Newspapers were a vital source for information 100 years ago. Radio, television and telephone, the extras that came with modern day life, were not discovered then‑ so it was print on paper people depended upon for communication.
A newspaper originally called the Carrington News was started in 1883. The paper was born with the city as they both celebrate 100 years in 1983.
The Carrington News was managed by Jay Morley Wyard from its creation in July 1883 until 1888 or 1889. Morley sold the news business to Harry Hogue in 1888 or 89 and the name changed to the Carrington Independent. Hogue was one of Carrington's earliest settlers coming to the territory to help lay out railroad lines. When Hogue took over the editorship of the Independent, H.W. Soliday was apparently trustee in his business. Hogue stayed at the Carrington paper for ten years until he moved to California.
In 1898, H.H. Palmer became editor and started leasing from Soliday until he decided to purchase the paper. Palmer tried to make the Independent a daily but failed. He also started a paper in Barlow which went broke. In 1902, Palmer advertised that a daily or weekly paper plus a job plant were for sale. The paper's location was at 4th and Charles, Carrington. With no immediate buyers, the paper went completely broke and Palmer disappeared. November 17, 1904 was the last time Palmer's name appeared on the Independent masthead.
In the two weeks following Palmer's retreat, a paper was published weekly but no name appeared on the masthead. The paper continued until another buyer came along.
On December 15, 1904, George and L.K. Estabrook bought into the paper. Three years later, the paper was sold to Carl Craven, a lawyer, and E.D. Lum, a news man. It was at the start of this partnership, records of the Independent began to be filed. The paper began to take off and an ad for subscription sales would appear: "If you buy a subscription - we'll give you a goldfish".
In June 1908, Craven and Lum moved their operations into the building located at 60 Central Ave. No. Little did they know the Independent would fill this building for 75 years to follow. Craven set his law office in the front half of the building with a telephone exchange in back. The news office took the downstairs.
In 1909, Lum was still editor and subscription rates ran $1.50 per year.
George P. Collins came to Carrington in August 1909 to become managing editor under Lum. One month later, Collins was promoted to editorship and Lum left to work on other area papers. Collins would publish the paper for 19 years.
During the years of Collins' editorship, the capacity of subscriptions would be doubled and Craven would sell out his interests.
The paper's price rose to $2 in 1920 and in 1922, the first noticeable sports coverage appeared with a local legion baseball game.
In 1927, Collins started office supply sales which would continue through the years. That same year a larger press was installed and E.K. Thompson, a journalist who would go on to be editor for Life magazine, joined the summer staff during his college years.
Collins, in January 1929 sold the paper to E.D. Seekins and the average size of the paper increased to 12 pages weekly. After 12 years of business, Seekins sold out to J. Arnie Gilje in 1943.
Gilje stayed with The Foster County Independent for 27 years. In July 1958, the 75th anniversary of the paper, Gilje wrote of the newspaper's role in the community:
"We are extremely proud to be continuing the newspaper tradition in Carrington and the community. And we are also proud that the Independent is one of the oldest businesses in the city.
"In observing our birthday we renew our pledge to produce a newspaper which reflects the community. We strive to report the news in an unbiased manner. We believe in equality for all. We strive to be factual and thorough in our coverage of the news field.
"We shall further, strive to give the service our advertisers expect and to which they're entitled.
"We shall continue our integrity also in our commercial printing department. Again, quality and service shall be our guide.
"We'd like to serve the community for generations to come."
J.A. Gilje continued to serve the community with writing until October 1, 1970 when L.N. Strand purchased the paper.
Strand converted the printing process to offset and although the local plant was still operated as usual the final completed copy of the publication was run in Devils Lake. Strand came to the Independent from Minnewaukan, where he was former publisher.
With the switch to offset, more pictures began to appear in the paper. Five years to the date of purchase, Les Strand unexpectedly died in his home. Laura, his wife, continued publishing the Independent for three months until Allen Stock, present publisher, began his term on January 7, 1976.
The paper continues to grow in circulation and reaches a wide audience. The Foster County Independent has been a primary recorder of the past days of Foster County.
It should be noted that the Independent did have some competition during the early days. Stephen A. Lewis started an opposing paper called the Carrington Record. He was publisher until 1909 when the paper was sold to H.C. Darland. Darland was involved with the non‑partisan league and his publication became full of political mudslinging. Farmers were going to take over the newspaper but when the depression hit the newspaper folded in 1922 and would never again appear.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 442