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.

Acknowlegements 

We look forward to hearing from you about the project. Send your comments to the Indiana Room.