allys Roe. It ceased on Jan. 14, 1960.

The Weidman Messenger began publishing circa June 1964 by George & Constnace Skinner. It ceased on Mar. 1, 1979.