Today the Chesterton Tribune marks 133 years in Chesterton and Duneland.
Volume 1, No. 1 came off the press 133 years ago this week.
The
first edition of the weekly Chesterton Tribune, Bowser & Watson publishers,
was dated April 2, 1884.
The
editor was Valparaiso native Arthur J. Bowser, who packed his wife and new
baby in a wagon for the four-hour trip to Chesterton after being approached
by Chesterton business owners to run a community newspaper. Following the
disastrous downtown fire of 1902, Bowser built the brick building on Calumet
Road which is the current location of the Tribune.
In
1928 the weekly newspaper was purchased by Warren R. Canright.
Canright started his newspaper career at the age of 13 as a printer’s devil
at the East Troy, Wisconsin, News. He attended Lawrence College, working his
way through as a reporter for the Appleton Daily Post and as the editor of
his college newspaper. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1917 he
joined the United States Army. After World War I he worked as a Linotype
operator for the Chicago Tribune and married Phyllis Post, an area
schoolteacher.
Three years after their marriage, the couple decided to go into business for
themselves and moved to Chesterton.
During World War II Canright sent a free copy of the Tribune to all
Chesterton and Porter soldiers. Among those receiving the paper was Warren’s
son, Warren H. Canright, who was serving as a combat infantryman in Europe.
Canright’s sons, Warren H. and John E., joined their father in the business
after the war. Both men graduated from Indiana University’s School of
Journalism.
In
April 1961, in an era when many newspapers were either folding or shortening
their publication schedules, the Chesterton Tribune changed from a weekly to
a daily, a move so out of step with the times it garnered a mention in Time
magazine. Home delivery was started with young carriers in Chesterton and
Porter and motor route drivers in rural areas. The delivery area was
eventually established as the Duneland School district.
In
1981 John sold his interest in the family business to his brother and his
sister-in-law, Elizabeth.
Warren H. passed away in 2014.
In
2016 his son David is the managing editor. The paper is published jointly by
David, his mother Elizabeth and wife Margaret Willis.
The
Tribune covers the Duneland towns, Porter County government, schools,
churches and other local news with the mission of providing voters, parents
and property owners with the tools for good citizenship.
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