WASHINGTON COUNTY.
The first newspaper published in Washington county was the St. Croix Union, established Oct. 8, 1854, in Stillwater. It was continued under the management of Cable & Easton one year, when F. S. Cable sold out to Milton H. Abbott. Soon after Mr. Abbott bought out the interest of M. S. Easton. The paper went down in the crash of 1857.
The Stillwater Messenger made its appearance under the management of A. T. Van Voorhes, Sept. 11, 1856. It changed ownership several times, and in 1871 Seward & Taylor, the present owners, came into possession.
The Stillwater Democrat succeeded the defunct Union in 1858. L. F. Spaulding and C. P. Lane became the editors and proprietors. It was discontinued in 1861.
A. B. Easton and J. N. Castle established the Stillwater Gazette, the first number appearing Aug. 6, 1870. This paper was successful from the first, and with but few changes in proprietorship is published at the present day as a daily and weekly by Clewell & Easton.
The Stillwater Lumberman was established April 9, 1875, by Ed. H. Folsom. It afterward passed into the hands of a stock company, and was discontinued in 1884.
The Stillwater Post, a German paper, was established by W. P. Shilling & Co. Aug. 26, 1876. Two years later it passed into the hands of Wm. Schermuly, and in 1880 it was taken charge of by Julius Duel, who is succeeded by F. C. Neumeier.