About The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922
Grangeville, Idaho (1907-1922)

The Grangeville Globe

George A. Smith first published the Grangeville Globe December 4, 1907. The north Idaho newspaper was published weekly on Wednesdays and consisted of six pages with five columns. In January 1909, after a year of ownership, Smith sold the paper to Charles A. Branscomb, who expanded it to eight pages and, at the end of 1909, changed the publication day to Thursdays.

At this time, there were two other newspapers published in Grangeville--the Standard-News and the Idaho County Free Press. The Globe was a Republican publication, as was the Standard-News. These two papers consolidated in April 1910, when the Globe bought the Standard-News. A notice in the Globe stated, "There is not and never has been any justification for two Republican papers in Grangeville." Nonetheless, for 15 months after the consolidation, the Globe printed "Successor to the Standard-News" on its editorial page.

The Globe worked for the development of Grangeville and spread word of the "beauty and healthfulness" of the surroundings. It highlighted the "matchless fertility" of the Camas Prairie, the "vast mineral and timber wealth" of the region, and the area's "pleasant winters and delightful summers."

The Globe included news of all Idaho County, including the nearby towns of Mt. Idaho, Fenn, Stites, Denver, White Bird, and Elk City. In 1908, the North Pacific Railway extended its reach to Grangeville. Before that date, the citizens of Grangeville had to travel by stage coach to Stites, the nearest railroad station, 20 miles away. The new rail line facilitated the transportation of Grangeville's mining, timber, and agricultural products.

In August 1910, George A. Smith returned to the Globe as the business manager, and the business name became the Globe Publishing Company, Ltd. Also at this time, the Globe added a new Cranston printing press to their operation, enlarging the paper from five to six columns and increasing the subscription rate from $1 to $1.50 for a year.

Grangeville's economy originally was founded on mines and the mining industry. As these resources dwindled, residents turned their time to stock-raising and agriculture. Water use and water rights were important in the area, and the Salmon and Clearwater Rivers were a key part of life in Grangeville. Additionally, the surrounding forested lands provided for a booming timber industry, so much so that by 1922 conservation efforts were being made to protect the forest. A Globe article from April of that year championed "Forest Protection Week," and the need to practice "care and economy" with the remaining timber, as "3/5 of the original stand of timber" had been cut down by that point.

The Grangeville Globe continued publication until April 27, 1922, when it was absorbed by the Idaho County Free Press.

Provided by: Idaho State Historical Society