Newspapers in early Rock CountyThe following is taken from the Rose History printed in 1911:At the date of the publication of this volume six weekly newspapers are published in Rock County namely: Rock County Herald at Luverne by the estate of the late J.J. Miller, A.O. Moreaux, editor and manager; Luverne Journal by R.J. Ross, managing editor; Magnolia Advance by I.M. Cady, Beaver Creek Banner by H.H. Peters, Hills Crescent by A.A. Hanson, and Hardwick Star by W.R. Minard. Only these six journals survive out of total of 19 that have been founded since the newspaper history of Rock County began. Of the 19, seven were county seat journals, the Herald, Gazette, Times, Democrat, News, Journal and Western Literary Journal; five were published at Beaver Creek, the Graphic, Bee, News-Letter, Magnet and Banner; one, the Crescent, at Hills; three, the Citizen, Advance and Initiator, at Magnolia; the News and Star at Hardwick; and the Pioneer at Kenneth. The period of life of these papers varied from a few weeks to 38 years. In pioneer communities of the west the establishment of the first paper was always an item of great importance. A new settlement required a champion, and not until the settlement boasted a news journal was its permanency assured. After the founding of the pioneer journal it became "our paper" to all the residents ? an institution in which to take pride ? and everybody assumed the duty of seeing that it was properly supported. Sentiment entered largely into the new enterprise, and it has seldom occurred that the pioneer paper did not have a long life of usefulness. Notable examples locally are the Rock County Herald, Windom Reporter, Jackson Republic, Worthington Advance and Pipestone County Star. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156. Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
