Welcome to the Ontonagon Herald

The Ontonagon Herald, the area’s oldest continuously published newspaper, has been a pillar in the county business community for over 141 years. First published in April of 1881 as a “fighting newspaper” with a mission, this weekly paper strived to its mission of keeping the county community informed about what is happening and where. The Herald has not missed publishing an issue since that first newspaper. Thanks to the commitment and grit of all previous publishers, the Herald has not missed an issue since it started. It has survived floods and fires which devastated the town… the residents of Ontonagon have always been resilient.

Linotype

The Herald is not only a newspaper but also operates a print shop and has a store front which carries office supplies and art supplies. Open hours for the office are Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.

The Herald’s official day of publication is Wednesday of each calendar week. The paper is composed and prepared for printing at the local office on computers. It is then digitally transferred to a large press in Wisconsin. They are delivered to Ontonagon for distribution on Thursday morning. This is a far cry from the clanking sounds of the old Linotype machines, the rumbling of the presses, and the smell of printer’s ink. The Herald offices are strangely quiet, unless a printing job is being turned out on one of the newer smaller presses.

A recent feature offered by the Herald is the Great Northern Connection, in which classified ads run in the Herald are also seen in 520,000 homes throughout the U.P. and northern Wisconsin.

The Herald shop is a contrast in publishing history. Alongside the computers and digital still loom the items of a bygone age: the ancient Linotype machines, the plates and composition tables, and the well maintained presses that were used until July 2013 by Master Printer Dick Hauswirth for job printing. Anyone who has worked at the paper in the last century would find familiar fixtures at the Herald.

The staff hopes to increase the circulation and bring county and regional news into more homes. The Herald is enjoyed by residents of Ontonagon County and also serves as a “little piece of home” to folks with roots here.