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The first newspaper in Roanoke was published in 1884, and was
called the Era. The publisher was George Holton. It was published in the
basement of the Audi building which today houses Lorene's.
It was established at the time of the county seat contest in 1883
and, when the election failed to remove the county seat from Metamora to
Roanoke, its publication was abandoned. It did not continue over one year.
There is one issue of the Era in existence today.
In 1886 or 1887, W. P. Moore was local editor of The Roanoke
Herald which occupied a page of the Metamora Herald.
On August 6, 1891, Perry Hobbs printed the first issue of the
Roanoke Call. It was printed on the second floor of an old wood structure
which stood where the present Review office is today.
Perry Hobbs died and his son Harry then relinquished his holding
and the local press was sold and moved elsewhere.
The Call passed into the possession of the Washington Printing
Company and T. P. Pettigrew, July 1, 1913. The name was changed by Mr.
Pettigrew to The Roanoke Post and was published at Washington.
In 1916, the Post took over the subscription list of the Roanoke
Record which had been under the editorship of B. J. Radford, Jr. This
paper was published in a building on the corner of Main and Ann Streets,
just north of the old town hall.
The Call office was once located in the west room of the old
Kennell building where the post office was located later. Mr. Pettigrew
also operated for a time in a small wooden building across from the
present post office and just north of the former Red and gene's building.
Yet another location was on West Broad Street next to the alley where Joe
Boher lived last.
On January 18, 1944, publishing of the Roanoke Post was
discontinued at Washington. The name was again changed to The Roanoke
Review and publishing was done at the office of the Metamora
Herald.
In December 1952, T. P. Pettigrew sold the paper to Marjorie
Thompson Johnson. The paper was then published at the office of the
Woodford County Journal in Eureka.
In May, 1955, the Review was purchased by the Journal, and the
following July an office was opened in Roanoke. Burrus Dickinson is
currently editor and publisher.
The Roanoke Review has bound copies of every issue, save six
months that were lost during World War I. Few weekly newspapers hold this
claim. It is believed the missing issues were donated to the scrap paper
drives of that time.
Mary Garber is the local reporter and Elsi Ferrero business
agent.
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T. P. Pettigrew, editor of The Roanoke Call
July 1, 1913 to 1952 and town photographer |
1892 - item in paper - letter from preacher submitting his
resignation: Brothers and sisters I come to say goodby. I don't
think God loves this church very much because none of you ever die.
I don't think you love each other because none of you ever get
married. I don't think you love me because you never pay my salary
and your donations are mouldy fruits and wormy apples, and by their
fruits you shall know them. Brothers I am going away from here to a
better place. I have been called to be chaplain of the state
penitentiary. Where I go ye cannot come, but I go to prepare a place
for you. Goodby.
April 5, 1895 - J. B. Goodwin's team of ponies occasioned a
little excitement by running away. They ran into a buggy throwing
the occupant, Miss Mary Guber, out but luckily without injuring her.
They ran against a telephone pole, and there one horse stopped, but
the other was still going southwards, and for anything we know, may
be going yet.
June 28, 1895 - Quite an exciting runaway occurred on our
streets this afternoon. Abut 4 o'clock Peter Ulrich, Jr., was coming
up Broad Street when his team became unmanageable, throwing him out
just before they passed The Call office. They turned too short at
the corner of Main Street upsetting Theo Herbst's buggy, breaking a
wheel. After running down Main a block they turned west, passed the
post office and ran into a tree at the Brubaker corner, where they
were caught. Mr. Ulrich had barely started them up, when away they
went for another spin. At Rapp's corner he was again thrown out, the
neck yoke broke, letting the tongue down and things began to look
serious, when they turned into A. Rapp's yard, and were again
brought to a stand still by a catalpa tree. By this time the whole
town was out. Mr. Ulrich had a small bone in his hand broke, but
escaped very fortunate.
Frank Trainer had a mishap with a wheelbarrow loaded with
produce, in front of our office early this morning. A jar of butter
lost its balance and fell to the sidewalk, with a crash. He set down
the barrow to pick up his butter, when over went the whole load, all
in a promiscuous heap, right at our door.
