Monday, August 18, 2025

Crittenden Press Marion's Oldest Business now at 146 yrs.

 The article first appeared in The Crittenden Press on October 11, 2001, it was for Marion's Sesquicentennial Guide.  At the time the Press was 122 years old.

A chronological history

The City of Marion's oldest business wasn't around when the city was created in 1851, but if it were, you can bet the city's incorporation would have been on the front page of The Crittenden Press.

Its establishment in 1879 makes The Crittenden Press the oldest, continuously operated Marion business.  A close second is Henry and Henry Monuments, which began two years later. 

The Crittenden Press was founded by R. C. Walker. In those first days, it's hard to imagine the long, painstaking process required to produce even a few lines of type, not to mention several pages eight columns wide.

History of the business has been passed down to each of the eight owners, including the descendants of Evers Mick, whose family continues to publish the weekly newspaper and The Early Bird Shopper's Guide.

According to history, the newspaper was distributed to as few as 200 subscribers in 1879.  Growth was rapid, as subscriptions reached 500 the first few years and 1,800 by 1894.

Like the county's growth in the last 50 years, The Crittenden Press' growth has been steady.  Circulation today in 4,300.

Walter Walker succeeded his father, R. C. Walker, as publisher of The Crittenden Pr ess.  He was followed by S. M. Jenkins and W. F. Hogard and his son Wilson Hogard.

 The Hogards sold the newspaper to J. Brown, who owned it until 1955 when it was purchased by Charles Pepper.

Current ownership by the Mick family started in 1960, when Evers Mick branched out of his role as a radio announcer in Madisonville to embark on a career in print media.

Evers Mick, was editor and publisher for nearly 10 years, with assistance from his wife, Lucille, and high school-age son - a 1969 graduate of Murray State University - took the reins.

While Lucille Mick was not involved in the day-to-day operation of The Crittenden Press between 1969 and her death in 1989, she maintained close ties to the family business helping out in the newspaper office from time to time. 

 Through the 1970's and 1980s, a third generation of Micks, Allison, was introduced to the newspaper.  As a teenager, she took photographs, worked in the darkroom and delivered newspapers.

Paul Mick published the newspaper until his tragic murder in 1990.  At that time, John Lucas, a long-time Press editor, took over daily operations.  Mick's wife, Nancy, remained as the company president and eventually took over as publisher in 1993.

Also in 1993, Ms. Mick hired Chris Evans to become just the second editor in more than 20 years at the newspaper. Evans had worked at The Press in the late 1980s as a reporter before joining the Paducah Sun staff.  He returned to Crittenden County and married Paul and Nancy Mick's oldest daughter, Allison.   

A strong commitment to community news and professional reporting is testament to The Crittenden Press' longevity. 

Early Pictures of The Crittenden Press office when it was in the basement on East Carlisle St.


 

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