The history of news: Part VII

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
With Leonard Cash
 
For the past six weeks, local historian Leonard Cash went through his records on the history of the News Letter Journal, and he is bringing the Journal’s series to a close in this week’s installment of “History on Main.” 
In an article from Oct. 9, 1969, the News Letter Journal reported that it was National Newspaper Week and in celebration, they were “having a ‘week’ for themselves to bring it to the public attention.” 
To celebrate, the article gave a brief history of the paper, starting with its humble roots in Tubb Town and listed a few of the many buildings occupied by the News Letter. It had been in its current location for 20 years at the time of that article, and since then, it’s been another 50 years. 
Before moving where it is now, the Journal operated out of a building on South Sumner. Later occupants of that building were Butler Studio and then attorney Thomas L. Whitley (and now the Patrick Crow Law Office, according to Cash).
“So with 80 years behind the News Letter Journal, we hope to continue to serve the Weston County area in a competent and newsworthy manner,” the article said. 
Twenty years later, in an article published in January 1989 (its centennial anniversary) and titled “News Letter Gives Gift to Community,” publisher Jim Parrish (son of former editor J. Ray Parrish) donated a microfilm set of the many local newspaper editions from 1900 to 1988 to the Weston County Library for the public to use. 
“Parrish said not all copies are contained in the collection, but all of the newspapers that were on file with the Wyoming Archives, Museums and Historical Department are contained in the collection presented to the library,” the article said. Parrish explained that he wanted to give the community a gift that would last and contribute to the centennial celebration of newspapers in Newcastle. 
The News Letter has the early newspaper records on file at the office, but they are old and deteriorating and can’t be used without causing further damage. The microfilm is a way for people to still read and learn from the history of the articles.
“That was probably one of the nicest gifts they could’ve given to this town,” Cash said.
On March 4, 1992, the Rapid City Journal reported the death of James R. “Jim” Parrish, the publisher-editor of the News Letter for over three decades. He died of a heart attack on March 2 in his home at the age of 59. According to the obituary, Parrish took over the News Letter in 1987 after his father J. Ray Parrish, who bought the paper in 1937, retired.
An article from March 25, 1933, said Parrish Sr. was a linotype operator in Nebraska in 1922 before moving and taking over the Pine Bluff Post in 1926. He stayed there until he moved again in 1937 to Newcastle because he “purchased an interest in the paper and took over as publisher on June 14, 1937.” 
At the time, Tracy McCracken and David Richardson were the publishers and owners of the paper, but after a few months, Parrish gained full ownership of the News Letter Journal.
The younger Parrish was born on Feb. 22, 1933, in Kimball, Neb., and he moved to Wyoming when he was 4. After his parents divorced, Parrish moved back to Nebraska with his mother, but he spent some of his summers in Wyoming. 
After graduating from high school, he went to the University of Nebraska for two years before transferring to the University of Wyoming, where he received a degree in journalism in 1955. 
Parrish served in both the Army and National Guard as a lieutenant and colonel, respectively, and was also in the Newcastle AF&AM Lodge No. 13, the Newcastle Jaycees, the Lion’s Club and the Wyoming Press Association (including on the board of directors), along with many others. 
Parrish married Ardys Winans from Highmore, South Dakota, and they had five children: Tierney, Scott, Rick, Karen, and David. The Rev. Charles Threewitt officiated the service at the Methodist church “in conjunction with Christ Church Episcopal.” Parrish is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Newcastle.
“He had a great love for Newcastle, his newspaper and his family, friends and co-workers,” the article said.
After Parrish’s death, his wife ran the paper until Robert H. “Robb” Hicks from Buffalo bought it. An article published in the Rapid City Journal on March 30, 1993, noted that Hicks graduated from Buffalo High School in 1987 and from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1991. 
“I know that the Parrishes have been operating the newspaper there for 56 years, and I want to run it in a manner that would make them proud and would continue to serve the community,” Hicks said in the article. 
In the April 15, 1993, issue, the community was invited to welcome the new owner of the Journal at a “no-host cocktail hour” at the Fountain Inn on the evening of April 16, reported the April 15, 1993, issue of the paper. Hicks had officially obtained ownership on April 1 and has owned it since.
That concludes Cash’s series on the News Letter Journal and next week, he plans on giving a history of the News Letter Journal’s next door neighbor, Hansen and Peck law firm.