March 20, 1896 - It was a regular rat-killing time, this
morning, in front of our office, Roanoke Call, and if ever we wished
for a kodak, that was the time. Mrs. Rapp had caught a half dozen of
the "varmits" and when work got around town, a whole army of
volunteers came forward with dogs and clubs to dispatch the
captives. The trap was carried out to the middle of Broad Street, a
cordon of men and boys surrounding it, and the game was let out one
at a time.
December 20, 1901 - Jess Darling invents a "cold weather
wagon." A stove pipe protrudes from the rear leading to a small
suspended stove which heats the morning vehicle.
Odds and Ends
Ancient Order of the High Roller Club - 1901, P. J.
Husseman, President
Zelpha Club, social organization - 1900
Modern Woodmen met at F. A. Hubbell's shop - 1901
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Notes From Early Issues of Paper
July 26, 1884, The Era - published every Saturday a.m.
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Dan W. Watkins - Drayman
G. W. Shemel - Painter
Kindig House (Hotel) interesting advertisement (Mrs. E.
G. Kindig)
Roanoke Livery & Feed Stable - I. C. Upton,
Prop.
P. A. Fischer - Painter
Roanoke Market revised weekly at: E. Claudin & Son
Dry Goods, Grocery Provision & Poultry Dealers
W. B. Rickey - dealer in grain, lumber, lime, paints,
etc.
Beer & Martin moved old blacksmith shop 75 ft. back
of where it stood, etc.
Ad: C. Gozinger - clothing store
Physician - Z. W. Whitmire, M. D.
Hotel - Mrs. Shulenberger
Roanoke House - Mrs. R. M. Shulenberger,
Proprietress
Livestock Dealer - C. F. Brown
Roanoke Meat Market - Andrew Rapp, Prop.
Paul Pfeiffer - dealer in furniture, wall paper,
undertaking - a full line of coffins and caskets always on
hand
Ferd F. Full - pool, liquors, tobacco
A. J. Darling - blacksmith
Herbst & Altorfer - Hardware & Implement
House
Roanoke Milling Company
E. Claudin & Son - dry goods and hats
Ad: Subscribe for Era and
Toothpick
August 6, 1891 The Roanoke Call - Editor Perry B.
Hobbs
Ads: Dr. S. V. Hoopman - physician and
surgeon
Martin Bros. - mfgs, and dealers in buggies and
wagons
P. A. Fischer - Painter and Calciminer
D. B. Zimmerman - Drugs and Medicines
Andrew Rapp - Roanoke Meat Market
Mrs. D. James - Fresh bread, buns, and cakes. Lunch at
all hours
H. S. Brubaker - Livery, Feed and Sale Stable
L. Maass - Barber Shop and Confectionery - milk
shakes
Philip Froehlick - Furniture, wall paper, glass and
coffins
A. J. Darling - Livery and Feed Stable
D. T. Fauber - Hdwe, and Implements
Sol Stewart - one of finest tinners in state
Herbst, Altorfer & Sauder - Hdwe, and Agricultural
Implements
Peterson & Company - Grocery and general
mds.
Peterson & Company - Grocery and general
mds.
Talk of building new elevator
J. N. Fisher - carpenter
Salutatory, Initial number of Call
Ads: Timothy Collins - wines, liquors, etc.
Z. R. Trainer - dry goods, etc.
W. B. Rickey - Grain and lumber
R. A. Peterson & Company
Dr. Hoopman adds milammeter to electrical
equipment
J. C. Brown - ice cream at popular corner
Herbst store room is being repainted and repaired
preparatory to being occupied by the clothing firm of Toubes Bros.
Room was recently vacated by Kahn & Jacobson.
Toubes Bros, opening August 29, 1891
L. Maass opens shooting gallery
More business done in Roanoke than any other town in
county
J. A. Roberts, Mgr.
Mr. Zimmerman of Morton purchased Gozinger Bldg. and lot
for $1300 |
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