Newspapers

Fallon County, Montana

Newspapers

The Fallon County Library has preserved a nearly complete collection of newspapers from the early 1900's. If you should request a copy of any of the articles from either the Fallon County Library or from Betty Kusler, be prepared to pay a small fee for such. They are stored in an area which has no copy equipment and are rather hard to handle.

A little background on the various newspapers associated with this data base: [Taken from Golden Jubilee 1908-1958, Baker Montana]

1909 - Baker Sentinel founded by George J. Buergi.

1910 - Atty. L. A. Conser purchased the Baker Sentinel and was editor and publisher.

1919 - Closed for lack of help and poor financial condition.

1920 - A number of Republicans took over the paper with Frank Mains, manager. Several others among them R. S. Hamilton, Roy Moshier. Mrs. Lucy McLemore managed the paper.

1914 - The Fallonite was started by Fagaines & Fagaines.

1915 - The paper was bought by Butte Tipton, who changed the name to Fallon County Times.

1917 - September of this year the paper was bought by Karl R. Pleissner Co.

1925 - The Plevna Herald, founded by George Buergi in 1912, was bought by Karl R. Pleissner Co., closed down and consolidated with the Fallon County Times.

1928 - The Baker Sentinel was bought by Karl R. Pleissner Co. and consolidated with the Fallon County Times.

1952 - The Fallon County Times was sold to Lathrop & Beringer. After 35 years of service to the community, active in all affairs for its good, Mr. and Mrs. Pleissner are deserving of a well-earned rest.

During the pioneer years when homesteaders filed on government land, little newspapers were established in almost all the small postoffice towns to cash in on the final proof advertisements which was easy picking for some fly-by-night printers. Fallon county had its share - among them were The Ollie Enterprise, Beaver Valley Press, and Fallon County Press of Westmore.

Research at this time indicates three sources of archives for newspapers related to this area.

Fallon Co. Library has on microfilm:

Fallon County Times: 05/20/08--12/31/13 (2 reels) and 01/05/50--12/31/59 (9 reels)

Baker Sentinel: 01/05/12--11/23/17 (2 reels)

I'm certain they would be very happy to accept donations of microfilm for those years not included in their selection.

Montana Historical Society has on microfilm:

Fallon County Times: 1916--1999 (50 reels)

Baker Sentinel: 1912--1928 (5 reels)

UMI Newspapers in Microfilm has for sale microfilm:(1-800-521-0600)

Fallon County Times: 1916--1974 (catalog # 64232)

Plevna Herald: 1922-1932 (catalog # 64606)

Baker Sentinel: 1912-1928 (catalog # 64233)