Newspapers essential to community vitality

This real photo postcard spotlights Mr. Roy Powell, former Publisher of the Holt Rustler and the Gower Rustler, two weekly newspapers that served the southern rural portions of Buchannan and Clinton counties in Northwest Missouri. The card and accompanying envelope was a gift from Susan and Jerry Stringfellow, formerly of Liberty, Mo. Mr. Powell was Susan’s great grandfather. A citation from the Missouri Publisher’s Auxiliary reads that Powell took over operation of the papers in 1907 and ran them successfully for over 40 years.

Powell was born on a farm in rural Missouri near Filmore in 1875. He had a long and storied career as a newspaper man, having spent time at a number of papers in rural Missouri and Nebraska before settling in Holt. An accompanying postcard from the Western Newspaper Union states that Powell, along with his wife, vacationed at the Missouri Ozarks during the summer months of 1937. A short news snippet reads: “While there Mr. Powell called on Publisher E. W. Ebrite of the Gainesville Times.”

The Western Newspaper Union, at the time, was the largest auxiliary newspaper company in the country, owning and maintaining printing plants and publication offices in 32 cities, with Kansas City holding an office at 306 W. 10th Street. Auxiliary or Boilerplate newspapers got their start just before the onset of the American Civil War with the concept of printing boilerplate news pages for a specific region of the United States. Newspaper publishers could subscribe to the service in order to not only enhance their page-count but also to offer a larger variety of “news” stories to their local readers. At one point in time, the Western Newspaper Union serviced over 12,000 newspapers across the United States. The second postcard noting Powell’s vacation in the Ozarks was sent by the WNU back to Powell probably as a proof of coverage or mention in one of their editions. 

Want Northeast News articles sent straight to your inbox each week? Subscribe below!
Enter your email address and click on the Get Instant Access button.
We respect your privacy

Comments are closed.

  • Remember this?

    September 27th, 2023
    by

    Dorri Partain Contributor Putt putt to the Pizza Hut so the kids can take home this bag puppet featuring Pizza Hut […]


    Nelly Don: The Musical debuts for local viewing

    September 27th, 2023
    by

    Dorri Partain Contributor A new, locally filmed production, “Nelly Don: The Musical” recounts the life of Nell Donnelly Reed, who found […]


    KC Together: New Media for Our City, Our Stories

    September 27th, 2023
    by

    SPONSORED CONTENT Kansas City Museum is working with Artist/Filmmaker Randy Bacon and his movement platform 8 Billion Ones to create KC Together, a new series […]


    Saint Mary’s Hospital – Over a century of service

    September 27th, 2023
    by

    Michael Bushnell Publisher “Dear Cousin, I like the chickens fine. We got two eggs today. They are all counted here. Jennie, […]


    Remember This

    September 20th, 2023
    by

    Dorri Partain Contributor Saving a summer’s bountiful garden harvest for later in the year was essential for homemakers decades ago, and […]


    The world’s most beautiful farm

    September 20th, 2023
    by

    Michael Bushnell  Publisher Shortly after lumber baron Robert A. Long completed his palatial Gladstone Boulevard mansion in 1910, he began […]


    Remember this?

    September 13th, 2023
    by

    Dorri Partain Contributor What do you want to be when you grow up? For young travelers flying the friendly skies, […]


    YMCA served Downtown through its heyday

    September 13th, 2023
    by

    Michael BushnellPublisher While the Charles E. Whitaker Federal Courthouse might be an iconic addition to Kansas City’s skyline, the now […]


    Remember this

    September 6th, 2023
    by

    Dorri Partain Contributor Colorful and practical, bandanas can be used as a fashion accessory or simply to wipe one’s hands […]


  • Shipyards in the Midwest? One of the biggest was at the confluence of the Missouri and Kaw rivers

    September 6th, 2023
    by

    Michael Bushnell Publisher This Linen-era, Art Tone, “Glo-Var” finished postcard was published exclusively by the Beals Postcard Company of Des […]


    Remember this… 

    August 30th, 2023
    by

    Dorri PartainContributor America’s favorite collie was created for a short story written by a British author. Eric Knight (1897-1943) used […]


    An oasis during the dog days of summer

    August 30th, 2023
    by

    Michael Bushnell Publisher With the dog days of summer wrapping up, it seems fitting to showcase something cool and historic […]


    Remember This…

    August 23rd, 2023
    by

    Dorri PartainContributor Rock and Roll music’s “British Invasion” started off in a big way when The Beatles arrived in America […]


    Diamond Transfer Company At Your Service

    August 23rd, 2023
    by

    Michael BushnellPublisher This real photo postcard was published by the North American Postcard Company of Kansas City, Mo. The view […]


    Remember This?

    August 16th, 2023
    by

    Dorri PartainContributor Now I know my ABC’s, won’t you spell along with me? Whether used at school or at home, […]


    A century later, postcard view largely the same

    August 16th, 2023
    by

    Michael BushnellPublisher The intersection of Thompson Avenue and Gladstone Boulevard looks only a little different in 2023 than it did […]


    Remember This?

    August 9th, 2023
    by

    Dorri PartainContributor Can you fit all your school supplies inside a cigar box? Elementary school students in the 1960’s often […]


    Bales Baptist Church, Men’s Bible Class

    August 9th, 2023
    by

    Michael BushnellPublisher In 1886 Thomas Stafford and Charles Murray, students at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., along with some […]


  • Northeast Newscast


  • Remember This?

    Remember This?

    August 2nd, 2023
    by

  • Want articles sent directly to your inbox each week? Subscribe below!
    We respect your privacy and will not distribute your information.