Polk County News Archive

The first incarnation of the Polk County News appeared in 1883, and it went through several changes in name and location before William F. Russell established the Polk County News-Gazette in Benton, Tennessee, in the mid-1900s. The Democratic weekly was published each Thursday and circulated to approximately 500 subscribers in 1910 at an annual cost of one dollar. Readers could also purchase six-month and quarterly subscriptions for 50 and 25 cents, respectively. The News-Gazette offered readers local news ranging from politics and agriculture to baseball, as well as feature stories purchased from newspaper syndicates. The paper included ads for local events, services, and products as well as national advertising. In 1915, Reverend T.M. "Dan" Hicks took over as editor. Throughout the First World War, the News-Gazette provided news of the war in Europe via syndicated reports. During this period, the newspaper printed the following words of wisdom above its masthead: "You are only as good as what you have done" and "The county newspaper is the mouthpiece through which the people of the county keep in touch with each other."

In 1917, Hicks purchased the News-Gazette and dropped the word "Gazette" from its name. Hicks ran the Polk County News for a couple of years before selling it to John S. Shamblin in 1919. Under Shamblin's leadership, the newspaper abandoned its Democratic political affiliation and became an Independent weekly. The change reflected a national trend toward non-partisanship in newspaper ownership. The Polk County News continued to circulate to its approximately 500 subscribers each Thursday at an annual rate of $1.25. The News increased in size from four to eight pages, but it retained many of its earlier characteristics including announcements about club and church events to birth and death notices, news from around the state, and national news from wire services. The paper continues to operate into the 21^st century under the name Polk County News, Citizen-Advance both in print and online.