A venturesome journalistic spirit in the form of George Nearpass walked into Marmont one day, set up his little printing press, and began the spreading of the local news and gossip through the medium of type. From that small and somewhat crude beginning, and after forty years of upbuilding, during which time four editors have occupied the chair in the "sanctum," has evolved the present strictly modern and highly developed "Culver Citizen."-Edwin Corwin, One Township's Yesterdays
The first newspaper in Marshall County was reputed to be "The Plymouth Journal", which was said to have survived but a day. It was published about 1844-45, according to Daniel McDonald. That was ten years after the arrival of the first white settlers in Union Township. The first newspaper regularly established in Marshall county, the "Plymouth Pilot," was first issued April 16, 1851. John Q. Howell was editor and proprietor. Then come "The Bourbon Independent," established in 1865 by J. Frank Beck, and the "Argos Globe", started in 1867 by Charles Riddle.
The building used by Nearpass was an old photograph gallery, which at one time stood somewhere nearly west of the present "6G" gas station on Lake Shore Drive. The building was moved by John Osborn, the building was moved by John Osborn, the banker who financed Nearpass, to the location south of the present Mitchell & Stabenow store. The Nearpass newspaper building stood long side, or "broadside", to the street, because it had been so built to accommodate the photograph gallery. Later, after the newspaper had used it, the building was moved again, to a location back of the present tin shop.
The front cover of the January 25, 1895 edition of the Marmont Herald, not long before Marmont would change its name to Culver, and the paper to the Culver City Herald. One of the more interesting headlines pertains to the harvest of "ice for millions."
The front cover of the January 25, 1895 edition of the Marmont Herald, not long before Marmont would change its name to Culver, and the paper to the Culver City Herald. One of the more interesting headlines pertains to the harvest of "ice for millions."
A glance at the back cover of the January 25, 1895 Marmont Herald, chock full of advertisements for local businesses of the day.
A glance at the back cover of the January 25, 1895 Marmont Herald, chock full of advertisements for local businesses of the day.
A glimpse back: the March 20, 1896 edition of the Culver City Herald (formerly the Marmont Herald, eventually to be the Culver Citizen in 1903). This being before the advent of television, radio, and most people having subscriptions to city newspapers, much of the newspaper in those days was devoted to state, national, and world news. Local news only made up a small portion of the content. A great deal of text and very few pictures mark the newspapers of this era. Following are a few excerpts from this edition that might be of interest.
Interesting material from the back cover of the March 20, 1896 Culver City Herald. At top left are some amusing snippets of local news, and at top right an interesting advertisement and blurb on the early Culver Academy. The lower image contains a number of fascinating ads giving some insight into the businesses of the era.
Interesting material from the back cover of the March 20, 1896 Culver City Herald. At top left are some amusing snippets of local news, and at top right an interesting advertisement and blurb on the early Culver Academy. The lower image contains a number of fascinating ads giving some insight into the businesses of the era.
Also from the March 20, 1896 Culver City Herald (see previous picture), this editorial dismissed with the sheen of polite pleasantry that marked most newspaper
writing of the day, and angrily attacked a rival newspaper publisher for his allegedly underhanded tactics. A fascinating and at times funny read!
Nearpass, Jr. is senior train baggageman, Pennysivania Railroad. He started his railroading for the Pennsylvania as a newsboy and has been on the railroad since June, 1900, when he was twelve years of age. He is also known as the "Whistling Brakeman." He has broadcasted from nearly every large radio station in the U.S. He lives in Indianapolis.
Nearpass, Jr. is senior train baggageman, Pennysivania Railroad. He started his railroading for the Pennsylvania as a newsboy and has been on the railroad since June, 1900, when he was twelve years of age. He is also known as the "Whistling Brakeman." He has broadcasted from nearly every large radio station in the U.S. He lives in Indianapolis.
The Citizen was sold by J. H. Koontz, who changed the name of the paper to The Culver Citizen. On April 1, 1906, passed to the ownership of Arthur B. Holt of Kankakee, Ill. Mr. Holt had been one of the publishers of the "Daily and SemiWeekly Gazette," in that community.
Mr. Holt remained as editor through the years that saw Culver grow from a village to a town and the paper progressed accordingly. He had a distinct flare for writing with a personal touch that made his Paper outstanding. His long reign in the editor's chair was an important chapter in the local history of journalism.
Among the signs of earlier times on the pages of the Citizen was the volume of not only local, but regional, state, national, and even world news. This fact was indeed indicative of days gone by: small town and rural papers like the Citizen was in the late 19 and early 20 centuries were the only vehicle for news that most people had in those days before television, radio, and even automobiles that might feasibly bring regional newspapers to town from cities like South Bend or Indianapolis.
Among the signs of earlier times on the pages of the Citizen was the volume of not only local, but regional, state, national, and even world news. This fact was indeed indicative of days gone by: small town and rural papers like the Citizen was in the late 19 and early 20 centuries were the only vehicle for news that most people had in those days before television, radio, and even automobiles that might feasibly bring regional newspapers to town from cities like South Bend or Indianapolis.
Another common feature of the Citizen during its earlier years and lasting at least until the mid-twentieth century was the proliferation of area-specific "gossip" columns, which – especially in the earlier years – left no social detail of travel, visiting, and dining unspoken. The sample here shows an early example, from 1903, and includes the Vandalia railroad time table, an important listing for local residents.
It’s been said that writers for these columns were paid by the word, and even telephoned residents to find out if they had any "news" of visits or travels amongst family and friends.
This example is particularly indicative of the times, in this case the 1930s: listed is the schedule of Culver’s own radio station, WCMA, which broadcast in multiple states as well as locally, and was based at Culver Military Academy. Featured here is the amusing geographic demarcation of the
"northwest suburbs" of Culver. Also fascinating is the inclusion of “In the Colored Circles, " an occasional column that chronicled the social lives of Culver’s African American community, which then thrived within the town limits due to the Academy’s all-black waiter system. On July 1, 1923, the paper was sold to M.R. Robinson, who owned the Citizen for 23 years, longer than anyone else. Robinson, the son of a Plainfield, IL Methodist minister, had served overseas in WWI, and left a post as superintendent of a Kansas school to journey to Culver in 1923. He involved himself in the community, as post commander and historian of the American Legion post, president and national councillor of the Chamber of Commerce, chariman of the Boy Scout Troop committee, president of the official board of the Methodist church, secretary of the council of churches, and, during World War II, was involved in various wartime drives and efforts. During Robinson's tenure, the paper became a 16-page tabloid with seven 22-inch columns on the page and won both state and national prizes for reporting and editorials.
the Citizen office was once located on Washington Street in the building now occupied by the VFW in Culver. Pictured, in the early 1930s, are M.R. Robinson Dale Davis, Harold Stevenson, Ora Reed
a photo of Robinson from 1938.
A 1938 Culver Citizen advertisement
Press printed not only the Citizen, but also local yearbooks and handled the Culver Academy's printing needs as well. The building, pictured in the 1950s
eventually was converted to the Town Hall building of today
