About The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current
Chase, Mich. (1873-current)

The Lake County Star

Throughout the 19th century, lumber served as the basis for the local economy of Lake County, Michigan. Later, agriculture and seasonal tourism, particularly summer resort communities and trout fishing in the county's many streams, became important economic activities. The Idlewild Resort Company was a seasonal community of particular note. Founded in 1912, it was one of the few lakefront resorts which welcomed African Americans prior to the 1960s. With approximately 2,000 cottages, Idlewild was one of the largest African-American resorts of its day.

The Lake County Star was the first paper printed in the county. It began publication on May 1, 1873, in the town of Chase, which had been settled in 1867 and was then the county seat. Charles Kelly Radcliffe, under the corporate name of Radcliffe & Co., founded the newspaper.

In its first issue, the Lake County Star declared itself to be Republican, "no independent or neutral humbug for us." However, the Star also saw itself as a community resource. In the same first issue, the editor stated that the paper's political orientation "will not prevent us from doing full justice to those of a different political opinion than ourselves." The paper downplayed its political association even more when it wrote, "In the absence of political campaign issues, however, we do not propose to continually harp on political topics; but remain of the opinion that people of both parties would rather read something else as soon as the election is over."

In late 1873 or early 1874, Radcliffe relocated the Star to Baldwin, the current seat of Lake County, where the paper remains in operation today. The Lake County Star passed through several owners and editors, but the most long-served was Herbert Davis, who purchased the newspaper in 1903 and managed it until his death in 1950.

Provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library