The Fort Smith Herald newspaper was first published June 23, 1847 by John F. Wheeler. Fort Smith at the time had fewer than 500 residents.
Twenty years later in 1867, he started another newspaper, the Fort Smith Weekly Herald. Wheeler was mayor of Fort Smith in 1854.
Fast forward five generations and Wheeler’s great, great, great grandsons Jeff and Jack Mayo publish nine community newspapers in Eastern Oklahoma and now as Wheeler described in 1867 after the Civil War, “Like the fabled Phoenix, it now begins in earnest too, to arise from its ashes, regenerated and vigorous.”
In this difficult digital media environment, the Mayos are starting slow in Fort Smith with a calendar of events. We look forward to growing this site to spread the word about what is happening in Fort Smith!
For more history on John F. Wheeler and the early days of Fort Smith, go here.
If you would like to know more about Cookson Hills Publishers and our other publications, go here.
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