Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!
By Trudy Wyman, Curator, Millinocket Historical Society Museum
The Millinocket Journal, The Millinocket Times & Weekly Exchange, The Millinocket Press, The Millinocket Advertiser and The Millinocket Herald Tribune are all names of early Millinocket newspapers. Later came the newspapers with Katahdin in the title.
The earliest local paper appears to be The Millinocket Journal, a weekly paper with E. E. Morse editor and manager. It was published as early as November, 1901 and lasted at least through May of 1905. The museum has 52 issues of the 1901-1903 time period and a partial copy of May 4, 1905.
The Millinocket Times & Weekly Exchange was published from about 1912 through 1917 and was owned by the Burdette and Emma Miller family. They came to town 1903-04 and lived about two doors down (2nd floor) from the current museum (towards the Central Street bridge). The newspaper was published in the current so-called Miller’s Building on the 2nd floor. Two issues of this newspaper can be seen at the museum. They had an old printing press and the crank was usually turned by Emma Miller who was never given credit in the newspaper for doing that weekly job.
Burdette Miller, originally from the Midwest and Texas, ended up at Ft. McCleary, near Kittery. He was instrumental in organizing the National Guard Company in Millinocket. (Co. E, later became Co. I). When the U.S. was about to enter WWI, Miller tried to enlist but was turned down because he had several children. He had already sold the newspaper in anticipation of going to war. (Info from Frank Miller and June Miller Ouellette, son and grand-daughter of Burdette & Emma Miller).
No known issues of the Millinocket Press exist, but two articles about it have been found in one of the museum scrapbooks. The article states, “On Feb. 11, 1921, it was reported that The Millinocket Press has been the successful bidder for our town report this year and work is underway upon the same at present.” Then on June 26, 1927, “The Millinocket Press has just installed a new Whitlock cylinder printing press.”
The Millinocket Advertiser was in existence in 1933 and the museum has one issue. However, it appears to be more of publication promoting local businesses rather than printing general news.
The Millinocket Journal was first published by the Joseph Tucker family and later by the Hume family. It was printed through the years in small, medium and large formats. The Tuckers printed the paper from a bungalow on Eastland Avenue that became known as Journal Place. Before coming to Millinocket, Tucker was a professional wrestler using the name Don Meyers. Under the Tucker and Hume ownerships, The Millinocket Journal was published from 1933 until about 1977. Many issues are in the museum collection.
The only other know local paper with Millinocket in the title was The Millinocket Herald Tribune. Short-lived, we know it was published between 1947-1948. The museum has several issues with this name.
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