About The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946
Bolivar, Tenn. (1888-1946)

Bolivar Bulletin and The West Tennessee Star

The first issue of the Bolivar Bulletin--“A weekly news and literary journal, devoted to the interests of the people”--was published in August 1865. It was established by J.B. Miller and Moses R. Parrish. Parrish was also the editor and remained in that position for a decade. Content included foreign and domestic news, local affairs, market reports, railroad news, and poetry. A Ladies’ Column was often included, as well as home and garden advice. The Bulletin carried a large amount of advertisements which, due to the town’s proximity to Memphis, were predominantly for the city’s businesses. The paper supported the Democratic Party. It regularly printed announcements for party meetings and backed its nominees in presidential election campaigns. 

In the early 1870s, the Bulletin campaigned for a railroad connection between Memphis and Knoxville via Bolivar. Its campaign rivaled the nearby Jackson Whig and Tribune’s bid for the railroad to be routed through its town. Both papers frequently carried editorials canvassing support from its citizens and advocating its town’s worth over the other. On January 9, 1874, the Bulletin’s editorial contended, “Give Bolivar a cross road leading from Memphis into Middle Tennessee, connecting there with the iron, limestone, marble and coal of that country and there is no reason why Bolivar may not, within the next ten years, exceed Jackson in wealth and population.” In the same issue, John Milton Hubbard wrote his salutatory column. Hubbard, a former teacher and Civil War diarist, replaced W.T. McCarley as co-owner and co-editor. He and his partner Parrish endeavored to serve the local community, showing no delusions of grandeur: “We do not propose, here in Bolivar, to print a ’London Times,’ a New York Sun, or a Littell’s Living Age, but we do propose to print a decent, respectable country journal, and ask for it the support of the people.”

The Parrish/Hubbard partnership lasted little over a year. In April 1875, H.M. Polk and Co. became the proprietors. Partners in the new company were Horace Moore and Marshall Tate Polk (both related to President James K. Polk). The Bulletin saw many further changes in ownership and editors but underwent only one (very brief) name change. In April 1888, the paper became the West Tennessee Star, but it reverted to the Bolivar Bulletin in November when R.H. Green and Hugh Williams purchased it.

In 1946, the Bulletin merged with the Hardeman County Times to form the Bolivar Bulletin and the Hardeman County Times. It became the Bulletin-Times in 1981 and is still published under that name.

Provided by: University of Tennessee