The Smithville News
A Digital Collection of Smithville's History 1897 - 1915
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Local merchants most likely published Smithville's first newspaper, Name It & Take It, in 1897.
Later it was named The Smithville News.
Destroyed in a fire in 1901, the newspaper was revived in 1908 by Ralph B. Carter, a local telephone exchange pioneer. Under Carter, The Smithville News covered local business, limestone, railroad news, and happenings--society news, church events, obituaries, the occasional criminal mischief, and gossip about who was courting whom--in Smithville, Harrodsburg, Sanders, Fairfax and Clear Creek. Marketed as politically independent, the newspaper took editorial "digs" at some hot-button Progressive Era issues such as prohibition, teacher pay, fair business practices, transportation, and rural mail service.
A Timeline of Smithville Events is also available.
We look forward to hearing from you about the project. Send your comments to the Indiana Room.