River Falls Journal (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.)
Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.
2,828 issues from 1872 to 1925, published in River Falls, Wisconsin, digitised for Chronicling America.
The first issue of The River Falls Journal was published on June 13, 1857 and described its publishing location, the surrounding land, agricultural potential, lumber, water, and much more to paint a detailed picture of what was then the Western frontier. The town was still young and its population small; the 1860 census recorded a population of 272. The first sawmill opened in 1854, followed by a brickyard, a blacksmith shop, and four flour mills. River Falls reached the height of its early industrial growth between 1872 and 1885. Because it was not located near a navigable river, the city’s expansion relied on railroad construction. Growth was curtailed only by the decline of the wheat market in 1882.
As the Journal reported on the developments of its surroundings, the editors had clear political convictions: “In politics, we shall advocate those principles which are now upheld by the Republican Party.” They also voiced their support of the Temperance movement in an effort to “promote public morals, popular education and […] the welfare of society.” In 1894, The River Falls Times, published by Alphonzo T. Churchill, became the Democratic counterpart to the Journal. It remained an alternative weekly news source until the two publications were merged in 1933.
Initially, the Journal was run by brothers Lute A. and Horace A. Taylor. The latter would go on to own the Hudson Star and Times and the Wisconsin State Journal, as well as become active in Wisconsin politics. On…
- Genres
- News
- Published in
- River Falls, Wisconsin, United States
- Language
- English
- Collection
- Chronicling America
- Licence or status
- None stated by the archive
- Rights
- The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety.
- Credit
- Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities
- Who can read it
- Teens profiles and older (placed by Invisible Network from what the archive says; archives give no ratings)
- Archive
- Library of Congress