Dateline: May 29, 2003

Enterprise offers $1000 for first newspaper 

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Enterprise has posted a $1,000 bounty for someone to bring in the first edition of the Panhandle’s oldest newspaper as part of its 125th anniversary celebration.

The first issue of The Clarendon News was dated June 1, 1878; and while no one has seen it in a long time, the current newspaper staff is hopeful someone can find it.

“We know for sure there was one copy still in town in 1909, and we hope there may be another sitting in someone’s basement or attic,” said publisher Roger Estlack. “It may belong to a family whose roots go back to Old Clarendon.”

The oldest edition of the paper known to exist is the second issue, Vol. 1, No. 2, dated July 1, 1878. That issue is owned by the Square House Museum in Panhandle. The paper started as a monthly publication and became a weekly in 1880.

“The earliest issue we have local access to is October 5, 1880,” Estlack said. “Most of the 19th century papers have been lost, and the collection of the early 20th century is spotty. We would really like to fill in that collection as much as possible.”

Also as part of the anniversary celebration, the Enterprise will hold an open house at its 105 S. Kearney office next Thursday, June 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For that occasion, a prize of $125 will be awarded to the person bringing in the oldest Clarendon paper dated before 1920.

For more information on the history of newspaper, watch for our special edition next week.