After Meeker was founded, it wasted no time in establishing a newspaper. It only took about two years for the town to have a newspaper. Meeker has had a newspaper ever since, and ever since the first day the newspaper has been a valuable piece, providing the residents with information and many other things they need. Below you can learn about the founding of the business as well as some of the different owners and names it's had, and what the business is like today.
Founding:
The first newspaper in Meeker was started by James Lyttle. Lyttle had previously worked in Leadville for their newspaper. In 1883 he bought basic equipment and was looking for a place to set up. He heard about Meeker and that the small town was intrested in getting a newspaper. He took a long journey on train, horseback, and foot to get to Meeker. He decided that Meeker would be a great place to start up his newspaper company and brought his equipment and business partner, Jack Houston, back to Meeker and printed the first edition of the Herald. The first newspaper business was held in an old military barrack like many other first businesses in town.
Above is a photo from 1887 of James Lyttle standing in front of the newspaper building.
History and other newspapers:
When James Lyttle moved to Meeker he was planning on taking Jim Riland with him, but Riland took a job in Aspen instead. In 1900 Riland did end up moving to Meeker and started a rival newspaper company called The White River Review. The newspaper's were essentially rivals to each other until April 1934 when Riland's newspaper company was shut down. Riland's business was housed in the frame building that now holds the Blue Spruce Inn.
For more than 100 years the Herald news paper only had three owners. James Lyttle ran the newspaper until he died in 1925. His son, R.G. Lyttle took over the business for him until 1964. After this he sold the company to James Cook's family. They had it for about 30 years before selling it to Sereva Towler in the 1990's. The paper then was sold to several people until finally being bought by Nikki and Pat Turner in the 2010's.
Other than the owner changing, one big change is the name. The name was changed to the Rio Blanco Herald Times. This mainly happened to accommodate Rangley, as the two newspaper's were combined and became one. The editions are mainly the same, just changing the front page to associate with the specific town more.
For more than 100 years the Herald news paper only had three owners. James Lyttle ran the newspaper until he died in 1925. His son, R.G. Lyttle took over the business for him until 1964. After this he sold the company to James Cook's family. They had it for about 30 years before selling it to Sereva Towler in the 1990's. The paper then was sold to several people until finally being bought by Nikki and Pat Turner in the 2010's.
Other than the owner changing, one big change is the name. The name was changed to the Rio Blanco Herald Times. This mainly happened to accommodate Rangley, as the two newspaper's were combined and became one. The editions are mainly the same, just changing the front page to associate with the specific town more.
Today:
Recently in 2019, the Rio Blanco Herald Times moved from the hugus building back into the building it started in. Since the founding of Meeker, the newspaper has been a vital part of our history. They have always provided citizens with valuable information like what jobs are available or what's happening in the town. The Rio Blanco Herald times is an essential business and the citizens of Meeker and Rangley will forever be grateful for this business. See what the first newspaper building looked like here!
Above is the building that holds the Rio Blanco Herald Times as of 2021.
