Williston Herald

History

On August 17, 1899, E.M. Crary published the first edition of the weekly Williston Herald using the printing plant of the defunct The Langdon Times. In 1905, E.N. Disney, editor of the Detroit Standard, bought the paper. In 1910, Disney old the paper to George Farries. In 1924, S.T. Westdal and Harry E. Polk bought the paper from Farries. On Oct. 14, 1930, the Herald launched a daily edition consisting of a single sheet printed on both sides.

Westdal sold his stake to Thomas H. Moodie in 1931, who eventually sold out to Polk. The Herald became a full-sized standard daily paper in 1935, and joined the Associated Press wire service in 1938. The paper dedicated a new two-story headquarters in 1942. Polk sold the paper to Walter M. Wick in 1961. Wick purchased the weekly Williston Plains Reporter from Bill Shemorry in 1978.

Wick Communications named Randy Rickman publisher in 2014. A year later Wick reached an agreement with Forum Communications Company to print the Herald and Plain Reporter at it's plant in Dickinson, North Dakota. Ken Harty became publisher in 2016, followed by Kelly Miller in 2019, Clarice Touhey in 2021, and Frank Perea in 2023. Wick named Heather Mayer as publisher in 2024. Wick sold the Herald to Forum in 2026.

References

References

1. (August 25, 1899). "North Dakota Kernels". The Fargo Forum, Daily Republican, and Moorhead Daily News.
2. (August 5, 1905). "The Williston Herald Sold.". Yellowstone News.
3. (January 10, 1910). "Williston Herald Changes Hands". Grand Forks Herald.
4. (April 25, 1924). "Williston Herald Sold To Williston Men". The Producers News.
5. (October 18, 1930). "Miniature Daily For Williston Residents". The Havre Daily News.
6. (March 28, 1931). "Part Of Williston Herald Stock Sold". Grand Forks Herald.
7. (February 3, 1942). "Williston Herald Dedicates Building". Grand Forks Herald.
8. (July 15, 1938). "Williston Herald Joins AP Service". Grand Forks Herald.
9. (August 21, 1961). "Williston Herald Sold". Brainerd Dispatch.
10. (January 28, 1978). "Williston weekly purchased by daily". The Forum.
11. (October 8, 2014). "New publisher named for Williston Herald in ND".
12. (November 13, 2015). "Dickinson Press to print Williston Herald". The Dickinson Press.
13. (2016-10-05). "Harty takes over as Herald’s publisher".
14. (2019-07-17). "Meet Kelly Miller, the new publisher of the Williston Herald".
15. (September 22, 2022). "Touhey named publisher of Williston, Sidney papers".
16. (2023-06-16). "Publisher announced for Williston Herald and Sidney Herald".
17. (2024-08-15). "Mayer to become publisher Sept. 1".
18. (January 14, 2026). "Forum Communications purchases 7 newspapers, including one in MN".