The News-Herald Archive

The Hillsboro News-Herald was formed after the consolidation of the Highland Weekly News and the Saturday Herald. Colonel George W. Barrere purchased the two papers and merged them in 1886. Barrere was a local dentist, grocer, deputy postmaster, and Civil War veteran. He became a prolific editorial writer, whose articles were often published in papers throughout Ohio.

Barrere’s son, Granville, took over operations of the News-Herald in 1908. He brought the first type casting printing machine to the newspaper in 1916 and continued his father’s legacy as an editorial writer throughout his career with the paper. In 1939, Granville joined forces with other editors in the area to create the Hillsboro Publishing Company. In creating this organization, the editors were able to purchase and share modern equipment regardless of the particular political party or cause their papers supported. The News-Herald was published until 1973 when it became the Hillsboro Press Gazette.

The News-Herald focused primarily on local and statewide news. The front page was typically filled with news, advertisements, and images, with varied material scattered throughout the remaining seven pages of the paper. The November 8, 1906 edition, for example, carried the musical score to the song “Last Night” with accompanying English and German lyrics. With its excellent range and quality of content, the Hillsboro News-Herald was long considered one of Ohio’s top ranking weekly newspapers.