Newspapers contain a great deal of information concerning local events, and state and national events that were instrumental in shaping lives. Information concerning the social and cultural history, economics, politics, and individualism of members of the community can be found. City and county commission minutes and other official records were printed in the newspaper. Advertisements provide information concerning businesses that were a part of the community. Biases in reporting and information in articles indicate civic attitudes. Editorials outline positions on more controversial issues of the day. Starting in the 1950s, newspapers posted birth and marriage announcements and death notices and obituaries.
The Society is also the current custodian of hardcopy Mandan Pioneer newspapers that were previsouly kept at the Mandan Library. These issues are available for viewing at our Main Street location during normal business hours, or by appointment.
The State Historical Society of North Dakota has the best collection of historic newspapers at the Heritage Center on the State Capitol grounds in Bismarck. Although SHSND materials generally do not circulate, most newspapers are available on microfilm through interlibrary loan. For additional details, visit their website at http://history.nd.gov/archives/whatnewspapers.html
History Of Newpapers in Mandan
Mandan's first newspaper, the Mandan Criterion, was first published on May 24, 1879. Harry Robinson, originally from Wisconsin, arrived into town on May 16, 1879 bringing his printing equipment with him and quickly opened his print shop. His paper was the official Morton County newspaper until a new upstart competitor, The Mandan Pioneer, started operations on October 1881 and replaced the Criterion as official county newspaper in January 1882. Robinson remained in the area until at least June 1887. Unfortunately no issues of the Criterion have survived for study.
Inner Header December 1890
The Mandan Pioneer weekly newspaper was initially owned by F.H. Ertel, previously from Jamestown and Herbert H. Gove originally from Rochester, Minnesota. Gove would quickly sell his interest in the venture and move to the west coast. In August 1883, the paper incorporated and boasted prominatel local businessmen as stockholders including the Marquis de Mores, Michael Lang, Joseph Miller, R.M. Tuttle, Charles Wilson, A.C. Macrorie, George Bingenheimer and F.H. Ertel. In 1884, R.M. Tuttle purchased Ertel's share and under his leadership the paper's circulation grew.
The group sold their interest in the paper in about 1896 to W. Harry Spears. In 1909, Edwin (E. A.) Tostevin bought the paper.
The printshop was originally located at 110 2nd Ave NW but relocated to West Main Street, in the Pioneer Block, where it remained until 1910. By 1909, its circulation was larger than all the other papers in Morton County, combined. Tostevin would move it into larger quarters in the basement of the Hotel Mandan on the northwest corner of Collins Avenue and Main Street.
The paper continued as a weekly until April of 1914 when it became a daily paper and redubbed the Mandan Daily Pioneer.Lively, local political campaigns for state and county offices and the outbreak of WWI ensured the necessity for a daily paper and the circulation almost doubled in a short time.The Mandan Daily Pioneer was an influential paper serving the Western Slope area.
A second generation of the Tostevin family continued operations and ended a its 54-year ownership of the paper until sold to Conrad Publishing of Bismarck in April 1963. The paper would subsequently be published from a brand new facility on east Memorial Highway southeast of current Perry's funeral home/ former Gourmet House). The publication was renamed the Morning Pioneer.
As society moved to getting its news from television rather than the print media, readership fell dramatically and the consolitation in the newspaper industry was in full swing by the 1980s. Lee Enterprises eventually purchased the Pioneer and merged it into the Bismarck Tribune's circulation.
Conrad also published the Mandan News from a location at 414 West Main St. In 1975, John F. Maher and his family took over the Mandan News, which continues today as a Lee Enterprises operation.
The Mandan Times was published out of a space on Livingston Avenue between Main and First Streets, offered weekly news and promotions to residents. It was the official paper of both the City of Mandan and Morton County in 1898.
The Mandan Republican was published from its location at 422 West Main St with Smith A. Young a publisher. Its circulation peaked in the early 1920s when Mandan supported five newspapers.
Morton County and Mandan News editor Peg Nelson has resigned in 2000 after a four-year career with the newspaper and other Lee Enterprises publications. Nelson became editor after the resignation of general manager Ken Elias in 1998.
The MHSoc's museum and office is located at 411 W Main St, Mandan, ND 58554 Contact us at info@mandanhistory.org or leave message at (701) 751-2983
