Readers most likely noticed the very special Cook County News-Herald bears on the front cover of this week’s issue. They were created by North Shore icon Howard Sivertson for the News- Herald’s 100th anniversary, 20 years ago.
This issue marks the 120th anniversary of the News-Herald. On the blue bar on the front page is Vol. 121 No. 1. That means we have finished our 120th year of publication. There are 52 issues every year so we are starting over once again with No. 1.
I am so very proud to have played a tiny part in the long history of serving the Cook County community newspaper. I’ve been looking forward to this “big” anniversary for some time. I thought of the News- Herald’s upcoming birthday, as we have covered anniversaries of other North Shore businesses— Stephan Hoglund Jewelry’s 30th year; Cook County North Shore Hospital’s 50th year and Joynes Department Store’s 70th year. The only still-in-business business older than the News-Herald is Lutsen Resort, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2010.
The News-Herald has covered all of these businesses and more for 120 years now. We’ve shared stories of start-up enterprises and sadly covered the closure of others.
We’ve had reporters at county board and city council and township meetings for 12 decades, winnowing through the sometimes excruciatingly boring exchanges to weed out what the public needs to know. We’ve written about heartbreaking tragedies and covered crimes, and we’ve made some enemies.
But we’ve also had the joy of sharing uplifting news. We get to share the news of births and engagements and weddings. We’ve taken hundreds of pictures of the first day of school and of graduation ceremonies. We get to share stories of school successes and sporting triumphs. We write features on bird-banders and beekeepers and pow-wows and picnics and more.
I wonder if DeLacy Wood imagined in 1891 that the little newspaper he started in Grand Marais—then known as the Grand Marais Pioneer—would still be around 120 years later. He might have, if the community was anything like it is today.
Because despite the differences and diversity of Cook County, there is one thing that we can count on—our Cook County News-Herald readers, advertisers, and contributors. It is all of you who have kept our community newspaper alive for 120 years.
There are only so many places a small town newspaper staff can be at once; only so many events or meetings that can be covered. That is where you come in, News- Herald readers. It is because of you calling us with story tips, lending us old photos for our Historical Reflections feature or taking pictures of hockey, curling, skijoring and snowmobiling that we are able to pack our pages full of local news and information every week. We are happy to show off your hunting and fishing photos. And of course we enjoy the opinionated letters to the editor that come in each week. We may not always agree, but we enjoy reading them!
So, give yourself a big pat on the back and keep those ads, stories, pictures and letters to the editor coming. Because if it weren’t for our friends and neighbors sharing news with us, we wouldn’t be celebrating our 120th anniversary.
My work is being destroyed
almost as soon as it is printed.
One day it is being read; the next
day someone’s wrapping fish in it.
Al Capp
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