The Advertiser
573-392-5658
The Eldon Advertiser was first published on June 11, 1894.
It wasn’t always easy getting the weekly newspaper printed.
It was printed on wallpaper at one time due to a shortage of newsprint.
It had to be cranked out by hand one issue because of failure of the printing press’ gasoline engine.
It has been printed every week without missing an issue since its beginning.
Ownership of the newspaper has remained in two families for most of its history.
The Eldon Advertiser was founded by N.J. Shepherd and J.R. Helfrich shortly after the Aurora Springs Messenger, first published in 1887, was moved to Tuscumbia. Eldon had a population of 379 at the time.
Helfrich’s interest was purchased by N.J. Shepherd’s son Rawleigh, and daughter Maude.
In 1094, Ed Shepherd become the sole owner of The Advertiser when he purchased the paper from his brother and sister. Ed Shepherd sold The Advertiser to Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Dionne in 1945. In 1946, the Dionne’s sold the paper to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Winter.
Wallace Vernon became a partner in 1948, and he and his wife Marjorie bought the Winters’ interest in 1953. The Vernons subsequently formed Vernon Publishing, Inc. and over the next 30 years acquired newspapers in Tuscumbia, Versailles, Stover, Tipton, and Hermitage, and started a newspaper in Laurie.
Wallace and Marjorie’s son Dane, and Dane’s wife Sharene, began acquiring shares of stock in the corporation in 1979. Dane assumed presidency of Vernon Publishing, Inc. in 1992.
On Dec. 22, 2006, Dane and Sharene Vernon purchased all remaining shares and became sole owners of Vernon Publishing, Inc.
In 2011, Dane and Sharene's son Trevor, and Trevor’s wife Molly, began purchasing shares of Vernon Publishing, Inc., becoming the third generation of the Vernon family in the newspaper publishing business.
In the early years, The Advertiser was printed on a hand-cranked press, two pages at a time. Two of the pages were pre-printed with national news and advertising in St. Louis. The local news was printed on the other pages in Eldon. All type was hand set one letter at at time. A four-page press was installed in 1910, and was used until 1945.
In 1915, Ed Shepherd purchased an Intertype machine for $2,000 which cast a full line of type at one time. In 1926 The Advertiser moved from its first home on First Street just west of Mill Street to 16 South Maple where it remained until July 4, 1960, when the office was moved into a new building at the present location at 409 South Maple. With the move also came a roll-fed Duplex press.
In March, 1968, the Duplex press was replaced with a 2-unit Goss 8-page web press capable of printing 12,000 papers per hour. Two more printing units were added in subsequent years bringing the page capacity to 16 pages. Two additional printing units and a larger folding unit went on line in 2000, bringing the page capacity to 24 pages and increasing the press speed to 18,000 per hour.
Typesetting has progressed from hot metal through cold strike-on type machines, to phototypesetting machines, and finally to computers and laser printers. Photography has advanced from black and white film developed in a darkroom to digital images stored on computers.
In March, 2000 The Advertiser switched from once-a-week publication on Thursday to twice-a-week publication on Tuesday and Friday. The switch only lasted 16 months. The newspaper went back to once-a-week publication on Thursday, July 5, 2001.
Call Benne for all your advertising needs.
573-789-4473
bennemyers@gmail.com
